Senate Majority Leader Mike Gronstal:
“We did some things on job creation in this state on making sure that the resources are there to provide for education and training of employees in this state to match the skills to the jobs that are out there and get thousands of Iowans back to work. So I’m pretty excited about some of the things we did for higher education and in particular community colleges. There are disappointments, there are disappointments in every session. I would have really loved to have gotten something done on commercial property taxes in this state. In the end we felt the plan that the Governor was advancing was one that would shift taxes to homeowners and we couldn’t go along with that.”

Video, audio and a transcript can be found at IPTV.

FLOOR ACTION:

SF 451 codifies previous Department of Education (DE) practice by allowing school districts more flexibility and more efficient use of dropout prevention funds. Under existing law, districts may request Modified Allowable Growth (MAG) for dropout prevention from the School Budget Review Board under the DE for up to 5 percent of the district’s regular program cost. This is totally generated from property taxes and the amount generated will vary on a year-to-year basis based on the allowable growth rate and current student enrollment. Districts must be able to expend all funds generated by the percent of MAG that is requested on approved dropout prevention expenditures and cannot build up reserves using this authority. The DE has recently told school districts that the statutory language does not support existing practice.

Appropriate uses include salary and benefits for instructional staff and school-based youth services staff working with students in dropout prevention programs, alternative programs and alternative schools. Students would need to be deemed “at risk” of dropping out to qualify for services. Programs could be offered on or off school grounds and are intended to improve relationships with schools, decrease truancy, provide course credit recovery, or help students accelerate through multiple grade levels in a shortened time frame. The funds will have to remain in the K-12 dropout prevention program. The bill keeps the 5 percent MAG cap of the total amount that may be used for dropout prevention programing.

For the 2009-2010 school year, 337 school districts initially applied for modified allowable growth and 334 districts were approved by the School Budget Review Committee to levy a local tax for Dropout Prevention Programs. A total of $106,795,694 was approved by the School Budget Review Committee in June 2010, with an additional 25 percent match from the local districts for a total of $142,038,273 generated statewide for serving returning dropouts and those students at the highest risk of dropping out.

The Senate accepted a House amendment that:

1. Sets the same allowable uses of funding as originally in the bill.
2. Sets a cap that works at two different levels. If over the 4 fiscal years (FY10-13), the school district didn’t levy above 2.5 percent, the cap is 2.5 percent. If over the 4 fiscal years (FY10-13), the school district does levy above 2.5 percent, the cap is the highest levy percentage during that period.
3. Sets two applicability dates. Allowable uses of funding goes into effect July 1, 2012. The fiscal portion of the bill goes into effect July 1, 2013.

The Senate passed the bill, as amended, and it now goes to the Governor for his consideration. [4/10: 26-24 (party-line)]

HF 2383 – Educator misconduct reporting requirements

FLOOR ACTION:

HF 2245, as sent over by the House, changed the requirement for the Legislature to set allowable growth, or basic state aid, for schools two years out. Allowable growth has been a longtime law that helps schools plan future budgets before they lock in tax rates, certify budgets with the state and enter into contracts with staff. A Senate amendment struck all the bill language and replaced it with a 4 percent allowable growth rate for schools for the 2013-2014 school year. This language would allow Iowa’s public schools to increase the amount spent on each student by 4 percent, which would cost the state an estimated $2.809 million. This is an increase of $142.6 million over FY13. The language would additionally allow schools to increase spending on such things as teacher training and class reduction goals by the same 4 percent, which would cost the state an estimated $334.2 million. This is an increase of $14.6 million. [3/19: 26-24]

