Bill Text: IA HF13 | 2015-2016 | 86th General Assembly | Introduced
Bill Title: A bill for an act eliminating the school start date limitation and related waiver and penalty provisions. (See Cmte. Bill HF 307)
Spectrum: Bipartisan Bill
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2015-03-24 - Withdrawn. H.J. 683. [HF13 Detail]
Download: Iowa-2015-HF13-Introduced.html
House File 13 - Introduced HOUSE FILE BY JORGENSEN, STANERSON, KOESTER, SHEETS, R. TAYLOR, WINCKLER, STECKMAN, OURTH, HALL, LANDON, FORRISTALL, RUFF, and HIGHFILL A BILL FOR 1 An Act eliminating the school start date limitation and related 2 waiver and penalty provisions. 3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: TLSB 1542YH (2) 86 kh/rj PAG LIN 1 1 Section 1. Section 279.10, subsection 1, Code 2015, is 1 2 amended to read as follows: 1 3 1. The school year for each school district and accredited 1 4 nonpublic school shall begin on July 1and each regularly 1 5 established elementary and secondary school shall begin no 1 6 sooner than a day during the calendar week in which the first 1 7 day of September falls but no later than the first Monday in 1 8 December.However, if the first day of September falls on a 1 9 Sunday, school may begin on a day during the calendar week 1 10 which immediately precedes the first day of September.The 1 11 school calendar shall include not less than one hundred eighty 1 12 days, except as provided in subsection 3, or one thousand 1 13 eighty hours of instruction during the calendar year. The 1 14 board of directors of a school district and the authorities in 1 15 charge of an accredited nonpublic school shall determine the 1 16 school start date for the school calendar and shall set the 1 17 number of days or hours of required attendance for the school 1 18 year as provided in section 299.1, subsection 2, but the board 1 19 of directors of a school district shall hold a public hearing 1 20 on any proposed school calendar prior to adopting the school 1 21 calendar. If the board of directors of a district or the 1 22 authorities in charge of an accredited nonpublic school extends 1 23 the school calendar because inclement weather caused the school 1 24 district or accredited nonpublic school to temporarily close 1 25 during the regular school calendar, the school district or 1 26 accredited nonpublic school may excuse a graduating senior 1 27 who has met district or school requirements for graduation 1 28 from attendance during the extended school calendar. A school 1 29 corporation may begin employment of personnel for in=service 1 30 training and development purposes before the date to begin 1 31 elementary and secondary school. 1 32 Sec. 2. Section 279.10, subsection 4, Code 2015, is amended 1 33 by striking the subsection. 1 34 Sec. 3. REPEAL. Section 257.17, Code 2015, is repealed. 1 35 EXPLANATION 2 1 The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with 2 2 the explanation's substance by the members of the general assembly. 2 3 This bill eliminates language prohibiting an early school 2 4 start date for a school calendar, and instead authorizes 2 5 school districts and accredited nonpublic schools to determine 2 6 the school start dates for their school calendars. The bill 2 7 also eliminates a provision that authorizes the department 2 8 of education to grant waivers to allow school districts and 2 9 accredited nonpublic schools to commence classes prior to 2 10 the earliest starting date, and repeals a provision that 2 11 establishes an aid reduction penalty for early school starts by 2 12 school districts. LSB 1542YH (2) 86 kh/rj
