Education (Testing & Assessment)

in committee · Iowa · House Jan 30, 2026

HSB 555: A bill for an act relating to teacher education and licensing, including by modifying provisions related to practitioner preparation programs and licenses issued by the board of educational examiners.

This bill modifies Iowa's teacher education and licensing requirements, effective July 1, 2027. It requires all teacher training programs to include 15 hours of clinical experience focused on supporting students with disabilities and English learners, while programs seeking English learner endorsements must provide 40 hours of specialized training. The Department of Education must establish a standardized end-of-program assessment to measure teacher readiness, set minimum passing scores, and publish program pass rates publicly starting in 2028. These changes directly affect teacher preparation programs at Iowa colleges, teacher candidates, and school districts hiring educators.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationRequires enhanced teacher training for disabilities/ELL students and standardized assessments to improve educator readiness, strengthening teacher preparation standards.92% confidence

Sub-Topics Teachers Testing & Assessment

Track

in committee · Iowa · House Feb 6, 2026

HSB 547: A bill for an act regarding student admission factors to regents universities.

This bill, HSB 547 (the "Admissions Reform Act"), would require Iowa's regents universities to include the "classic learning test" as an additional standardized test option in their admission index (RAI) starting before the 2026-2027 academic year, alongside ACT/SAT scores. It also mandates that by December 31, 2026, the state board of regents adopt a policy limiting admission considerations for students who do not qualify under the RAI to only "merit" and "likelihood of employment in Iowa after graduation." The RAI currently combines ACT/SAT scores, high school GPA, and core course completion to assess applicant readiness. This bill directly affects regents universities and prospective students applying to these institutions, particularly those not meeting the RAI criteria.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationAdds 'classic learning test' as optional admission factor for universities, expanding student pathway options (supports educational access in higher education).85% confidence

Sub-Topics K-12 Education Testing & Assessment

Track

introduced · Iowa · Legislature

5498XD: Educator Preparation Programs (5498XD) - Education, Department of

This bill requires Iowa's educator preparation programs (which train future teachers) to include specific clinical experiences focused on serving students with disabilities and English learners, starting July 1, 2027. All students must complete at least 15 practicum hours on differentiation strategies, while those seeking an English learner teaching endorsement must complete 40 hours of specialized training. The Department of Education will administer a summative assessment before program completion to measure content readiness, set minimum passing scores, and publish annual program performance data. These changes aim to improve teacher preparedness for diverse student needs through standardized training and accountability measures.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationMandates specialized teacher training for students with disabilities and English learners, enhancing educator preparedness and student access to inclusive education.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Teachers Testing & Assessment

Track

in committee · Iowa · House Jan 30, 2025

HSB 47: A bill for an act relating to school safety by requiring the creation of threat assessment teams and authorizing information sharing between certain governmental agencies.

HB 47 requires all Iowa school districts, nonpublic schools, charter schools (under chapters 256E/256F), and certain agencies (like law enforcement, mental health providers, and juvenile justice) to create multidisciplinary threat assessment teams for K-12 students. These teams must assess and intervene when students exhibit behavior posing a threat to school safety, and they can share relevant information with other covered entities to ensure student safety or access to services. The bill also provides legal immunity for good-faith reports about credible threats of serious harm. It directly affects schools, mental health services, and law enforcement agencies working with students at risk of emotional disturbance or safety threats.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationRequires threat assessment teams to enhance school safety, protecting students and staff within educational settings per bill's intent.90% confidence

Sub-Topics School Safety Testing & Assessment

Track

in committee · Iowa · House Jan 30, 2025

HSB 33: A bill for an act relating to the administration of the statewide summative assessment of student progress to students of online schools by school districts, accredited nonpublic schools, and charter schools.

This bill (HSB 33) allows Iowa school districts, accredited nonpublic schools, and charter schools providing primarily internet-based instruction to administer statewide student assessments online. It requires that online assessments must be conducted synchronously (in real-time), monitored via video by proctors at a 10:1 student-to-proctor ratio, scheduled by school staff, and verified by an administrator. The bill specifies that the online assessment environment must mirror students' regular academic instruction. These requirements apply to all state assessments mandated under Iowa law for online students.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationEnables online schools to administer required assessments, supporting educational access for virtual students and compliance with state standards.75% confidence

Sub-Topics Testing & Assessment

Track

in committee · Iowa · House Feb 24, 2025

HF 154: A bill for an act providing for a waiver of undergraduate tuition and mandatory fees and a stipend at regents institutions for Iowa residents who receive the maximum score on certain standardized tests.

