Education

signed · Iowa · House May 6, 2025

HF 316: A bill for an act relating to career education, including middle school career exploration and industry-recognized credential seals and certificates for high school students.

This bill expands career education opportunities and recognition for Iowa students. It mandates new career planning and exploration curriculum for public school students in grades five through eight, designed to help them understand career pathways and prepare for future academic and career plans. For high school students, the bill directs the Department of Education to establish a list of industry-recognized credentials and create a corresponding seal. School districts would then report students who achieve these credentials and recognize them by adding the seal to their transcripts or providing a certificate.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill expands career education opportunities, mandates new curriculum for students, and creates industry-recognized credential seals to enhance student preparation and educational access.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Career & Technical Education Curriculum

signed · Iowa · House May 2, 2025

HF 118: A bill for an act modifying provisions related to the national guard service scholarship program.

This bill modifies the Iowa National Guard service scholarship program, which helps eligible Iowa National Guard members pay for college tuition. It establishes that scholarship awards cannot exceed the difference between a student's tuition and any financial aid they receive under specific federal military programs (10 U.S.C. §2007). Additionally, the bill removes a provision that previously prohibited scholarship eligibility or award determinations from being based on a National Guard member's unit, drill location, or whether they are in the Army or Air National Guard.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill expands access to higher education scholarships for National Guard members, removing restrictions and clarifying funding rules to support educational attainment.75% confidence ✓ VeteransSupports VeteransBill modifies scholarship program to help National Guard members pay for college tuition, expanding educational benefits for veterans.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Student Financial Aid National Guard & Reserve

signed · Iowa · House Apr 30, 2025

HF 782: A bill for an act relating to electronic devices in schools, including student access during instructional hours and school safety plans, and including effective date provisions.

This bill requires Iowa school districts, charter schools, and innovation zone schools to adopt policies by July 1, 2025, that restrict student use of personal electronic devices during classroom instructional time. The Department of Education will develop model policies for schools to consider. These policies must identify methods for parents to communicate with students during school hours and emergencies, establish disciplinary actions for violations, and outline secure storage protocols for devices. They must also include provisions allowing students to maintain access to devices for legitimate physical or mental health reasons, or as required by an individualized education program (IEP) or 504 plan. Additionally, school districts are mandated to revise their emergency operations plans by July 1, 2025, to align with these new policies on electronic device use.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill aims to improve school safety and establish clear policies for electronic device use, supporting educational environment and student management.85% confidence ✗ TechnologyOpposes TechnologyBill restricts student use of personal electronic devices during instructional time, limiting access to technology in schools.85% confidence

Sub-Topics School Safety Special Education

in committee · Iowa · House Mar 9, 2026

HF 2736: A bill for an act modifying provisions related to area education agency funding, and including effective date and applicability provisions.

This bill modifies how Iowa calculates and distributes funding to area education agencies and school districts, primarily adjusting the foundation base percentages used to determine regular program and special education support services funding. It establishes new formulas for calculating professional development supplements starting in 2026 and requires that at least 90% of special education support services funds received by districts after 2025 be used for services contracted from area education agencies. The legislation also ensures that certain teacher and professional development supplements are paid in full even if the governor orders budget reductions, protecting these specific funding categories from cuts. Additionally, the bill clarifies rounding rules for most funding computations and includes a legislative intent statement linking school funding quality to student education quality.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill increases education funding by adjusting foundation base percentages and establishing new formulas for professional development supplements, strengthening state budget allocation for education services.85% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill modifies funding formulas to increase support for area education agencies and school districts, including professional development supplements and special education services.85% confidence

Sub-Topics School Funding Special Education Teachers

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signed · Iowa · Senate Jun 2, 2026

SF 2474: A bill for an act relating to education, including by modifying provisions related to the Iowa dyslexia board and requiring the department of education to prepare a report related to cardiac emergency response plans and automated external defibrillators.

This bill requires the Iowa Department of Education to create and submit a report on cardiac emergency preparedness in schools. The report will detail how many schools have implemented cardiac emergency response plans and list the number and locations of automated external defibrillators at each school. The department must complete this report and send it to the General Assembly by January 15, 2027. The legislation applies to all public school districts, accredited nonpublic schools, and charter schools in the state.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill improves school safety infrastructure by requiring cardiac emergency response plans and defibrillator tracking, enhancing student health protection.85% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill improves cardiac emergency preparedness in schools by requiring AED tracking and response plans, enhancing student health safety.75% confidence

introduced · Iowa · House Apr 16, 2026

HF 2745: A bill for an act relating to state and local government taxes, budgets, and authority, by modifying provisions relating to the assessment and taxation of property, funding from the secure an advanced vision for education fund, urban renewal areas, establishing a program for certain first-time homebuyers, establishing a local government efficiency grant fund, making appropriations, and including effective date, applicability, and retroactive applicability provisions.