HF 2383 builds upon efforts started last year to enforce reporting of educator misconduct to the licensing Board of Educational Examiners (BOEE). Last year’s legislation required Iowa schools to have much stricter requirements for reporting allegations of educator misconduct to state licensers, making it more difficult for educators and school districts to sidestep allegations of sexual or physical abuse involving students. Specifically, current law requires districts to place employees on administrative leave while they are being investigated for physical or sexual abuse of a child. If that investigation reveals conduct that could constitute a crime, districts must report the incident to state examiners, even if the educator resigns. Administrators who fail to make that report risk losing their jobs. Last year’s law also required the BOEE to develop training with help from a national expert in educator misconduct and prevention and professional educator ethics. HF 2383 refines last year’s legislation to include specific reporting requirements for any educator that has been found to solicit or encourage a romantic or otherwise inappropriate relationship with a student. HF 2383 also requires reporting to BOEE of any educator falsifying student grades, test scores or other official information or material. The Senate accepted a House amendment that would require school districts to check the Department of Transportation driving record website. The amendment does not require a clean driving record as a condition of employment. [3/21: 49-0 (McKinley excused)]

COMMITTEE ACTION:

HF 2382 builds upon efforts started last year to enforce reporting of educator misconduct to the licensing Board of Educational Examiners (BOEE). Last year’s legislation required Iowa schools to have much stricter requirements for reporting allegations of educator misconduct to state licensers, making it more difficult for educators and school districts to sidestep allegations of sexual or physical abuse involving students. Specifically, current law requires districts to place employees on administrative leave while they are being investigated for physical or sexual abuse of a child. If that investigation reveals conduct that could constitute a crime, districts must report the incident to state examiners, even if the educator resigns. Administrators who fail to make that report risk losing their jobs. Last year’s law also required the BOEE to develop training with help from a national expert in educator misconduct and prevention and professional educator ethics. HF 2383 refines last year’s legislation to include specific reporting requirements for any educator that has been found to solicit or encourage a romantic or otherwise inappropriate relationship with a student. HF 2383 also requires reporting to BOEE of any educator falsifying student grades, test scores or other official information or material. [3/14: short form (Boettger, Feenstra, Smith excused)]

HF 2245 – Allowable Growth Set in Odd Years

FLOOR ACTION:

SF 2267 is an important student consumer protections bill that ensures all students are afforded the benefit of existing law that provides for a minimum refund of tuition charges when a student withdraws from a for-profit institution. The bill requires for-profit schools that register in Iowa to implement the state tuition refund policy and show evidence of financial responsibility. The bill also expands the definition of a postsecondary school that maintains a presence in Iowa and expands the information a postsecondary school seeking to register must provide to the College Student Aid Commission. The bill changes the postsecondary school registration timeframe from every four years to every two years. The bill allows the Attorney General to adopt rules to carry out the commission’s oversight functions regarding these institutions. A floor amendment exempts Hamilton Technical College in Davenport, the only school that originated in Iowa that is not covered by an existing registration exemption. The amendment also provides additional protection to students in terms of the amount of tuition a school can charge a withdrawn student. It addresses a very recent development, when a school with a significant number of Iowans enrolled in its online programs changed its procedure for charging tuition to its online students. [3/5: 49-0 (Behn excused)]

COMMITTEE ACTION:

HF 2245 would set basic school funding only in odd numbered years, allowing a year advanced notice to local schools. Historically, the state of Iowa has told local schools what their funding would be two years in advanced. The Senate passed “allowable growth” or basic school funding at 4 percent for fiscal year 2013 early in the legislative session. The House did not bring this issue up. In trying to provide predictability to schools, the Education Committee amended HF 2245 to strike all current language and replace it with a 4 percent increase in basic state aid and categorical state aid for schools and returned to the past procedure of setting this funding level two years in advance. [3/7: 7-5 (party-line, Wilhelm excused)]

SF 2220 – Licensing for cosmetology and barbers

SF 2221 – Background checks for school bus drivers

SF 2225 – Sexual abuse taskforce recommendations

FLOOR ACTION:

