Bills › 90th General Assembly

SF 85Died when the session ended · January 31, 2023

Relating to public education, including participation in surveys, analyses, activities, or evaluations by students, employees, and contractors of school districts or charter schools and prohibiting the use of certain resources or materials related to social and emotional learning

Topics:K–12 education

Same legislation: HF 362

Where it is now

  1. Done: IntroducedJanuary 17, 2023
  2. Done: SubcommitteeJanuary 24, 2023
  3. Stopped: Senate committeeDied when the General Assembly ended
  4. Next: Passes the Senate
  5. Next: House committee
  6. Next: Passes the House
  7. Next: To the Governor
  8. Next: Signed into law

Died when the session ended The 2024 session adjourned on April 19, 2024, the General Assembly’s last regular session. Bills that didn’t pass both chambers died. What’s a funnel?

What’s in it

AI summary Schools and the Department of Education would no longer be allowed to use certain materials or frameworks related to social and emotional learning. Additionally, school districts and charter schools must get written permission from a parent before a student participates in surveys about sensitive topics like mental health, religion, or sexual orientation. This rule also requires parental consent before teachers or contractors can answer questions about a student's social or emotional abilities in a survey.1

Read the official explanation

This bill relates to public education, including participation in surveys, analyses, activities, or evaluations by students, employees, and contractors of school districts or charter schools and prohibiting the use of certain resources or materials related to social and emotional learning. The bill prohibits the department of education from displaying on the department’s internet site or otherwise disseminating any references or materials related to or created by the collaborative for academic, social, and emotional learning, or using such materials as a framework for social and emotional learning. or the governing board of a charter school to receive the prior written consent of a student’s parent or guardian before requiring a student to take part in any survey, analysis, activity, or evaluation that reveals information related to political affiliations of the student or the student’s parent or guardian; mental or psychological problems of the student or the student’s family; sexual behavior, orientation, or attitudes; illegal, antisocial, self-incriminating, or demeaning behavior; critical appraisals of individuals with whom the student has close familial relationships; legally recognized privileged or analogous relationships; religious practices, affiliations, or beliefs of the student or the student’s parent or guardian; or income, except as required by law to determine eligibility for a program. The requirement applies whether or not the information is personally identifiable. The bill prohibits an employee of a school district or charter school, or a contractor engaged by a school district or charter school, from answering any question pertaining to any particular student enrolled in the school district or charter school in any survey related to the social or emotional abilities, competencies, or characteristics of the student, unless the board of directors of the school district or the governing board of the charter school provides to the parent or guardian of each student enrolled in the school district or charter school detailed information related to the survey and receives the written consent from a student’s parent or guardian authorizing the employee or contractor to answer questions in the survey pertaining to the student.

Full bill text2

Senate subcommittee

Named January 24, 2023. On January 31, 2023 it recommended passage. [].

Three legislators hear a bill first and recommend what the committee should do; it’s the best time to weigh in. How to take part

20 written public comments to its subcommittee: January 31, 2023 (20) · on the Legislature’s site

Iowa Code it changes

Creates§256.9B§279.77

Amends§256E.7

How the Code works3

Lobbying

4 for · 25 against · 7 undecided · Who →

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