This bill amends Iowa's school infrastructure funding law to allow school districts to use SAVE Fund money for increased insurance costs tied to hiring individuals with professional permits to carry weapons under Iowa Code §724.6(1)(a)(3). It directly affects school districts by expanding the definition of "school infrastructure" to include these specific insurance expenses. The key mechanism is updating the statutory definition to explicitly cover such costs, making them eligible for reimbursement from the SAVE Fund. The bill does not create new requirements but clarifies existing fund usage for a defined category of insurance expenses.
HF 2186 modifies Iowa's education savings account program by creating a new application window for semester-based funding. Parents or guardians of students attending nonpublic schools can now apply for payments between December 1-20 (instead of the existing January 1-June 30 window for full school years). If applications are submitted in this new semester window, payments are reduced to 50% of the standard amount. The bill also requires the state to pay nonpublic schools directly within 30 days when tuition is covered by these accounts. This affects families using the program for nonpublic school expenses like tuition and educational materials.
HB 609 requires Iowa's workforce development board to create a statewide initiative addressing cyber and AI workforce needs, including developing K-12 curriculum standards for AI/cyber literacy, fostering university-industry partnerships for internships and degree programs, and establishing grant programs for training (subject to funding). It mandates the state board of education to set statewide AI/cyber literacy standards for all students from kindergarten through higher education, prioritize federal funding to bridge K-12 and college pathways, and create a voluntary school certification program based on self-attestation and limited department review. The department of education must also develop a community awareness program featuring a digital resource hub for at-risk groups and targeted educational content for demographics like seniors and law enforcement. These provisions apply directly to public schools, colleges, private industry partners, and community education efforts across Iowa.
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.
This bill requires all Iowa schools serving grades 7-12 (including public districts, nonpublic schools, charter schools, and innovation zones) to provide specific social studies instruction. It mandates at least one-half semester of civics and U.S. government instruction in grades 7-8, and increases required instruction to one full unit (including voting procedures, constitutional study, and the Bill of Rights) for grades 9-12. The bill expands current requirements to cover additional school types and specifies exact curriculum content. It applies to school years starting July 1, 2028.
This bill allows Iowa public and nonpublic high schools to offer an elective junior firefighter program for 11th and 12th graders. Schools must coordinate with fire departments and the fire service training bureau to ensure students receive training for firefighter I certification, including meeting specific program requirements like teaching life skills and fostering community relationships. Students must submit a liability waiver (signed by a parent/guardian if a minor) to participate. If a student passes certification exams before turning 18, they cannot receive official firefighter I certification until their 18th birthday.
HF 2241 (Iowa) requires public universities governed by the state board of regents to cover 10% of the amount owed when a student defaults on an educational loan used for tuition during their enrollment. This applies specifically to loans taken out on or after July 1, 2026, and directly affects borrowers who default on these student loans. The bill establishes that the institution’s 10% liability offsets the borrower’s debt under the same terms, unless the institution negotiates different terms. It does not change the borrower’s primary responsibility for the remaining 90% of the debt.
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.
This bill modifies Iowa's open enrollment rules for English learners, affecting students, their home school districts, and receiving districts. It requires that transfer requests for English learners be approved only if the receiving district has an appropriate program meeting the student's needs without exceeding class size limits, and has sufficient space in general education classes if applicable. The bill clarifies funding: the home district pays the receiving district the standard English learner funding plus any additional costs the receiving district incurs for specialized instruction, if those costs exceed the standard rate. These changes apply to open enrollment requests filed after the bill's effective date.
HF 2123 prohibits state entities, including school districts, from establishing diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) offices or providing trainings about "specific defined concepts" in curricula. If a violation occurs, the bill mandates termination of the violating employee’s employment and, if a supervisor knew of the violation and failed to act, their termination too. It also requires revocation of professional licenses for affected employees and imposes civil penalties on the entity (ranging from $50,000 to $100,000 based on budget size) payable to the state general fund. The law allows students, alumni, or employees to sue school districts for violations, with enforcement handled by the attorney general or private parties.