SF 2219 strikes the sunset date for class-size reduction/early intervention program. This program was funded from July 1, 1999, to June 30, 2012. There is a sunset date in Code. SF 2219 strikes that sunset date since this funding in now in the school finance formula. The Iowa Early Intervention Block Grant Program set a goal of no more than 17 students per teacher in kindergarten through third-grade classrooms. School districts may use funds from this program in a number of ways to increase the basic skills of students, including hiring additional licensed instructional staff, before and after school programs, tutoring, implementing all-day kindergarten and more (Iowa Code 256D.2). In 2008, the Legislature provided a new categorical allowable growth formula for three long-standing education line-item appropriations: (1) Teacher Quality and Phase II, (2) Professional Development, (3) Early Intervention (also known as Class Size Reduction money). In FY13, Early Intervention Funds are estimated to total $30.3 million within the school aid formula. [2/27: 26-24 (party-line)]

SF 2220 requires Iowa schools of cosmetology and barber schools to register as post-secondary institutions with their respective licensing boards. This is a technical change based on new federal guidelines for institutions to be eligible for federal financial aid. [2/28: 50-0]

SF 2221 requires criminal background checks for all school bus drivers. Although most school districts already to do this, this makes it a requirement upon getting an initial license from the Department of Transportation. School districts are required to pay for the background check at time of employment. [2/28: 50-0]

SF 2225 enacts many of the recommendations from the Iowa Child Sexual Abuse Taskforce. During the 2011 session, the Legislature created this taskforce to develop policy recommendations regarding better training for doctors, teachers, social workers, police officers and others who are mandatory child abuse reporters. Additionally, after sexual assault controversy broke at Penn State University, Governor Branstad asked the State Board of Regents to review its sexual-assault policy. Iowa has consistently invested in preventing child sexual abuse through support of organizations such as Prevent Child Abuse Iowa and the Coalition Against Sexual Assault. The creation of this most recent Task Force provided an additional effort to address child abuse in Iowa, and we are fortunate that the Task Force is already in place to discuss and potentially address questions regarding Iowa law and reporting requirements. The bill addresses the need for more frequent, informative and effective training for mandatory reporters. The bill also provides for Prevent Child Abuse Iowa to hold Stewards of Children trainings and providing access to materials from Stop It Now’s website. Finally, the bill provides for whistleblower protections to prevent employers from retaliatory action against employees who, in good faith, report suspected child abuse. The protection would be similar to that in current law providing limited immunity against civil lawsuits. [2/29: 50-0]

SSB 3167 – Postsecondary education program oversight

SSB 3171 – Senate education reform

SF 2024 – Worker training program expansion

SF 2087 – Creating outstanding instructional leaders’ pilot

FLOOR ACTION:

SF 2024 establishes new Community College skilled workforce training and grant programs, which receive $20 million annually for three years. The bill:

** Requires the Department of Workforce Development to identify industry areas experiencing worker shortages on a quarterly basis.

** Requires Community Colleges to develop and implement the national career readiness certificate and the skills certification system endorsed by the National Association of Manufacturers.

** Appropriates $2 million for the Community Colleges GAP Tuition Assistance Fund. The GAP program, passed last year (but not funded) provides tuition assistance to need-based eligible applicants enrolled in certificate programs that offer a credential, a recognized certificate, preparation for a professional exam/licensure, provide endorsement to existing credential/license, or represent recognized skill standards defined by industry. Funds are dedicated to the GAP program so that Iowa can show state support in an effort to draw down federal and non-profit competitive grants.

** Appropriates $6 million for a new skilled workforce shortage tuition grant program. This program is administered by the College Student Aid Commission.