This Iowa bill modifies property tax rules and budget limits for state and local governments, affecting cities, counties, and other public entities that levy property taxes. It establishes a new cap on general fund reserves, limiting unassigned funds to 35% of prior year expenditures starting in fiscal year 2027, and creates a new property tax levy limit that allows annual increases of up to 102% for existing property valuations. The legislation also updates audit requirements for local governments, clarifies how unliquidated obligations are recorded, and excludes school districts from certain reserve and levy limitation provisions.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill establishes property tax levy limits and caps on general fund reserves, promoting fiscal responsibility and budget management for local governments.85% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill establishes new property tax levy limits allowing increased funding for local governments, including schools, and creates education fund provisions.65% confidence

Sub-Topics Audits & Accountability Property Tax State Budget Testing & Assessment Tags Local Government

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in committee · Iowa · House Mar 9, 2026

HF 2737: A bill for an act relating to the education savings account program, including modifying eligibility provisions, providing a future repeal date, and including effective date and applicability provisions.

This bill modifies Iowa's education savings account program by expanding eligibility for nonpublic school students based on household income levels over a three-year period. Starting in 2027, families earning up to 400% of the federal poverty guidelines qualify for the program, with eligibility tightening to 300% of the poverty threshold by 2028. The legislation also adjusts how school districts calculate funding costs for various teacher and professional development supplements by including ESA payments in enrollment counts. The education savings account program is scheduled to be completely repealed on July 1, 2029, with related funding calculations taking effect in 2030.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill expands education savings account eligibility for lower-income families, increasing access to educational funding and supporting school finance through expanded ESA participation.75% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill expands ESA program eligibility to lower-income families, increasing educational access and funding options for private school students.85% confidence

Sub-Topics School Choice Teachers

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in committee · Iowa · Senate Apr 8, 2026

SSB 3191: A bill for an act relating to and making appropriations to the education system, including the funding and operation of the department for the blind, department of education, and state board of regents.

This bill allocates state funding for the 2026-2027 fiscal year to support the Department for the Blind, Department of Education, and State Board of Regents in Iowa. It provides specific amounts for various programs including early childhood services, career and technical education, school food services, student assessments, and initiatives to improve literacy and work-based learning opportunities. The funding covers administrative costs, program expansions, and direct services to students from birth through high school, with some funds designated for federal program matching and others for new pilot projects.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill allocates state funding for education departments and programs, directly supporting budget appropriations for public services95% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill allocates state funding for education system operations, student programs, and educational services including early childhood and career technical education.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Appropriations State Budget K-12 Education School Funding

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passed · Iowa · House Apr 20, 2026

HF 2748: A bill for an act relating to agriculture, including by providing for the powers and duties of the department of agriculture and land stewardship, including the promotion and regulation of commodities and products; the regulation of the transportation of agricultural commodities; the use of agricultural land; and taxation, including property taxes, excise and sales taxes, and income taxes; making penalties applicable; and including effective date and applicability provisions.

This bill establishes a Choose Iowa school purchasing program that matches school district spending on local agricultural products with state funding, allowing schools to purchase meat, poultry, dairy, grains, eggs, honey, and produce from Iowa farms at a one-to-one reimbursement rate. It also creates a Choose Iowa food bank purchasing program that provides matching funds to Iowa food banks and emergency feeding organizations for similar local food purchases, with a cap of $50,000 per organization annually. The legislation authorizes the Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship to administer these programs, set membership criteria for participating farms and businesses, and use up to 5% of program funds for administrative costs. Additionally, the bill allocates $1.75 million annually to support renewable fuel infrastructure for retail motor fuel sites and $150,000 for program administration.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill provides state funding matching for agricultural purchases, strengthening local food systems and supporting Iowa farmers through dedicated appropriations.85% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill provides matching funds for schools to purchase local agricultural products, enhancing school food programs and supporting student nutrition.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Procurement Tags Agriculture

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died · Iowa · House Apr 29, 2026

HF 2440: A bill for an act relating to the payment of claims associated with nonpublic school pupil transportation, making appropriations, and including effective date provisions.

This bill increases the state appropriation for nonpublic school pupil transportation reimbursement by $186,883.55, raising the total limit to $9,183,974.55 for fiscal year 2025-2026. It directly affects nonpublic schools (like private or religious schools) that receive state funding for student transportation services. The key provision requires the Department of Education to use the additional funds to pay claims delayed due to administrative errors, while also mandating proration of all approved claims if total requests exceed the new appropriation limit. The bill takes effect immediately upon enactment.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesIncreases state appropriation by $186,883.55 for nonpublic school transportation, directly funding delayed claims and supporting education services within budget allocations.92% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill increases state funding for nonpublic school transportation by $186,883.55, directly supporting school funding for K-12 institutions receiving state transportation reimbursements.95% confidence ✓ TransportationSupports TransportationFunds increased reimbursement for nonpublic school transportation, directly supporting student transport services under transportation infrastructure.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Appropriations School Transportation

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