David Ruehs <druehs03@gapps.bcsds.

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SAI Legislative Update - Feb. 28

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School Administrators of Iowa <dwrenn@sai-iowa.org> Fri, Feb 28, 2020 at 9:28 AM

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SAI's Legislative Priorities | Find your legislator | Contact your legislator | Iowa Legislature

February 28, 2020

The week after the first funnel can be relatively quiet from a subcommittee and committee standpoint,
and this past week was just that with both chambers busy moving bills on the floor.

On the House side:

The House passed HF 2359 Teacher Preparation Reports that removes requirements for schools
with teacher preparation programs to administer a national skills test. If they do administer a test
they must report annually on the test scores to the DE and the results are to be published on the
Internet. It passed on a 98-0 vote and now heads to the Senate.
HF 2308 open meetings subjects passed on a 96-0 vote. It makes any deliberations or actions
taken by a government within the budgetary duties of the body subject to the open meetings
laws.
The House also moved HF 2418 school budget calculations. It provides a remedy for situations
where an error was made on BEDS reports that impact individual employee’s licensure status. It
provides a process and requires the Executive Director to the BoEE to initiate corrective action. It
passed the House on a 95-0 vote and was sent to the Senate.

In the Senate:

The Senate passed SF 2360 classroom behaviors on a 50-0 vote. This is the “room clears” bill
that has been getting so much attention and includes provisions for training to deal with
aggressive and disruptive behaviors, a grant program to establish therapeutic classrooms, and
some immunity provisions. It appropriates $1.58 million for therapeutic classrooms and $500,000
for training and $500,000 for transportation cost reimbursements. SAI supports this bill, but does
not support the version currently in the House. Ideally the House will amend their version to what
has passed the Senate.
The Senate passed SF 2153 school health screenings on a 49-0 vote. This bill prohibits schools
from conducting health screenings of students that are not required under state or federal statute
unless without written permission of the parent. It includes prohibitions against invasive physical
exams (with a definition), emergent health care situations (with a definition) and student health
care screenings.
Also passed on a 49-0 vote was SF 2261 telehealth school behavioral services that authorizes
schools and AEAs to contract for behavioral health screenings and services and to offer such
services through telehealth. It requires insurance to pay the same for such telehealth services as
 for in-person services. This bill, if made into law, should help rural areas provide services without
long travel obligations and missed school time.
The Senate unanimously passed SF 2356 dyslexia specialists, etc. It requires the State Board
adopt rules on an advanced dyslexia specialist endorsement for teachers, in consultation with the
Iowa Reading Research Center and the BoEE. It also establishes the Iowa Dyslexia board, with
membership and duties and directs the DE to hire a consultant to work on dyslexia issues.
On Thursday afternoon, the Senate passed SF 2310 on-line learning 49-0. It ends the state Iowa
On-line Initiative and authorizes the AEAs, in collaboration with other schools and AEAS, to offer
on-line classes. It requires schools to pay AEAs for the on-line course work and allows the DE to
waive requirements for additional subjects to be offered by school districts for up to one school
year.

At the Committee level, the House Ways and Means Committee passed HF 2176 education aid
adjustment. It makes a school eligible for an adjustment in state foundation aid if a property value
adjustment made on appeal is at least $100,000 (2% of the property value in the district). It also
requires the property to originally be assessed at more than $5 million.

The Governor signed SF 2164 transportation and per-pupil equity into law this week. It provides $7.2
million in additional funding for the 204 school districts spending more than the average to bus students.
The statewide average is $347.65 per-pupil. It also includes $10 more per pupil for per-pupil equity. That
will cost the state an additional $5.9 million.

And then there is SSA. The most recent “word on the street” is that the Senate has offered to go to
2.3%, and the House is still sticking to 2.5%. None of this is in writing, just the rumors we are
hearing. It would be good to let your legislators know your statutory deadlines that you have to meet in
order to certify your budgets, and that it would be nice if they were to abide by the deadlines they
have. They are now two weeks past their deadline.

It’s shaping up to be a beautiful weekend. I guess March won’t be coming in like a lion, and we’ll keep
our fingers crossed that it goes out like a lamb, too!

Dave Wilkerson
SAI Government Relations director, dwilkerson@sai-iowa.org, 515-321-0326 @DrDaveWilk

Reminder: Bill numbers in blue text provide links to the bill. By clicking on the link, you can check a
bill's standing and read the entire bill.

