Education (Special Education)

in committee · Iowa · Senate Feb 16, 2026

SF 2329: A bill for an act relating to education, including by modifying provisions related to the duties and powers of area education agencies, the department of education, and area education agency funding, and including effective date and applicability provisions.

SF 2329 modifies Iowa's area education agencies (AEAs), which provide educational services to schools across the state. The bill requires AEAs to adjust their boundaries to avoid splitting school districts and to align with school district mergers, while mandating that they offer educational services to accredited public and nonpublic schools at least comparable to those available in 1974. It also establishes new budget rules requiring AEAs to submit annual budgets for approval by the Department of Education and the State Board of Education, and caps AEA administrator salaries at 125% of the average superintendent salary in their region. Additionally, the bill creates a special education division within AEAs led by a director appointed by the Department of Education to oversee special education services.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationMandates AEAs to maintain services comparable to 1974 for all schools and align boundaries to prevent district fragmentation, ensuring continued educational access and service continuity.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Special Education

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passed · Iowa · House Mar 19, 2026

HF 2492: A bill for an act providing for supplementary weighting for school districts that share career and technical education instructors.

HF 2492 adds career and technical education (CTE) instructors to the list of positions eligible for shared operational functions that qualify for extra school district funding. School districts sharing CTE instructors (defined as licensed teachers with specific endorsements in grades 5-12) with other districts or political subdivisions for at least 20% of the school year will receive a supplementary funding boost of three pupils per shared function. This change expands existing funding rules, which previously covered roles like counselors and special education directors, to specifically include CTE instructors. The bill aims to redirect resources toward student programming by incentivizing shared staffing arrangements.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill expands school finance by adding supplementary funding for districts sharing CTE instructors, directly increasing state appropriations for public education.95% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill provides supplementary funding (3 pupils per shared function) for districts sharing CTE instructors, expanding school finance support for career education programs and teacher collaboration.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Career & Technical Education School Funding Special Education

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in committee · Iowa · House Jan 29, 2026

HF 2003: A bill for an act requiring the department of education to develop and administer a pilot program that requires certain specified school districts to establish attendance centers for students requiring special education and students with behavioral issues.

HF 2003 requires Iowa's Department of Education to create a pilot program where one rural school district and one urban school district (meeting specific population criteria) must establish attendance centers for students needing special education or struggling with behavioral issues that prevent success in regular classrooms. The program mandates annual reporting on student participation, academic progress, and feedback from students, parents, and teachers, with the Department compiling these reports for the legislature. It redirects 48% of a school district's existing special education funds toward this pilot program starting in 2026, instead of using them for standard special education services. The pilot runs until July 1, 2031, and applies only to the designated districts.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill mandates creation of specialized attendance centers for special education/behavioral needs students, requiring annual reporting on progress and feedback to improve K-12 educational outcomes.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Special Education

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in committee · Iowa · Senate Jan 27, 2026

SF 2080: A bill for an act relating to area education agency employee access to student records.

SF 2080 requires Iowa school districts to allow Area Education Agency (AEA) employees who provide educational services to students to access relevant school district records. This directly affects AEA staff (such as special education providers) and school districts, ensuring AEA employees can access necessary student information to deliver effective services. The bill mandates that school districts permit this access when needed for educational programs, and resolves disputes by requiring districts to comply if either the AEA's special education director or the school district's special education director directs it. It removes barriers to information sharing while maintaining oversight through designated education leadership. The policy change focuses on enabling coordinated student support without expanding access beyond what is necessary for service delivery.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationMandates school districts to permit AEA staff access to student records for educational services, directly enabling effective program delivery in special education and student support.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Special Education

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in committee · Iowa · House Jan 21, 2026

HF 2143: A bill for an act authorizing school districts to use revenues from the district management levy for targeted staff retention incentives and including applicability provisions.

HF 2143 allows Iowa school districts to use revenues from their district management levy for targeted staff retention incentives. Specifically, it permits payments for retention bonuses or financial incentives for employees in critical roles, those with high-need credentials (like special education, math, science, or career-technical education), and classified staff in essential operational positions. The bill amends Iowa Code Section 298.4 to explicitly include these uses of levy funds. This change applies to school budget years starting July 1, 2026.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesAllows school districts to use existing levy funds for staff retention incentives, directly funding critical education roles with tax revenues.90% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationAuthorizes use of levy funds for teacher retention bonuses in critical roles (special ed, STEM, career-technical), directly strengthening educator support and staff retention in high-need areas.95% confidence

Sub-Topics School Funding Special Education

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in committee · Iowa · House Feb 16, 2026

HSB 648: A bill for an act relating to the teach Iowa scholar program, including modifying eligibility provisions and establishing funding allocations.