** Appropriates $12 million to Community Colleges for 260C.18A (current umbrella for workforce training programs).

** The appropriations are made annually for three years (FY13, FY14, and FY15, July 1, 2012-June 30, 2015). Unused funds do not revert. A floor amendment makes a number of technical and other changes. [2/22:  26-22 (party-line; Greiner, Houser “excused”]

COMMITTEE ACTION:

SSB 3166 directs the College Student Aid Commission to establish an Internet site for the purpose of distributing information regarding internship opportunities available in Iowa. The site shall be known as the Iowa Internship Connection and shall include the means for private businesses, state and local government agencies, and nonprofit organizations to post information about internship opportunities and to seek applicants for internship opportunities. [2/22: 8-5 (party-line)]

SSB 3167 is an important student consumer protections bill that ensures all students are afforded the benefit of existing law that provides for a minimum refund of tuition charges when a student withdraws from a for-profit institution. The bill requires for-profit schools that register in Iowa to implement the state tuition refund policy and show evidence of financial responsibility. The bill also expands the definition of a postsecondary school that maintains a presence in Iowa and expands the information a postsecondary school seeking to register must provide to the commission. The bill changes the postsecondary school registration timeframe from every four years to every two years. SSB 3167 allows the Attorney General to adopt rules to carry out the commission’s oversight functions regarding these institutions. A committee amendment clarifies functions relating to advertising, financial responsibility, tuition refund, and disclosure requirements and restrictions governing certain educational programs. [2/22: 12-1 (Johnson “no”)]

SSB 3171 is the Senate version of education reform. Key concepts of this bill include:

** Competency-based Instruction.

** Expanding of the Core Curriculum: The bill adds the subjects of music and other fine arts, applied arts, foreign languages, physical education, character education and entrepreneurship education to the skills and knowledge the core curriculum for kindergarten through grade 12 must address.

** Regional Parent Advocacy Networks.

** Focusing on teacher and administrator evaluation systems.

** Teacher Quality Committees to be the lead on Professional Development/Student Achievement.

** Increasing time for collaboration for educators.

** Annual Reviews modified to include administrator evaluation of teachers every three years (current Code), but annual reviews in the two years following a review by a certified evaluator will be conducted by a peer group of teachers.

** Evaluation Requirements for Administrators.

** Statewide Educator Evaluation System Taskforce.

** Administrator Preparation and Licensure Review Taskforce.

** Iowa Teaching Standards Review Taskforce and Report to Legislature.

** Prohibit tobacco on school grounds.

** Online Learning

>> Expand Iowa Learning Online.

>> Students may not take more than 50 percent of all course work online.

>> Courses developed by private providers may be utilized by the school district in implementing an online learning curriculum. Courses obtained from private providers will be taught by licensed Iowa teachers appropriately certified in subject area, employed by the local school district, with a licensed Iowa teacher as a proctor (mirroring ICN language).

** Student Teaching: Increase student teaching time from 12 weeks to 14 weeks (same as Governor’s recommendation) but require experience to be spread out over preparatory program, not just final semester.

** Board of Regents Continuous Improvement Plan: The Board of Regents will develop a program for implementing continuous improvement methodologies in every undergraduate course.

** Board of Regents will conduct a study relating to the GPA of educator preparatory students, follow them through graduation and employment to determine if GPA impacts teaching quality.

** STEM: this section directs the increased appropriations within the Education appropriations bill to align with STEM Advisory Council’s strategic plans.

** Early Childhood Literacy (similar to Governor’s bill, without retention)

>> Establishes a research center for current research on literacy.

>> Intensive reading instruction to students in need of reading assistance, based on statewide or local assessment. Supplemental instruction shall be provided to students, including but not limited to afterschool programming, parent-guided reading, tutoring and summer school. Decisions about whether to promote a student to 4^th grade  shall place significant weight on any reading deficiency as well as the student’s progress in other subject areas and overall intellectual, emotional and social development. No mandatory retention based on assessment.

** Instructional Time Pilot Project: Pilot for school districts (or parts of school districts) equal to seven percent of statewide enrollment.

** Parent Liaison Counselors Pilot Program: Parent liaison pilot program is established for lowest achieving school and targeted student populations, including at-risk, special education, mental health issues or other at-risk populations identified by Department of Education.

