March 23, 2006
Although it is hard to believe, tomorrow is the last day of the second funnel week. Because of this self-imposed deadline, all policy bills will have to be passed off of the floor of one chamber and out of a committee on the other side to remain alive. Because of this, we are having a flurry of committee work today and tomorrow in the interest of keeping alive any bills deemed important by the committee chairs.
One action we took on the House floor this week, which I believe would move forward our goal of graduating more highly educated students is HF2709. This would require that schools have to provide 990 instructional hours to elementary students, and 1,080 hours to middle school and high school students. This is not additional hours based on the average number of hours listed by the Legislative Services Agency. They report that the average is 1,023 hours for elementary students and 1113-1143 hours for middle school and high school students. The logic driving this proposal is the frustration that too many schools are dismissing school too many days at 1:00 P M and considering it a full day. Currently the requirement is that schools put in 180 days a year and are permitted to count 1:00 P M dismissals as a full day. I have had many complaints from constituents that the school their children attend dismisses students at 1:00 one day each week for teacher in-service. This is in addition to all the days when schools dismiss early for weather-related reasons, etc.
The Governor offered a proposal earlier this year that would require additional days of classroom time. The concern is that students from Iowa are not keeping up with students in other states and that Iowa as a state has slipped in the ratings of providing a world-class education to our youth. Representative Jodi Tymeson, who is chairperson of the House Education Committee brought this idea forward because of numerous complaints she has received that students are being cheated out of instructional time because of early dismissals. Her observation is that before we require additional days of instruction, we need to insure that our students are not being cheated out of the number of hours they should be getting on the 180 day calendar.
The House also passed two “truth in education” bills that require school districts to provide parents and communities better information about their students. Under HF 2619 and HF2621, Iowans will get a clearer picture of the number of students who graduate or the number who drop out of school, how students compare to their peers in Iowa and the U. S., and whether a student is performing at grade level.
Visitors to the Capitol
Visitors this week were the Keokuk County Extension Director Gary Bickmeier, along with the “Hotshots” of Keokuk County 4-H members Travis Hedges, William Newman, and Jacob Wonderlich. Also visiting were Poweshiek County Water Association Directors, Ronald Grimm, Raymond Peak, Magee Baustian, Chad Coburn, Wayne Wilcox, and Dan Anderson.
Question of the Week…
Do You agree with the House Republican suggestion that schools should be required to fulfill a certain number of instructional hours as opposed to the current requirement of 180 days?
I would appreciate your input. My phone number at the Capitol is 515-281-3221, or e-mail me at betty.deboef@legis.state.ia.us. I would welcome visitors at the Capitol, too!