This bill modifies Iowa's Teach Iowa Scholar program, which provides up to $4,000 annually (max $20,000 over five years) to teachers in STEM, ESL, special education, or hard-to-staff subjects. It removes the current requirement that applicants rank in the top 25% of their teacher preparation program. Instead, starting July 1, 2026, 20% of funds must go to teachers providing special education, and 50% to teachers in rural school districts (defined as districts with fewer than 1,000 students). These changes directly affect eligible teachers seeking program funding, shifting focus toward rural and special education roles.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill modifies funding allocations for teacher program, mandating 20% to special ed and 50% to rural districts, directly advancing state budget allocation for education priorities.95% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationRemoves top 25% barrier for teacher eligibility and redirects 50% of funds to rural schools (underserved K-12 areas) and 20% to special education, directly strengthening teacher support and educational access.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Special Education Teachers

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in committee · Iowa · Senate Jan 13, 2026

SF 2018: A bill for an act relating to special education, including by requiring accredited nonpublic schools to provide special education services to students enrolled in the school who require such services and modifying the responsibilities of area education agencies, and including effective date provisions.

SF 2018 requires accredited nonpublic schools in Iowa to directly provide special education services to students with disabilities enrolled in those schools, including identifying needs, developing written plans similar to federal Individualized Education Programs (IEPs), and employing licensed staff. Previously, area education agencies provided these services, but the bill shifts this responsibility to nonpublic schools, which must now cover all associated costs and cannot use agency funding for this purpose. The bill ensures students in nonpublic schools receive services comparable to those in public schools, while area education agencies must continue making such services available in the same manner. These changes align with federal special education requirements and update how services are delivered to students in nonpublic settings.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationMandates accredited nonpublic schools to directly provide special education services, including IEPs and licensed staff, ensuring student access to required support without relying on agency funding.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Special Education

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in committee · Iowa · Senate Mar 3, 2025

SF 478: A bill for an act relating to Medicaid and children’s health insurance program coverage for mental health services provided in school-based settings.

This bill requires Iowa's Department of Health and Human Services to seek federal approval to expand Medicaid and CHIP coverage for mental health services provided in schools. It ensures all children enrolled in Iowa's Medicaid or CHIP programs - regardless of whether they have a special education plan - can access covered services without needing a formal mental health diagnosis. Covered services include individual, group, and family therapy, prevention services, evaluation, and case management. The bill also mandates collaboration with schools and federal technical assistance to implement these changes, particularly in rural and under-resourced districts.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationExpands school-based mental health access for all students in Medicaid/CHIP, enhancing student support services without diagnostic barriers.90% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareExpands Medicaid/CHIP coverage for school-based mental health services without diagnosis requirement, improving access for all enrolled children.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Special Education Student Health Children's Health Medicaid Mental Health

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in committee · Iowa · Senate Jan 28, 2025

SF 80: A bill for an act relating to the eligibility of students with individualized education programs to participate in extracurricular interscholastic athletic games or competitions.

This bill requires the lead special education teacher (not coaches or athletic directors) to determine if students with Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) can join school sports teams. The teacher must review the student’s attendance record and whether they are earning passing grades in their classes. It does not apply to students with severe or profound disabilities who receive special education under Chapter 256B. The law applies to both public and nonpublic schools in Iowa.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationEnables IEP students' athletic participation with academic criteria, enhancing extracurricular access for special needs students within educational framework.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Special Education Teachers

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in committee · Iowa · House Mar 5, 2025

HF 730: A bill for an act requiring the director of the department of education to establish a special education weighting work group.

HF 730 requires Iowa's Department of Education to create a special education weighting work group to review the state's special education funding system, which hasn't been updated since 2004. The work group, composed of diverse stakeholders including school boards, educators, district representatives (by enrollment size and geographic location), and legislative members, will propose adjustments to special education funding weights. It must submit recommendations to the governor and legislature by January 2, 2026. The bill directly affects all Iowa public school districts serving students with special education needs by addressing outdated funding formulas. This is a procedural step to review current funding mechanisms, not a direct policy change.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationRequires review and potential adjustment of special education funding weights to update a system unchanged since 2004, aligning with funding improvement indicators.92% confidence

Sub-Topics School Funding Special Education

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