A committee amendment clarified many concepts from subcommittee. [2/22: 8-5 (party-line)]

SF 2087 establishes the Creating Outstanding Instructional Leaders (COIL) pilot program to promote excellence in the teaching profession. The bill appropriates $2.5 million annually for the 2012-2013, 2013-2014 and 2014-2015to establish the program. The bill requires a school district to establish yearly peer coaching stipends for teachers in the amount of $8,000. Stipends are to be awarded to teachers who volunteer for the program. The bill provides that the 30 school districts in the state with the highest student population shall receive sufficient funds to provide for three peer coaching stipends in accordance with the bill. The bill provides that the 70 school districts in the state with the 31st through 100th highest student population shall receive sufficient funds to provide for two peer coaching stipends in accordance with the bill. The remaining funds shall be allocated to the Area Education Agencies in proportion to the number of students in school districts that did not otherwise receive funds pursuant to the bill. The bill provides that a teacher receiving a peer coaching stipend shall, in lieu of non-instructional time activities during the school day, engage in peer coaching. School districts assign peer coaches to teachers in need of additional guidance in one or more aspects of the teaching profession. Assignments are to be based on either a request from a principal or from an individual teacher upon approval of a principal. A committee amendment clarified portions of the bill and provided other technical changes. [2/22: 8-5 (party-line)]

SSB 3003 – Background checks for school bus drivers

SF 2044 – Licensing for cosmetology

SF 2035 – Sex abuse taskforce recommendations

COMMITTEE ACTION:

SSB 3102 strikes the sunset date for class-size reduction/early intervention program. This program was funded from July 1, 1999, to June 30, 2012. There is a sunset date in Code. SSB 3102 strikes that sunset date since this funding in now in the school finance formula. The Iowa Early Intervention Block Grant Program set a goal of no more than 17 students per teacher in kindergarten through third-grade classrooms. School districts may use funds from this program in a number of ways to increase the basic skills of students, including hiring additional licensed instructional staff, before and after school programs, tutoring, implementing all-day kindergarten and more (Iowa Code 256D.2).

In 2008, the Legislature provided a new categorical allowable growth formula for three long-standing education line-item appropriations: (1) Teacher Quality and Phase II, (2) Professional Development, (3) Early Intervention (also known as Class Size Reduction money). In FY13, Early Intervention Funds are estimated to total $30.3 million within the school aid formula. [2/15: short form (Hamerlinck “no”; Johnson excused)]

SSB 3003 requires criminal background checks for all school bus drivers. Most school districts already to do this, but this makes it a requirement upon getting an initial license from the Department of Transportation (DOT). An amendment requires school districts to pay for the background check at time of employment. [2/15: short form (Johnson excused)]

SF 2044 requires Iowa schools of cosmetology to register as a post-secondary institution with their respective licensing boards. An amendment also added barber colleges. This is a technical change based on new federal guidelines for institutions to be eligible for federal financial aid. [2/15: short form (Johnson excused)]

SF 2035 enacts many of the recommendations from the Iowa Child Sexual Abuse Taskforce. During the 2011 session, the Legislature created this taskforce to develop policy recommendation regarding better training for doctors, teachers, social workers, police officers and others who are mandatory child abuse reporters. Additionally, after sexual assault controversy broke at Penn State University, Governor Branstad asked the State Board of Regents to review its sexual-assault policy. Iowa has consistently invested in preventing child sexual abuse through support of organizations such as Prevent Child Abuse Iowa and the Coalition Against Sexual Assault. The creation of this most recent Task Force provided an additional effort to address child abuse in Iowa and we are fortunate that the Task Force is already in place to discuss and potentially address questions regarding Iowa law and reporting requirements. The bill addresses the need for more frequent, informative and effective training for mandatory reporters. The bill also provides for Prevent Child Abuse Iowa to hold Stewards of Children trainings and providing access to materials from Stop It Now’s website. Finally, the bill provides for whistleblower protections to prevent employers from retaliatory action against employees who in good faith report suspected child abuse. The protection would be similar to that in current law providing limited immunity against civil lawsuits. [2/15: short form (Johnson excused)]

