Iowa 2025-2026 Regular Session

Iowa House Bill HF68 Latest Draft

Bill / Introduced Version Filed 01/16/2025

                            House File 68 - Introduced   HOUSE FILE 68   BY BOSSMAN   A BILL FOR   An Act modifying provisions related to open enrollment policies 1   and English-language learners. 2   BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 3   TLSB 1594YH (2) 91   jda/jh  

  H.F. 68   Section 1. Section 282.18, subsection 2, paragraph c, Code 1   2025, is amended to read as follows: 2   c. Every school district shall adopt a policy which defines 3   the term insufficient classroom space for that district. 4   The definition shall include standards related to the school 5   districts capacity to provide instruction to English learners,   6   as defined in section 280.4. 7   EXPLANATION 8   The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with 9   the explanations substance by the members of the general assembly. 10   This bill modifies provisions related to open enrollment 11   policies and English-language learners. Current law requires 12   receiving school districts to approve applications for open 13   enrollment that are submitted in a timely manner unless the 14   receiving school district has insufficient classroom space. 15   Current law also requires each school district to adopt a 16   policy that defines insufficient classroom space for purposes 17   of open enrollment. The bill requires the definition of 18   insufficient classroom space adopted by the school district to 19   include standards related to the school districts capacity to 20   provide instruction to English learners. Under current law, 21   English learner means a student whose language background is 22   in a language other than English, and the students proficiency 23   in English is such that the probability of the students 24   academic success in an English-only classroom is below that 25   of an academically successful peer with an English language 26   background. 27   -1-   LSB 1594YH (2) 91   jda/jh   1/ 1