Appropriations Committee - Senate | House

SF 2360 CLASSROOM BEHAVIOR (Appropriations; Successor to SF 2190)

Classroom behavior: Requires teacher preparation programs to include the development of
individualized education programs and other strategies on behavioral interventions. Directs the DOE to
develop standards on responses to imminent threats of bodily injury at school. Requires teacher
preparation programs to include strategies on using the least restrictive environment as of July 2021.
Allows a teacher to clear a classroom (“classroom clear”) if a student’s behavior presents and immediate
danger but not just to calm a student down. Requires schools to notify parents about the situation.
Requires teachers to report violent acts to the principal and allows the teacher to make a report to the
DPS. Therapeutic Classrooms: Establishes grants for therapeutic classrooms and allows schools to
collaborate on the creation of therapeutic classrooms. Includes provisions on funding and transportation.
School Immunity: Grants immunity from civil liability for a school district and the board of directors,
and for non-public schools, for physical contact between a student and school employee that is covered
by immunity provisions for the school employee. Appropriations: Appropriates $1.58 million for the
therapeutic classrooms’ incentive fund and $500,000 for the transportation claims reimbursement.

HF 2497 AT-RISK SUPPLEMENTAL (Education; Successor to HSB 666)

Allows the supplemental school aid for at-risk students to be increased to 5% of a school district’s regular
program cost, if approved by the School Budget Review Committee. Effective for the 2021-22 school
year.

Previously Filed Bills

Education Committee - Senate | House

SF 2356 DYSLEXIA SPECIALISTS & BOARD (Education; Successor to SF 2235)

BOE: Requires the State BOE to adopt rules on an advanced dyslexia specialist endorsement for
teachers, in consultation with the Iowa Reading Research Center and the BEE. Directs the BEE to adopt
rules on the criteria for the endorsement. Board: Establishes the Iowa Dyslexia board, with membership
and duties. Consultant: Directs the DOE to hire a consultant to work on dyslexia issues. Other: Defines
dyslexia and requires specific classroom teachers to complete the Reading Research Center module on
dyslexia. Redefines dyslexia.

HF 2521 SCHOOL SUICIDE PREVENTION (Education; Successor to HF 2120)

Requires schools to make annual reports to the DOE on the protocols used to prevent suicide and
strategies to deal with adverse childhood experiences and other matters.
HF 2532 CLASSROOM BEHAVIOR (Education; Successor to HSB 598)
Classroom behavior: Requires teacher preparation programs to include the development of
individualized education programs and other strategies on behavioral interventions. Directs the DOE to
develop standards on responses to imminent threats of bodily injury at school. Requires teacher
preparation programs to include strategies on using the least restrictive environment as of July 2021.
Allows a teacher to clear a classroom (“classroom clear”) if a student’s behavior presents an immediate
danger but not just to calm a student down. Requires schools to notify parents about the situation.
Requires teachers to report violent acts to the principal and allows the teacher to make a report to the
DPS. Therapeutic Classrooms: Establishes grants for therapeutic classrooms and allows schools to
collaborate on the creation of therapeutic classrooms. Includes provisions on funding and transportation.
School Immunity: Grants immunity from civil liability for a school district and the board of directors,
and for non-public schools, for physical contact between a student and school employee that is covered
by immunity provisions for the school employee. Appropriations: Appropriates $1.58 million for the
therapeutic classrooms’ incentive fund, $500,000 for education students in the least restrictive
environment and $500,000 for the transportation claims reimbursement. See SF 2360
HF 2539 DEAF LANGUAGE ACQUISITION (Education; Successor to HSB 680)
Requires the DOE to hire an Early Language Development Coordinator and requires the development of
tools to assess the language and literacy acquisition skills of young deaf children. Establishes duties for
the coordinator, including the development of language milestones. Requires the development of a
resource for parents and the dissemination to parents. Creates an advisory committee. Requires
recommendations by July 2021 and annual reports. Includes other provisions, including requirements to
be consistent with federal standards.

Previously Filed Bills

Local Government Committee - Senate | House

HF 2516 OPEN ENROLLMENT CAUSE (Local Government; Successor to HSB 706)

Allows a parent who works in a non-contiguous school district to send notice that good cause exists for
open enrollment after the March deadline. Requires the receiving district to enroll the child if good cause
exists.

Previously Filed Bills

Study Bills

HSB 706 OPEN ENROLLMENT CAUSE (Local Government) Bloomingdale (C), whole
Allows a parent who works in a non-contiguous school district to send notice that good cause exists for
open enrollment after the March deadline. Requires the receiving district to enroll the child if good cause
exists.

Previously Filed Bills

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