Concurrent Enrollment and Career and Academic Planning (5497XD) - Education, Department of

This bill establishes a statewide list of high-demand jobs to guide workforce programs like apprenticeships and scholarships, while allowing community colleges to identify up to five regional high-demand jobs for local career planning. It updates career academy requirements to ensure they are career-focused, include articulated postsecondary pathways, and require director approval. The bill also adjusts school funding weights for high school students taking community college courses (with higher weighting for career/technical courses) and mandates community colleges to create statewide agreements for seamless transfer of career-technical credits to four-year universities without arbitrary limits. These changes directly affect high school students, community colleges, school districts, and career academies across Iowa.