Education

introduced · Iowa · Legislature

1458XD: Department of Education, Purple Heart School Program (1458XD) - Education, Department of

This Iowa bill (1458XD) requires the state Department of Education to create and run a "Purple Star School Initiative." It recognizes Iowa schools that demonstrate commitment to supporting military-connected students and their families. Schools applying for recognition must show they provide specific resources like counseling, academic support, or family engagement programs. The goal is to increase the availability of such support across all Iowa schools. The initiative focuses on voluntary recognition, not mandatory changes for schools.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill establishes a voluntary program recognizing schools supporting military-connected students with resources like counseling and academic support, enhancing student program access and expanding educational support services.95% confidence

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introduced · Iowa · Legislature

1461XD: Career Education, Development and Industry Credentials (1461XD) - Education, Department of

This bill requires Iowa's Department of Education to create and maintain a list of industry-recognized credentials (like job certifications) for high school students (grades 9-12) aligned with career and technical education programs. School districts must report students who earn these credentials and recognize them by affixing a state-developed seal to high school transcripts or providing a certificate with the seal. It also updates middle school curricula to include career planning in grades 5-6 and career exploration in grades 7-8, focusing on local job opportunities and career pathways. The policy directly affects Iowa public school students, districts, and the Department of Education, with no new state funding required.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationRequires career credentials in curriculum, recognizes industry certs on transcripts, expands student career pathways through K-12 integration.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Career & Technical Education K-12 Education

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in committee · Iowa · House Jan 14, 2025

HF 9: A bill for an act establishing the school security personnel grant program within the department of education and making appropriations.

HF 9 creates a state grant program to help school districts hire security personnel. It requires school districts with over 8,000 students to employ at least one security officer (either a private security officer with a weapons permit or a school resource officer) at each high school campus. The bill establishes a matching grant program for districts with fewer than 1,000 students, providing up to $50,000 annually to offset security costs. Funds for this program are held in a dedicated state fund that remains available year-to-year, ensuring ongoing support for small districts.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationCreates state grant program funding school security personnel, directly increasing school district resources for safety under education funding.90% confidence

Sub-Topics School Safety

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in committee · Iowa · House Jan 27, 2025

HF 135: A bill for an act providing for a waiver of tuition and mandatory fees at regents institutions and community colleges for certain sanitation workers and their children.

HF 135 provides tuition and mandatory fee waivers at Iowa's regents institutions and community colleges for sanitation workers and their children. To qualify, a sanitation worker must have been employed for at least one year within the past five years by a county, city, township, or their contractor, with primary duties involving residential or commercial waste collection or transport. The waiver also covers the child of such a worker, though institutions may require documentation of the worker's employment. This policy directly affects eligible sanitation workers and their dependents seeking higher education in Iowa.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationProvides tuition waivers for sanitation workers' children at public colleges, expanding higher education access through fee reduction.90% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentProvides tuition waivers for sanitation workers (a specific labor group) and their children, expanding educational benefits as workforce support.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Higher Education

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in committee · Iowa · Senate Jan 28, 2025

SF 113: A bill for an act relating to children and students, including by modifying provisions related to a parent’s or guardian’s rights to make decisions affecting the parent’s or guardian’s child, the educational program and human growth and development curriculum provided to students enrolled in school districts, charter schools, and innovation zone schools, student health screenings, school district library programs, special education, and other duties of school districts and the governing boards of charter schools and innovation zone schools.

SF 113 modifies Iowa school curriculum and library policies. It requires all public school districts and charter schools to provide age-appropriate human growth and development education (including STD and HPV information) in grades K-12, and mandates school library programs to contain only age-appropriate materials. The bill establishes penalties for violations, including written warnings for first offenses and potential disciplinary hearings for repeated violations by school staff. It defines "age-appropriate" to exclude explicit sexual content and requires school libraries to maintain diverse, updated collections supporting curriculum needs. The law directly affects school districts, charter schools, and their employees in implementing these educational and library standards.

Topics ✗ EducationOpposes EducationMandates specific curriculum content (STD/HPV education) and restricts library materials to 'age-appropriate,' limiting school autonomy over educational content and materials.90% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareMandates STD/HPV education in K-12 curricula, directly advancing public health initiatives through preventive health education in schools.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Curriculum Libraries Student Health

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in committee · Iowa · Senate Jan 28, 2025

SF 88: A bill for an act requiring boards of directors of school districts and the authorities in charge of accredited nonpublic schools to adopt policies related to excusing the absences of students enrolled in grades nine through twelve for civic or political events.

SF 88 requires Iowa public school districts and accredited nonpublic schools to create policies allowing students in grades 9-12 to miss school for civic or political events without penalty. Schools must grant at least one excused absence per year for such events, with students required to give advance notice to an administrator and complete a short assignment demonstrating what they learned. The policy specifically covers activities like voting, attending political forums, serving as poll workers, or participating in public comment periods. Crucially, these absences will not count toward chronic absenteeism or truancy records.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationRequires schools to allow excused absences for civic/political events, promoting civics education and student engagement in democratic processes without penalty.90% confidence

Tags Elections

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in committee · Iowa · Senate Jan 28, 2025

SF 123: A bill for an act relating to funding of approved local preschool programs and including applicability provisions.

This bill changes how Iowa school districts receive state funding for approved preschool programs. It increases the enrollment figure used for funding from 50% to 100% of actual eligible student enrollment on October 1 (the "base year"), directly affecting school districts participating in the preschool program. For districts new to the program, it also modifies the initial year funding calculation to use 60% of enrollment multiplied by the state cost per pupil. The changes apply to school budget years starting July 1, 2026.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesIncreases state funding for preschool programs by raising enrollment-based calculations from 50% to 100%, directly boosting school district appropriations.95% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationIncreases preschool funding by raising enrollment calculation from 50% to 100% of actual eligible students, directly boosting state aid for school districts.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Early Childhood School Funding

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in committee · Iowa · Senate Jan 28, 2025

SF 91: A bill for an act modifying provisions related to the determination of school enrollment, and including effective date and applicability provisions.

SF 91 updates how Iowa school districts calculate student enrollment for funding purposes. It sets specific dates (October 1 and March 1) for determining enrollment counts, including additional students served through special education and supplementary weighting programs. School districts must report these calculated enrollment figures to the Department of Education by set deadlines each year. These changes directly affect school districts and the state's funding formula for public education.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesModifies school funding formula via enrollment calculation, ensuring accurate budget allocation for public education under school budgets subject.92% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationUpdates enrollment calculation for school funding, ensuring accurate resource allocation to districts and special education programs per state formula.95% confidence

Sub-Topics School Funding Special Education

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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 28, 2025

SF 86: A bill for an act authorizing the boards of directors of school districts to appoint student liaisons to the boards.

This bill requires Iowa school boards to establish a process for appointing student liaisons who serve as nonvoting representatives at board meetings. School districts must create an application and selection process, and if applicants meet the criteria, the board must appoint at least one student to this role. The student liaison attends regular board and committee meetings (but not discipline-related sessions), accesses nonconfidential materials, and advocates for student perspectives on education policies. The Department of Education must provide school districts with a model application and selection process to guide implementation.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationRequires school boards to appoint student liaisons to advocate student perspectives in education policy, enhancing student voice in school governance.92% confidence

Sub-Topics School Safety Student Health

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