- KIWA Staff Photo
Statewide Iowa (RI) — The first day of school in most Iowa districts is just three weeks away, and the Iowa Department of Education has issued new guidelines outlining how educators may discipline students who are disruptive or violent.
Under the law, Iowa schools must have written policies explaining when a student can be removed from a classroom and under what circumstances they may return. Each removal requires a meeting between teacher and principal — and a teacher may refuse to allow the student back into their classroom. Representative Skyler Wheeler of Hull, who chairs the House Education Committee, helped craft the legislation.
Senator Lynn Evans, a retired superintendent from Aurelia, says student behavior is a growing challenge in special education.
This spring, there were nearly 200 job openings in special education classrooms statewide — a number that climbed to more than 600 late last week. Senator Molly Donahue of Marion, who works part-time as a special education teacher at Cedar Rapids Kennedy High School, says persistent disruptive behavior affects entire buildings.
The new law guarantees teachers at least three days of paid leave if they’re physically injured by a student. It also requires teachers to read updates to the Individual Education Plans for any student they teach.