SF 2115 – FY14 Teacher Quality, Professional Development, Class Size Reduction

FLOOR ACTION:

SF 2114 is the FY14 Allowable Growth bill (for the 2013-2014 school year), which sets the growth at 4 percent. The total estimated cost of school aid will be $2.809 million. This is an increase of $142.6 million over FY13. Four percent in FY14 will establish a total cost per pupil of $6,241 ($240 above FY13). The statewide voluntary preschool program is funded within the school aid formula. Preliminary enrollments for students eligible to receive preschool formula weighting totaled 19,900 in FY13. In FY14, a 4 percent allowable growth increase would generate $65.2 million, an increase of $5.5 million over FY13. [2/7: 26-23 (party-line, Greiner excused)]

SF 2115 is the FY14 Categorical Allowable Growth Bill (for the 2013-2014 school year), which sets a 4 percent growth rate for three long-standing education line-item appropriations: Teacher Quality and Phase II, Professional Development and Early Intervention (also known as Class Size Reduction money). The FY14 4 percent growth in the state categorical allowable formula means $11.9 million increase in Teacher Quality, $1.3 million in Professional Development and $1.4 million in Early Intervention. This is a total of $334.2 million, which is an increase of $14.6 million in categorical allowable growth. [2/7: 26-23 (party-line, Greiner excused)]

SSB 3113 – FY14 Teacher Quality, Professional Development, Class Size Reduction

SF 2024 – Skilled Workforce Shortage Tuition Grant program

COMMITTEE ACTION:

SSB 3112 is the FY14 Allowable Growth bill (for the 2013-2014 school year), which sets the growth at 4 percent. The total estimated cost of school aid will be $2.809 million. This is an increase of $142.6 million over FY13. Four percent in FY14 will establish a total cost per pupil of $6,241 ($240 above FY13). The statewide voluntary preschool program is funded within the school aid formula. Preliminary enrollments for students eligible to receive preschool formula weighting totaled 19,900 in FY13. In FY14, a 4 percent allowable growth increase would generate $65.2 million, an increase of $5.5 million over FY13. [2/1: Short Form (Bowman excused)]

SSB 3113 is the FY14 Categorical Allowable Growth Bill (for the 2013-2014 school year), which sets a 4 percent growth rate for three long-standing education line-item appropriations: Teacher Quality and Phase II, Professional Development and Early Intervention (also known as Class Size Reduction money). The FY14 4 percent growth in the state categorical allowable formula means $11.9 million increase in Teacher Quality, $1.3 million in Professional Development and $1.4 million in Early Intervention. This is a total of $334.2 million, which is an increase of $14.6 million in categorical allowable growth. [2/1: Short Form (Bowman excused)]

SF 2024 establishes a new Skilled Workforce Shortage Tuition Grant program of $20 million to be administered by the College Student Aid Commission. A committee amendment clarifies the appropriation break outs, which include $2 million for GAP, $6 million for the skilled workforce shortage tuition grant program (Sen. Kibbie’s new fund) and $12 million for 260C.18A (current umbrella for workforce training programs). The bill:

• Requires the Department of Workforce Development to identify industry areas experiencing worker shortages on a quarterly basis.
• Establishes a specific appropriation of $2 million for the GAP tuition assistance program for the community colleges. The GAP program, passed last year (but not funded), provides tuition assistance to need-based eligible applicants enrolled in certificate programs that offer a credential, a recognized certificate, preparation for a professional exam/licensure, provide endorsement to existing credential/license, or represent recognized skill standards defined by industry.
• Establishes criteria for recipients of the new Skilled Workforce Shortage Tuition Grant. Total funding is $6 million. [2/1: Short Form (Bowman excused)]