SF 199 repeals Iowa's education savings account program, which provided state funds for eligible students to cover tuition and related expenses at nonpublic schools. The bill removes this funding source and adjusts related calculations in school finance formulas that previously accounted for students using these accounts. It directly affects students who would have qualified for the program (enrolled in kindergarten through grade 12) for school years beginning July 1, 2025. The repeal takes effect immediately upon enactment, ending the program's availability for future school years.
HF 417 increases Iowa's tuition and textbook tax credit for eligible families from 25% to 50% of the first $2,000 spent annually per dependent on private or accredited public school tuition and textbooks (K-12). It directly affects Iowa taxpayers with children attending qualifying non-profit, accredited schools that comply with civil rights laws. The bill applies retroactively to tax years beginning January 1, 2025, meaning families can claim the higher credit for 2025 taxes immediately. The credit remains subject to existing eligibility rules, including school accreditation and non-profit status requirements.
This bill modifies Iowa school transportation rules for students using open enrollment. It removes mileage restrictions for districts of all sizes: for districts under 2,000 students, it eliminates the requirement that a student's home must be closer to the receiving school than their assigned school in the sending district. For districts with 2,000+ students, it removes the previous two-mile limit on transportation routes, allowing vehicles to travel farther without distance restrictions. The change directly affects students in open enrollment programs and their receiving school districts, streamlining transportation logistics regardless of residence location relative to school assignments.
This bill modifies how Iowa school districts fund charter schools. It requires districts to pay charter schools an additional amount for each student enrolled, specifically adding the "teacher salary supplement state cost per pupil" to the existing funding formula. This directly affects charter schools and their school districts of residence, increasing payments based on student enrollment. The change applies to all charter school funding starting July 1, 2025, and does not alter other existing funding mechanisms or student eligibility rules.
HF 810 modifies Iowa's funding formula for school districts with high open enrollment (over 45% of students enrolled through open enrollment). It removes the "teacher salary supplement" from the calculation for supplemental aid, expands eligibility beyond the 2024 budget year, and requires school boards to hold public hearings before requesting aid. The bill also limits property tax increases for districts receiving aid after 2025, capping the next year's tax rate at the level of the aid year. It applies to school budget years starting July 1, 2025.
HF 811 repeals Iowa's school tuition organization (STO) tax credit, which allowed taxpayers to reduce their individual or corporate income tax by 75% of donations to STOs. The bill ends this credit for contributions made on or after July 1, 2025, and reduces the 2025 credit cap from $20 million to $10 million. It fully repeals the tax credit provision on July 1, 2031, removing all future eligibility and references to the credit in tax law. This directly affects individuals, corporations, and STOs that previously used or issued these tax credits.
SF 485 requires nonpublic schools receiving tuition payments through Iowa's education savings account program to meet specific standards. These schools must follow public school board accountability rules, submit required data reports, maintain accreditation like public schools, and comply with teacher licensing requirements. The bill modifies the definition of "qualified educational expenses" to include these new requirements for participating nonpublic schools. It also removes a previous provision that prevented the state from requiring schools to adjust their educational programs to receive payments.
This bill changes how Iowa school districts fund charter schools for students living in their district. It requires school districts to pay charter schools an additional amount for "teacher salary supplement" per student, on top of existing funding formulas. This directly affects charter schools and school districts of residence, increasing the total state funding they receive per enrolled student. The change applies to all charter school students for school budget years starting July 1, 2025, and takes effect immediately upon enactment.
This bill (HF 900) requires Iowa school districts to include standards for serving English learners when defining "insufficient classroom space" for open enrollment decisions. It directly affects school districts that must approve or deny student transfers based on space availability. The key change amends existing law to mandate that districts’ space definitions specifically address their capacity to provide instruction to English learners - defined as students needing extra support to succeed in English-only classrooms. This ensures space decisions consider the needs of students learning English, without altering open enrollment approval requirements.
HF 68 modifies Iowa's open enrollment rules by requiring school districts to define "insufficient classroom space" in their policies to explicitly include standards about their capacity to teach English learners. This directly affects school districts managing enrollment and English learners, who are students whose primary language is not English and whose English proficiency may hinder academic success in standard classrooms. The bill changes current law by mandating that districts' space definitions must account for their ability to provide appropriate instruction to these students. This ensures space limitations considered during enrollment decisions specifically address the needs of English learners.
