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STATE OF IOWA
KIM REYNOLDS
GOVERNOR
May 6,2025
The Honorable Paul Pate
Secretary of State of Iowa
State Capitol
Des Moines, Iowa 50319
Dear Mr. Secretary,
I hereby transmit:
House File 316, an Act relating to career education, including middle school career
exploration and industry-recognized credential seals and certificates for high school
students.
The above House File is hereby approved on this date.
Sincyely,bmc|reiy,
Kim Reynolds xj
Governor of Iowa
cc: Secretary of the Senate
Clerk of the House
STATE CAPITOl. DF.S MOINES, IOWA 50319 515.281.5211 FAX 515.725.3527 WWW.GOVERNOR.IOWA.GOV
e?«iZEARR AtGHT
WILL MAIffTAJ
House File 316
AN ACT
RELATING TO CAREER EDUCATION, INCLUDING MIDDLE SCHOOL CAREER
EXPLORATION AND INDUSTRY-RECOGNIZED CREDENTIAL SEALS AND
CERTIFICATES FOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
Section 1. Section 256.9, Code 2025, is amended by adding
the following new subsection:
NEW SUBSECTION. 69. a. Develop and make available on
the department's internet site a list of industry-recognized
credentials or certifications that are attainable by students
enrolled in grades nine through twelve and that are aligned
with career and technical education service areas.
b. Develop and distribute to school districts a seal
aligned to the list of industry-recognized credentials or
certifications described in paragraph to be affixed to high
school transcripts or certificates pursuant to section 279.87.
Sec. 2. Section 256.11, subsections 3 and 4, Code 2025, are
amended to read as follows:
3. ^ The All of the following areas shall be taught in
grades one through six:
(1) English-language arts^ aocialj_
(2) Social studies/ mathematics,—ociGncc/ health/ phyoical^^
(3) Mathematics.
(4) Science.
(5) Health. The health curriculum shall include the
characteristics of communicable diseases.
House File 316, p. 2
(6) Physical educatioiiT—traffic.
(7) Traffic safetyT—muoic,—viaual_^
(8) Music.
(9) Visual art, and^ 3ubjeGtj_
(10) Subject to section 279.80, age-appropriate and
research-based human growth and development.
(11) In grades five and six, career planning and pathways.
The career planning and pathways curriculum shall include
career investigation, career connections, and career intentions
to help such students understand career opportunities in order
to fully utilize the individualized career and academic plan
developed pursuant to section 279.61.
b. Computer science instruction incorporating the standards
established under section 256.7, subsection 26, paragraph
subparagraph (4), shall be offered in at least one grade
level commencing with the school year beginning July 1, 2023.
The health curriculum shall include the characteristics of
communicable diacaooa.
c. The state board as part of accreditation standards shall
adopt curriculum definitions for implementing the elementary
program.
4. The All of the following shall be taught in grades
seven and eight:
(1) English-language arts-;—oocial_^
(2) Social studies, including instruction related to
civics; mathomatico;—acionco; health;^
(3) Mathematics.
(4) Science.
(5) Health. The health curriculum shall include
age-appropriate and research-based information regarding the
characteristics of sexually transmitted diseases.
(6) Age-appropriate and research-based human growth and
development-;—carcorj_
(7) Career instruction, exploration_j_ and development-^
physical, which shall include career investigation, career
connections, and career intentions.
(8) Physical education; music; and vi3ualj_
(9) Music.
(10) Visual art.
House File 316, p. 3
Computer science instruction incorporating the standards
established under section 256.7, subsection 26, paragraph "a",
subparagraph (4), shall be offered in at least one grade level
commencing with the school year beginning July 1, 2023. Career
exploration and development shall be designed so that students
are appropriately prepared to create an individual career
and academic plan pursuant to section 279.61, incorporate
foundational career and technical education concepts aligned
with the six career and technical education service areas as
defined in subsection 5, paragraph incorporate relevant
twenty-first century skills to facilitate career readiness,
and introduce students to career opportunities within the
local community and across this state. The health curriculum
shall include ago-appropriate and research based information
regarding the charactoristico of sexually tranomittod diaoaaQS.
c. The state board as part of accreditation standards shall
adopt curriculum definitions for implementing the program in
grades seven and eight. Howovory—this
d. This subsection shall not apply to the teaching of career
instruction, exploration^ and development in nonpublic schools.
Sec. 3. NEW SECTION. 279.87 Industry-recognized credentials
or certifications — recognition.
1. A school district shall report to the department of
education the identity of a student enrolled in the school
district who attains an industry-recognized credential or
certification that is aligned to the student's career and
technical education program of study and that is on the list
described in section 256.9, subsection 69, paragraph and
the specific credential or certification the student attained.
The report shall be confidential and shall not be a public
record subject to disclosure under chapter 22,
2. A school district shall recognize high school graduates
who, prior to graduation, have attained an industry-recognized
credential or certification that is aligned to the student's
career and technical education program of study and that is on
the list described in section 256.9, subsection 69, paragraph
by doing one of the following:
a. Affixing the seal described in section 256.9, subsection
69, paragraph to the student's high school transcript.
House File 316, p. 4
b. Providing the student with a certificate to which the
seal described in section 256.9, subsection 69, paragraph
is affixed.
Sec. 4. STATE MANDATE FUNDING SPECIFIED. In accordance
with section 25B.2, subsection 3, the state cost of requiring
compliance with any state mandate included in this Act shall
be paid by a school district from state school foundation aid
received by the school district under section 257.16. This
specification of the payment of the state cost shall be deemed
to meet all of the state funding-related requirements of
section 25B.2, subsection 3, and no additional state funding
shall be necessary for the full implementation of this Act
by and enforcement of this Act against all affected school
districts.
PAT GRASS
Speakerthe House
AMY SINCL^R
President of the Senate
I hereby certify that this bill originated in the House and
is known as House File 316, Ninety-first General Assembly.
Approved 2025
MEGHAN NELSON
Chief dlerk the House
KIM RIYNOLDS
Govern