Education (Teachers)

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 · Senate Feb 4, 2025

SSB 1027: A bill for an act authorizing school districts to use revenues from the district management levy for teacher recruitment and retention incentives.

This bill (SSB 1027) allows Iowa school districts to use funds from their district management levy to pay for teacher recruitment and retention incentives. It permits school boards to create programs offering monetary bonuses or other incentives to attract new teachers and retain current staff, but limits annual incentives to 10% of an initial teacher's salary and restricts payments to no more than five school years. The bill prohibits using the levy for both teacher incentives and early retirement benefits in the same fiscal year, and requires public comment before adoption. It directly affects school districts and their teaching staff by changing how levy funds can be allocated for workforce strategies.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill authorizes use of district management levy (tax revenue) for teacher recruitment/retention incentives, funding essential public education programs within school budgets.90% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill authorizes use of levy funds for teacher recruitment/retention incentives, directly supporting educators and addressing K-12 staffing challenges through funding.95% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentAuthorizes school districts to fund teacher recruitment/retention incentives within salary limits, directly advancing labor & employment through wage retention measures.90% confidence

Sub-Topics School Funding Teachers

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in committee · Iowa · House Mar 5, 2025

HF 119: A bill for an act modifying provisions related to content specialist authorizations and career and technical secondary authorizations issued by the board of educational examiners and including applicability provisions.

HF 119 modifies Iowa's teacher licensing rules for two groups: content specialists (educators with advanced degrees in subject areas) and career/technical secondary educators. It eliminates the requirement for these educators to convert their initial teaching credentials to full authorizations after three years. Instead, they may continue teaching under their initial credentials for up to three years if working under a mentor with a full authorization. The bill also requires the Board of Educational Examiners to issue initial career/technical secondary credentials to eligible community college instructors who meet specific standards. These changes apply to anyone applying for these credentials before, on, or after the bill's effective date.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationEliminates unnecessary credential conversion requirement for teachers, easing retention and mentorship support within education workforce.92% confidence

Sub-Topics Teachers

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died · Iowa · Senate Apr 7, 2025

SF 450: A bill for an act relating to education, including by modifying provisions related to mathematics instruction, practitioner preparation programs, and the duties of the director of the department of education, and including effective date provisions.

SF 450 requires Iowa's Department of Education to develop and distribute family resources supporting math learning at home, a statewide math plan by July 2025, and a list of approved screening tools for K-6 students. It mandates school districts to assess all K-6 students in math three times yearly using approved screeners and to provide targeted interventions for students identified as "persistently at risk" (not meeting benchmarks on two consecutive assessments). Schools must create personalized math plans and deliver small group or intensive support until students meet proficiency targets on state assessments. The bill also updates teacher preparation programs to include specific math pedagogy requirements for educators teaching K-12.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationMandates math assessments, interventions, and resources to improve K-6 math outcomes, strengthening educational support and curriculum implementation.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Teachers

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in committee · Iowa · House Mar 7, 2025

HSB 43: A bill for an act relating to education, including by modifying provisions related to community college and department of education reporting requirements, the national board certification pilot project, and employees of the Iowa educational services for the blind and visually impaired program or the Iowa school for the deaf, and including effective date provisions.

This bill modifies Iowa's education policies by changing how community colleges and the Department of Education (DE) handle reporting, establishing a teacher certification pilot program, and updating employment rules for specialized education programs. It requires community colleges to submit annual financial and program data directly to DE (not the community colleges bureau) by specific deadlines, with summaries included in DE's annual report to the legislature. The bill creates a national board certification pilot for Iowa teachers, allocating $508,250 for certification awards and stipends, and updates termination procedures and compensation schedules for staff at Iowa's programs for the blind/visually impaired and the deaf. These changes affect community colleges, DE, K-12 teachers seeking certification, and employees of specialized educational programs.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationCreates national board certification pilot for teachers and updates employment rules for specialized programs, supporting educator development and accessibility in education services.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Teachers

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in committee · Iowa · Senate Jan 28, 2025

SF 102: A bill for an act relating to public school personnel training concerning mental health.

