Iowa 2023-2024 Regular Session

Iowa Senate Bill SF85

Introduced
1/17/23  
Introduced
1/17/23  

Caption

A bill for an act relating to public education, including participation in surveys, analyses, activities, or evaluations by students, employees, and contractors of school districts or charter schools and prohibiting the use of certain resources or materials related to social and emotional learning.

Impact

If enacted, SF85 will reshape the landscape of public education by placing strict limitations on the types of information that can be solicited from students through surveys. Specifically, it prohibits the Department of Education from using or promoting materials associated with social and emotional learning (SEL) frameworks. By disallowing the use of these materials for educational purposes, the bill alters how schools address essential topics of emotional well-being and psychological development. This change could lead to a significant reduction in resources available for teachers and administrators who aim to support students' social-emotional health.

Summary

Senate File 85, introduced by Senator Salmon, is a significant piece of legislation aimed at regulating aspects of public education within the state. The bill addresses participation in surveys, analyses, activities, or evaluations that involve students, school employees, and contractors from school districts or charter schools. It emphasizes the need for transparency and parental involvement by mandating that parents or guardians provide written consent before any student can participate in surveys that delve into sensitive topics such as political affiliations, mental health issues, and personal behaviors. This requirement aims to protect students' privacy rights and grant parents greater control over the information shared about their children.

Contention

Debate surrounding SF85 is expected to be contentious, as it touches on the balance between student privacy rights and the necessity of social-emotional education in schools. Advocates for the bill argue that parental consent is crucial for protecting children and ensuring that families remain informed about the types of evaluations conducted in schools. Conversely, critics, including educators and mental health professionals, express concern that the bill may hinder the development of comprehensive emotional learning programs, which they believe are essential for fostering students' overall well-being. The prohibition against certain educational resources may create barriers for schools trying to implement effective SEL initiatives, potentially undermining the support systems in place for students facing emotional and psychological challenges.

Companion Bills

IA HF362

Similar To A bill for an act relating to public education, including participation in surveys, analyses, activities, or evaluations by students, employees, and contractors of school districts or charter schools and prohibiting the use of certain resources or materials related to social and emotional learning.

Previously Filed As

IA HF362

A bill for an act relating to public education, including participation in surveys, analyses, activities, or evaluations by students, employees, and contractors of school districts or charter schools and prohibiting the use of certain resources or materials related to social and emotional learning.

IA SF496

A bill for an act relating to children and students, including establishing a parent's or guardian's right to make decisions affecting the parent's or guardian's child, authorizing the parent or guardian of a student enrolled in a school district to enroll the student in another attendance center within the same school district in certain specified circumstances, prohibiting instruction related to gender identity and sexual orientation in school districts, charter schools, and innovation zone schools in kindergarten through grade six, and modifying provisions related to student health screenings, school district library programs, the educational program provided to students enrolled in school districts, accredited nonpublic schools, and charter schools, other duties of school districts, accredited nonpublic schools, the department of education, the board of educational examiners, and the governing boards of charter schools and innovation zone schools, competent private instruction, and special education, and including effective date provisions. (Formerly SSB 1145.) Effective date: 05/26/2023, 07/01/2023.

IA SF159

A bill for an act relating to education, including modifying the responsibilities of the state board of education and school districts, prohibiting instruction related to gender identity or sexual orientation in school districts and charter schools in kindergarten through grade eight, modifying provisions associated with the human growth and development instruction and health screenings provided in school districts, charter schools, and innovation zone schools, and providing civil penalties.

IA SF113

A bill for an act relating to children and students, including by modifying provisions related to a parent's or guardian's rights to make decisions affecting the parent's or guardian's child, the educational program and human growth and development curriculum provided to students enrolled in school districts, charter schools, and innovation zone schools, student health screenings, school district library programs, special education, and other duties of school districts and the governing boards of charter schools and innovation zone schools.

IA SF2223

A bill for an act relating to children and students, including by modifying provisions related to a parent's or guardian's rights to make decisions affecting the parent's or guardian's child, the educational program and human growth and development curriculum provided to students enrolled in school districts, charter schools, and innovation zone schools, student health screenings, school district library programs, special education, and other duties of school districts and the governing boards of charter schools and innovation zone schools.

IA SF2049

A bill for an act relating to trainings, examinations, surveys, and screenings provided by governmental agencies and entities, school districts, charter schools, innovation zone schools, and public postsecondary educational institutions, including racism or sexism trainings, diversity and inclusion efforts, physical examinations, student health screenings, and surveys administered to students or related to students, and including civil penalties.

IA SSB1145

A bill for an act relating to children and students, including establishing a parent's or guardian's right to make decisions affecting the parent's or guardian's child, modifying provisions related to student health screenings and the curriculum in school districts, accredited nonpublic schools, and charter schools, other duties of school districts, competent private instruction, and special education, making appropriations, and providing civil penalties.(See SF 496.)

IA HSB222

A bill for an act relating to children and students, including establishing a parent's or guardian's right to make decisions affecting the parent's or guardian's child, modifying provisions related to student health screenings and the curriculum in school districts, accredited nonpublic schools, and charter schools, other duties of school districts, competent private instruction, and special education, making appropriations, and providing civil penalties.

IA SF217

A bill for an act relating to surveys administered to students or school employees.

IA SF2138

A bill for an act relating to the administration of social, academic, and emotional behavior risk screener tools by school districts, charter schools, and innovation zone schools.

Similar Bills

CA AB1025

Standby Caretaker Act.

CA AB1378

Standby guardianship of minors.

CA AB2179

Pupil services: local apprenticeship programs and preapprenticeship programs: notification of parents or guardians.

CA AB281

Comprehensive sexual health education and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) prevention education: outside consultants.

NJ S530

Requires certain school meal information be provided to public school students' parents and requires school districts to request that families apply for school meals under certain circumstances.

CA AB1974

Pupils: collection of debt.

NJ A4042

"Children Innocence Protection Act."

NJ A2580

"Children Innocence Protection Act."