HF 2217 requires all public school districts, accredited nonpublic schools, charter schools, and innovation zone schools in Iowa to test for radon gas in school buildings at least once by July 2027 and every five years thereafter, with testing limited to October-March. It creates a state grant program within the Department of Education to help schools cover the costs of radon testing and mitigation, using funds that remain available year-to-year rather than reverting to the general fund. Schools must follow specific testing protocols and address elevated radon levels (4 picocuries per liter or higher) by conducting follow-up tests or developing mitigation plans. The bill also mandates that testing results be published online and reported to health officials, with grants intended to supplement, not replace, existing school funding for radon-related work.
HF 2143 allows Iowa school districts to use revenues from their district management levy for targeted staff retention incentives. Specifically, it permits payments for retention bonuses or financial incentives for employees in critical roles, those with high-need credentials (like special education, math, science, or career-technical education), and classified staff in essential operational positions. The bill amends Iowa Code Section 298.4 to explicitly include these uses of levy funds. This change applies to school budget years starting July 1, 2026.
HF 2051 adds "school and career specialists" to the list of positions school districts can share with other entities (like other districts or political subdivisions) to qualify for extra state funding. It directly affects Iowa school districts that share these specialists for at least 20% of the school year. The key provision assigns each shared school and career specialist role a supplementary weighting equivalent to funding for two additional students, increasing resources for districts that collaborate on these services. This policy targets specialists who support at-risk students with career planning, life skills, and postsecondary transitions.
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 adds career and technical education (CTE) instructors to the list of shared positions eligible for supplementary state funding. School districts that share CTE instructors (defined as licensed teachers with specific endorsements for grades 5-12 in fields like agriculture or IT) with other districts or political subdivisions for at least 20% of the school year will receive an additional two "pupil" weightings per shared position. This funding increase aims to support student programming by redirecting resources to districts sharing these instructional staff. The change applies to all qualifying CTE instructor positions, regardless of whether the shared functions are identical across entities.
This bill (1454XD) modifies two key aspects of Iowa's charter school system. First, it removes a requirement that non-resident charter school board members must live in Iowa, allowing them to serve without state residency. Second, it expands student access to community college concurrent enrollment programs: charter school students (including those in online charter schools) can now participate through their school district (for traditional charter schools) or their home district (for online charter schools). These changes directly affect charter school governing boards and students seeking college-level courses while in high school. The bill updates existing provisions without altering overall school funding or academic standards.
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.
HF 359 requires Iowa property tax statements to include three specific disclosures for each taxpayer: (1) how much less funding their school district received this year compared to last year due to students using education savings accounts (ESAs), (2) how much of their state income taxes funded the ESA program, and (3) a standardized statement showing the exact amount of reduced school funding linked to ESA payments. These disclosures directly affect property owners and taxpayers by making visible the connection between their payments and school funding changes caused by the ESA program. The bill mandates the Department of Management to calculate the funding reduction data and collaborate with the Department of Revenue to determine the tax contribution figures, then transmit both to the treasurer for inclusion on tax statements. This is a transparency measure focused on informing taxpayers about ESA program impacts, not altering the program itself.
This bill changes Iowa's funding rules for school programs supporting at-risk students, alternative school attendees, and dropout prevention. It raises the maximum allowable funding ratio (from 2.5% to 5% of a district's regular program costs) for these programs starting in 2026, but only if approved by voters in a school district election. If approved, the ratio can increase by no more than 0.25% per year. School boards must follow specific voter approval procedures to implement the higher funding limit. The change directly affects school districts seeking to expand these student support programs beyond current funding caps.
HF 407 requires Iowa school districts to transfer a portion of funding from the Secure an Advanced Vision for Education (SAVE) fund to receiving districts for students participating in open enrollment. Starting July 1, 2026, for each student enrolled in a district other than their home district, the home district must pay the receiving district an amount equal to the per-pupil SAVE funding the home district received the previous year. This redirected money must be used solely for statewide school infrastructure projects under Chapter 423F. The bill affects home and receiving school districts by changing how existing SAVE fund allocations are distributed for open enrollment students.
