This bill requires Iowa school districts, accredited nonpublic schools, charter schools, and innovation zone schools to provide free breakfast and lunch programs to all students whose families earn at or below 300% of the federal poverty level starting July 2025, increasing to 400% for 2026-2027, and becoming universal (no income limit) beginning July 2027. It appropriates state funds to cover costs not covered by federal programs, ensuring meals meet nutrition standards. The bill directly affects all eligible schools and their students, expanding access to free meals while mandating compliance with federal and state nutrition rules. The state board of education must adopt rules to administer these provisions, effective upon enactment.
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.
HF 187 modifies Iowa's education savings account program eligibility rules. It requires that students attending nonpublic schools must have household income at or below 400% of the federal poverty guidelines to qualify for payments, starting July 1, 2024. The bill removes a prior provision that would have eliminated this income requirement for school years beginning July 1, 2025. This change directly affects Iowa students in nonpublic schools seeking state-funded education savings accounts. The bill takes effect upon enactment.
This bill requires all Iowa high school students in grades 9-12 to pass the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services naturalization civics test (60% correct) as a condition for graduation, starting in the 2026-2027 school year. It also applies to individuals seeking high school equivalency diplomas. Schools cannot charge fees for administering the test, and students may retake it as many times as needed to pass. The law affects all public and accredited nonpublic high schools in Iowa and their students.
SSB 1028 requires Iowa public and nonpublic schools (including charter and innovation zone schools) to include specific content about fetal development in health and human growth curricula for all students in grades 1-12. The bill mandates that instruction include "human development inside the womb," high-definition ultrasound videos showing fetal organs, and computer-generated animations depicting prenatal development from fertilization. Schools must use medically accurate, research-based materials verified by major health organizations like the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. This policy directly affects all K-12 schools in Iowa by changing curriculum requirements for health and human development education.
HF 199 repeals Iowa's education savings account program, which provided state funds to cover tuition and related expenses for students attending nonpublic schools (including tutoring, materials, and therapy). The bill removes Section 257.11B of the Iowa Code, ending eligibility for this funding starting July 1, 2025. It also updates related funding formulas in Sections 257.10 and 422.7 to exclude students using these accounts. The repeal directly affects nonpublic school students and families previously enrolled in the program. The bill makes no new funding changes beyond eliminating this specific program.
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.
This bill, the "Syllabus Transparency Act," requires Iowa regents institutions to publish key syllabus details for every undergraduate course online. It mandates that each syllabus include the instructor's name, descriptions of major assignments/exams, required readings, and lecture topics. The information must be freely accessible without login, searchable, available on the institution's homepage within five clicks, and posted by the first day of each term - remaining online for at least one year. The law takes effect December 31, 2025, directly affecting public universities and their students and faculty.
HF 263 requires all physically able students in kindergarten through fifth grade at Iowa public and accredited nonpublic schools to engage in at least 30 minutes of physical activity daily, separate from required physical education classes. Schools must ensure this activity occurs unless a student is suspended, expelled, absent (including due to illness), or circumstances like inclement weather or early dismissal prevent it. The bill explicitly prohibits using physical education class to fulfill this 30-minute daily activity requirement. It applies directly to K-5 students and school staff responsible for implementing the activity schedule.
HF 251 requires Iowa's state board of education to publish detailed information about nonpublic schools accredited by independent agencies. The board must list each school, the specific educational standards the accrediting agency required for accreditation, and any amendments or waivers to those standards. This information will be posted on the education department's website and updated annually by June 30. The bill expands transparency by making school-level accreditation details publicly available, moving beyond the current requirement that only listed accrediting agencies.
