SF 2007 increases the supplementary funding weight for Iowa school districts that share the operational functions of a school resource officer with a political subdivision (such as a city or county) for at least 20% of the school year. The bill raises the weight from two to five pupils per shared function, providing additional state funding to eligible districts to redirect resources toward student programming. This change applies to school budget years beginning on or after July 1, 2026, and directly affects school districts meeting the sharing criteria. The policy clarifies that districts may qualify for this increased funding even if the shared functions differ between the district and the political subdivision.
This bill requires Iowa public schools serving grades 7-12 to include suicide prevention resources on their websites, specifically the contact information and internet address for "Your Life Iowa" or its successor program. Schools issuing student ID cards to grades 5-12 must also display crisis hotline numbers and the program's website on the cards. The law directly affects public schools in those grade levels by mandating the inclusion of these resources as accessible tools for students. It does not create new programs but ensures existing suicide prevention resources are visibly available through school communication channels.
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.
SF 221 updates Iowa's child abuse reporting procedures for schools. It requires public and nonpublic schools to report alleged abuse by staff to child protection services and law enforcement if criminal. Schools must allow confidential access to children during investigations and cooperate with assessments. The bill also mandates that school boards and educational examiners be notified of verified child abuse findings against staff, potentially leading to license denial or revocation for educators. These changes apply directly to all schools and their employees.
SF 500 establishes a state grant program to help Iowa school districts pay for security personnel at high schools. The program, administered by the Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management, provides matching grants (up to $30,000 per district annually) to offset costs for hiring private security officers or school resource officers guarding high school attendance centers. It appropriates $9,750,000 from the state general fund for the program during fiscal year 2025-2026, with unspent funds carried forward to future years. The bill directly affects school districts employing security staff at grades 9-12 locations, reducing their financial burden for this requirement.
HF 122 increases funding for Iowa school districts that share operational functions with other entities, specifically raising the supplementary weighting for sharing a school resource officer (SRO) from 2 to 4 pupils. This policy change directly affects school districts sharing SRO services (or other eligible roles like counselors or special education directors) for at least 20% of the school year. The bill provides additional state funding by assigning districts extra weighted pupils based on shared functions, with SRO sharing now earning 4 pupils instead of 2. The change applies to school budget years beginning July 1, 2025.
HF 1009 authorizes school districts to use revenues from their existing district management levy for school safety and security purposes. This bill directly affects school districts by expanding the allowable uses for these funds. Specifically, the funds can be used to pay for school safety and security infrastructure, such as weapons detection and door monitoring systems. Additionally, the levy can cover costs for employing or retaining various security personnel, including school resource officers, private security with weapon permits, reserve or peace officers, and individuals with at least two years of law enforcement or security experience. This Act applies to school budget years beginning on or after July 1, 2025.
HF 865 modifies how Minnesota school districts and accredited nonpublic schools address student harassment or bullying. It updates existing policies to clarify procedures for reporting, investigating, and responding to incidents. The bill directly affects students and school staff by changing the framework for handling these cases within schools. As signed into law on May 27, 2025, it establishes concrete requirements for school districts to follow regarding harassment and bullying prevention and response.
This bill modifies Iowa school funding rules for districts sharing certain staff services. It changes which staff positions count toward a school district's annual funding limit of 21 "additional pupils" in their budget. Starting July 1, 2025, funding for master social workers, independent social workers, mental health professionals, and school resource officers will no longer count toward this limit. This allows districts to hire more of these staff members without reducing their total funding allocation for other programs. The bill directly affects Iowa public school districts receiving shared-service funding under current law.
HF 553 allows Iowa school districts to use revenues from their district management levy (a local tax) to hire or keep school security personnel. Specifically, it authorizes funding for school resource officers (per federal definition), private security officers with a weapons permit, reserve peace officers, or certified peace officers. The bill applies to school budget years starting July 1, 2025, expanding the current allowable uses of this levy revenue. This change directly affects school districts seeking to fund security staffing through existing local tax revenues.
