HF 867 requires Iowa's tuition grant program to allocate at least 50% of annual funds to students pursuing academic majors linked to high-wage, high-demand jobs. The bill mandates the workforce development board, in collaboration with Iowa's independent colleges and universities, to create and update a list of qualifying jobs based on specific criteria: entry-level salaries of $40,000+, bachelor's degrees or teaching licenses, and either 250+ annual job openings or 1% annual growth. This list must be reviewed biennially to determine which majors qualify for the funding. The policy directly affects Iowa students receiving tuition grants who enroll in majors on this approved list.
HF 520 increases Iowa's required social studies curriculum for grades 9-12 by mandating one full unit of United States government instruction (up from one-half unit), replacing the current standard. It requires all students in public school districts, accredited nonpublic schools, charter schools, and innovation zone schools to complete this instruction, which must cover voting procedures, the U.S. Constitution and Bill of Rights, and civics. The bill also specifies that U.S. government instruction must include an assessment of students' knowledge of the Constitution and Bill of Rights. This requirement applies to all affected schools starting with the 2026-2027 school year.
HF 855 prohibits Iowa community colleges from establishing diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) offices or requiring DEI statements for staff or students. It extends existing restrictions from Iowa Code chapter 261J - which already bans preferential treatment based on DEI statements at public universities - to all community colleges. The bill exempts activities required by federal law or accreditation standards and maintains annual reporting requirements to the legislature. This directly affects all Iowa community colleges by restricting specific DEI-related activities.
HF 859 requires Iowa school districts, charter schools, and innovation zone schools to adopt and publish policies for handling layoffs due to budget cuts or enrollment declines. The policies must prioritize staff performance (measured by student outcomes, growth, and evaluations) over seniority when deciding layoffs, and explicitly require schools to consider non-licensed administrative staff before laying off licensed teachers or administrators. Schools must also include clear timelines for notifying affected staff, grievance procedures, and published performance measurement criteria within 10 days of adopting the policy. This bill directly affects school staff, particularly licensed educators and administrators, by changing how layoffs are conducted.
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 845 allows Iowa public high schools (grades 9-12) to offer elective social studies courses focused on the Bible's Old and New Testaments, subject to school board approval. School districts must get a recommendation from a school improvement committee and a majority vote from the school board to implement such courses. Courses must teach how biblical content influences modern culture, literature, and society while maintaining religious neutrality - prohibiting endorsement of any faith and requiring students to choose their own Bible translations. The bill affects Iowa high school students and teachers, who must follow state guidelines for course content and professional development.
HF 270 requires Iowa's public universities to post key syllabus details online for every undergraduate course meeting in a classroom. The syllabus must include the instructor's name, descriptions of major assignments/exams, and required readings. Institutions must make this information searchable, accessible without login within five clicks from their homepage, available by the first day of classes, and kept online for at least a year. The bill does not apply to non-classroom courses like internships or study abroad programs and takes effect December 31, 2025.
SSB 1222 is an appropriations bill that allocates $3.2 million for the Department for the Blind and $7.3 million for general education administration in Iowa for fiscal year 2025-2026. It funds specific programs including $1.7 million for birth-to-three early childhood services, $574,500 for Early Head Start pilot projects, $9.6 million for Jobs for America’s Graduates school programs, and $1.9 million for early literacy assessment systems. The bill directs funds toward operational needs like salaries, school food programs, career training, and statewide student assessments, with requirements for annual reporting on antibullying programming. It directly affects Iowa’s public education system, students from birth through high school, and schools receiving state funding. This is a routine funding measure, not a policy change.
This bill modifies several education policies in Iowa. It establishes tiered school district cost calculations for teacher salary supplements based on enrollment size (over/under 3,500 students), sets minimum teacher salaries ($50,000 starting, $62,000 for 12+ years experience), and requires districts to cover retirement and payroll costs. It also updates teacher preparation rules to mandate 80 hours of field experience for new teachers (including 10 hours before program entry) and clarifies requirements for out-of-state special education placements, requiring coordination between health, education, and residency criteria. These changes directly affect school districts, teachers, and students with special education needs.