SF 102 requires all licensed K-12 school staff in Iowa with regular student contact to complete two annual, evidence-based mental health trainings by July 1, 2026. It mandates separate training on educator mental wellness (to occur within the first 60 days of the school year) and student social-emotional wellness with mental health symptom identification (to occur in January or February). Both trainings must follow nationally recognized best practices, and the state board of education will set qualifications for trainers. This bill directly affects school personnel holding licenses or certifications from Iowa's board of educational examiners.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationMandates evidence-based mental health training for K-12 staff, supporting educator wellness and student mental health programs per best practices.90% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareMandates evidence-based mental health training for school staff, directly advancing mental health services in schools per topic description.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Student Health Teachers

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in committee · Iowa · Senate Jan 30, 2025

SSB 1053: A bill for an act relating to school funding by establishing the state percent of growth and the categorical state percent of growth for the budget year beginning July 1, 2025, modifying provisions relating to the property tax replacement payments, and including effective date provisions.

This bill sets a 2% annual growth rate for state school funding starting in the 2025 budget year (July 1, 2025), affecting Iowa school districts through their state aid calculations. It establishes two specific rates: a "state percent of growth" (2% for 2025) for general funding and a "categorical state percent of growth" (2% for 2025) for targeted programs like teacher pay supplements and early intervention. School districts receive property tax replacement payments based on these rates, calculated using a formula tied to enrollment and per-pupil funding adjustments. The rates for 2025 are fixed, but future rates will be set annually by the legislature.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill mandates 2% annual growth in school funding, increasing state aid to districts and setting categorical rates for targeted programs, directly advancing school finance within state budget priorities.90% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationEstablishes 2% annual state school funding growth with categorical rate for teacher pay supplements, increasing state aid to districts.95% confidence

Sub-Topics School Funding Teachers

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in committee · Iowa · Senate Feb 6, 2025

SF 60: A bill for an act relating to the state school foundation program and the calculation of minimum state foundation aid for school districts and including applicability provisions.

This bill changes how Iowa calculates minimum state funding for public school districts. It sets the minimum foundation aid at $300 per pupil, but this amount now specifically covers four teacher-related costs: salary supplements, professional development, early intervention, and teacher leadership programs. If a district's total state aid plus local property tax exceeds its total costs, the state will reduce the required property tax rate. The changes apply to school budgets starting July 1, 2026.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill sets minimum state aid at $300/pupil for schools and reduces property tax rates when state aid covers costs, increasing school funding and providing tax relief for districts.95% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationSets $300/pupil foundation aid specifically for teacher salaries, PD, early intervention, and leadership programs, directly funding educator support and school programs.95% confidence

Sub-Topics State Budget School Funding Teachers

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in committee · Iowa · House Feb 10, 2025

HF 275: A bill for an act modifying provisions related to the enrollment of eligible children in the statewide preschool program.

HF 275 modifies Iowa's statewide preschool program enrollment rules to prioritize homeless children. The bill requires local preschool programs (operated by school districts) to give priority on waiting lists to children meeting the federal definition of "homeless individual" under 42 U.S.C. §11302(a) and (c). This change applies to all local programs approved under Iowa Code chapter 256C, ensuring homeless children are prioritized when spaces are limited. The bill does not alter other program requirements like teacher ratios or learning standards. It directly affects preschool programs and homeless children seeking enrollment in Iowa's statewide preschool system.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationPrioritizes homeless children for preschool enrollment, expanding access to early education for vulnerable students.95% confidence ✓ HousingSupports HousingPrioritizes homeless children in preschool access, addressing homelessness as a housing issue per federal definition.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Early Childhood Teachers Homelessness

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in committee · Iowa · Senate Feb 10, 2025

SF 194: A bill for an act relating to the amount of compensation paid to school district employees, including by establishing an educator supplement for all fund to be administered by the department of education, and modifying the amount of compensation paid to teachers, certain employees with a license, endorsement, certification, authorization, or statement of recognition issued by the board of educational examiners, and teaching assistants, and making appropriations.

SF 194 establishes a state-administered "educator supplement for all fund" to increase compensation for school district staff. It requires school districts to pay licensed educators (excluding administrators) an additional $5,000 annually and teaching assistants 10% of their base salary each year, on top of existing pay. The fund, financed through state appropriations starting July 2025, ensures districts can meet these new requirements. This bill directly affects teachers, certified staff, and teaching assistants in Iowa public schools.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill mandates state appropriations to fund educator salary increases, directly increasing public education spending within state budget allocation.95% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationMandates $5,000 annual supplement for licensed educators and 10% for teaching assistants via state-funded educator supplement fund, directly increasing teacher compensation.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Teachers

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