Academic achievement of inmates — literacy and high school equivalency programs

1. Effective July 1, 1997, a person who is committed to the custody of the director of the department of corrections may be evaluated for purposes of determining the level of achievement in the basic skills of arithmetic, the communicative arts of reading, writing, grammar, and spelling, social studies, and the sciences. 2. Persons who demonstrate functional literacy competence below the sixth grade level may be required to participate in literacy programs established by the department. Participation shall be voluntary, but shall be reflected as part of the person’s record at the institution. Persons who are required to participate in literacy programs and who refuse to participate shall be subject to the following penalties: a. Eligibility only for a minimum allowance. b. Placement on idle status. c. Ineligibility for work bonuses. d. Ineligibility for minimum out or minimum live out status. e. Ineligibility for other privileges as determined by the department. 3. Persons who have not completed the requirements for high school or a high school equivalency diploma may be required to complete the requirements for and to obtain a high school equivalency diploma under chapter 259A. 4. The department, in cooperation with the board of parole, shall adopt rules which establish a procedure for evaluation of inmates to determine basic skills achievement, and criteria for placement of inmates in educational programs. Rules adopted may include, but shall not be limited to, the establishment of standards for the development of appropriate programming, imposition of any applicable penalties, and for waiver of any educational requirements.