HF 154 would waive undergraduate tuition and mandatory fees at Iowa's public universities for Iowa residents who achieve the highest possible score on the ACT or SAT college readiness assessments. It also provides a $5,000 semester stipend to qualifying students. To receive these benefits, students must submit score documentation and maintain satisfactory academic progress toward graduation. The bill directly affects high-scoring Iowa students at regents institutions, creating a new financial aid pathway tied to standardized test performance.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill waives tuition and provides stipend for high-scoring students at regents institutions, directly expanding access to higher education and increasing financial support for students.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Higher Education Student Financial Aid Testing & Assessment

Track

in committee · Iowa · House Mar 7, 2025

HSB 218: A bill for an act relating to students who attend a course in religious instruction that is provided by a private organization, including by modifying provisions related to compulsory education and chronic absenteeism and allowing school districts, charter schools, and innovation zone schools to adopt policies related to awarding academic credit for the completion of a course in religious instruction.

HB 218 allows Iowa school districts, charter schools, and innovation zone schools to create policies awarding academic credit for religious instruction courses provided by private organizations. It modifies compulsory education rules by exempting students from attendance requirements when attending such courses (with limits: max 5 hours weekly, required parental notification, and private organization maintaining attendance records). The bill also explicitly excludes these religious instruction absences from counting toward chronic absenteeism thresholds under Iowa law. School policies must evaluate courses based on instructional hours, assessment methods, and instructor qualifications - without considering religious content or denominational affiliation - to determine if they meet academic standards.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationAllows academic credit for religious instruction courses, expanding curriculum options and educational access for students within school policies.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Curriculum Testing & Assessment

Track

died · Iowa · House Apr 21, 2025

HF 163: A bill for an act relating to school safety by requiring the creation of threat assessment teams and authorizing information sharing between certain governmental agencies.

HF 163 aims to enhance school safety by requiring the creation of multidisciplinary threat assessment teams in school districts and accredited nonpublic schools. These teams will coordinate resources to assess and intervene when K-12 students exhibit behavior that may pose a threat to school safety. The bill also authorizes "covered entities," including schools, the judicial branch, and criminal justice agencies, to share records and information about students at risk of mental illness or posing a significant threat, to ensure access to appropriate services or safety. Additionally, it provides civil liability immunity to individuals who, in good faith, report or investigate credible dangers of serious harm on school property.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill enhances school safety via threat assessment teams, directly protecting K-12 educational environments and student well-being as part of education policy.95% confidence

Sub-Topics School Safety Testing & Assessment

Track

in committee · Iowa · Senate Feb 18, 2025

SSB 1030: A bill for an act requiring students to pass the United States citizenship and immigration services naturalization civics test as a condition of high school graduation and high school equivalency diplomas.

This bill requires all Iowa high school students in grades 9-12 to pass the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) civics test with at least 60% accuracy as a condition for graduating high school or earning a high school equivalency diploma. Starting in the 2026-2027 school year, public and accredited nonpublic schools must administer the test, which consists of multiple-choice questions from the USCIS naturalization civics test, without charging students any fees. Students who fail may retake the test as many times as needed to achieve the required score. The law applies to all students seeking these diplomas, not just non-citizens, and mandates the state board of education to create implementing rules.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationMandates civics test as graduation requirement, directly enhancing curriculum standards for K-12 education.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Testing & Assessment

Track

in committee · Iowa · Senate Feb 25, 2025

SSB 1092: A bill for an act relating to education, including by modifying provisions related to mathematics instruction, civics assessments, practitioner preparation programs, and the duties of the director of the department of education.

This bill (SSB 1092) updates Iowa's education laws to strengthen mathematics instruction and civics education. It requires all K-6 students to be assessed in math three times yearly using approved screeners, with schools providing targeted interventions for students consistently below benchmark. For civics, it mandates that high school students (grades 9-12) pass a standardized test (requiring 60% correct answers) to graduate, using a test based on the U.S. citizenship civics exam. The bill directly affects school districts, teachers, and students, adding new duties for the education director to develop math plans and distribute resources. It also modifies teacher training programs to include specific math competency requirements.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationMandates stronger math assessments for K-6 and civics graduation requirement (60% pass), directly strengthening curriculum standards and student accountability in education.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Teachers Testing & Assessment

Track