House File 522 - Introduced HOUSE FILE 522 BY COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION (SUCCESSOR TO HF 114) A BILL FOR An Act relating to the therapeutic classroom incentive program 1 by authorizing the expenditure of moneys for certain 2 nutritional items. 3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 4 TLSB 2184HV (2) 91 jda/jh
H.F. 522 Section 1. Section 256.25, subsection 7, Code 2025, is 1 amended to read as follows: 2 7. For purposes of this section , therapeutic classroom 3 means a classroom designed for the purpose of providing support 4 for any student whose emotional, social, or behavioral needs 5 interfere with the students ability to be successful in the 6 current educational environment, with or without supports, 7 until the student is able to successfully return to the 8 students current education environment, with or without 9 supports, including but not limited to the general education 10 classroom. The support provided by a therapeutic classroom may 11 include all of the following: 12 a. Supporting student access to micronutrients, vitamin 13 supplementation, and mineral supplementation, including vitamin 14 D and vitamin K2. 15 b. Assessing the macro-nutritional needs of students. 16 c. Providing minimally processed whole foods, including 17 fresh fruits, fresh vegetables, and healthy animal-derived fats 18 and proteins, including eggs, full-fat dairy products, beef, 19 and bacon. 20 d. Restricting the use and availability of artificial or 21 synthetic food additives that may have an adverse effect on 22 activity and attention in students. 23 e. Remediating the negative impacts of excessive use of 24 digital screens and devices on human biology. 25 f. Increasing student exposure to natural light or the light 26 emitted by full spectrum lighting fixtures. 27 g. Carrying out any other scientifically supported 28 initiative that a school district reasonably believes will 29 improve emotional, social, and behavioral health outcomes among 30 students. 31 EXPLANATION 32 The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with 33 the explanations substance by the members of the general assembly. 34 This bill relates to the therapeutic classroom incentive 35 -1- LSB 2184HV (2) 91 jda/jh 1/ 2
H.F. 522 program by authorizing the expenditure of moneys for certain 1 nutritional items. The therapeutic classroom incentive 2 program, administered by the department of education, provides 3 competitive grants to school districts to establish classrooms 4 that are designed for the purpose of providing support for any 5 student whose emotional, social, or behavioral needs interfere 6 with the students ability to be successful in the current 7 educational environment, with or without supports, until the 8 student is able to successfully return to the students current 9 education environment, with or without supports, including 10 the general education classroom. The bill provides that 11 the support provided by a therapeutic classroom may include 12 supporting student access to micronutrients and vitamins, 13 assessing the macro-nutritional needs of students, providing 14 minimally processed whole foods, restricting the use and 15 availability of certain artificial or synthetic food additives, 16 remediating the negative impacts of excessive use of digital 17 screens, increasing student exposure to natural light or the 18 light emitted by full spectrum lighting fixtures, and carrying 19 out any other scientifically supported initiative that a school 20 district reasonably believes will improve student health. 21 -2- LSB 2184HV (2) 91 jda/jh 2/ 2