Education (School Choice)

in committee · Iowa · House Feb 3, 2026

HF 2265: A bill for an act modifying provisions related to eligibility for payments under the education savings account program, and including effective date provisions.

This bill modifies Iowa's education savings account program eligibility. For the 2025 school year (starting July 1, 2025), it maintains current rules allowing nonpublic school students (K-12) to receive payments. Starting July 1, 2026, it adds an income requirement: households must earn 400% or less of the U.S. federal poverty income guidelines to qualify. The change directly affects families with children attending nonpublic schools who seek these state-funded education savings accounts. The bill takes effect immediately upon enactment.

Topics ✗ EducationOpposes EducationAdds income requirement (400% poverty) to restrict eligibility for education savings accounts, limiting access for higher-income families.90% confidence

Sub-Topics K-12 Education School Choice

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in committee · Iowa · Senate Feb 10, 2026

SF 2228: A bill for an act relating to school district funding provisions, including reducing the foundation property tax and repealing the education savings account program, and including effective date and applicability provisions.

This bill lowers the statewide school district foundation property tax rate from $5.44 to $4.44 per $1,000 of assessed property value, effective July 1, 2026. It also repeals Iowa’s education savings account program, which allowed families to use public funds for private school tuition. The tax rate change directly affects all Iowa school districts and adjusts tax credit calculations for agricultural landowners under existing family farm tax credit programs. The bill’s provisions apply to school budgets beginning July 1, 2026, with phased increases for reorganized school districts.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesReduces school district property tax rate by $1.00 per $1,000, providing tax relief while repealing education savings accounts to redirect funds.95% confidence ✗ EducationOpposes EducationReduces school funding via lower property tax rate (from $5.44 to $4.44) and repeals private school funding program, directly cutting public education resources.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Property Tax Tax Credits Higher Education School Choice School Funding

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in committee · Iowa · Senate Feb 16, 2026

SF 2321: A bill for an act repealing the education savings account program.

This bill repeals Iowa's education savings account program, which provided state-funded vouchers to families for nonpublic school expenses like tuition, tutoring, and learning materials. It removes the program from state law (repealing Section 257.11B) and adjusts related funding calculations in school finance codes to exclude students who previously used these accounts. The program directly affected families enrolling children in nonpublic schools who received these state-funded payments. The bill makes no new funding changes but eliminates the program's structure and its impact on school district cost formulas.

Topics ✗ Budget & TaxesOpposes Budget & TaxesBill repeals state-funded education savings account program, removing it from law and adjusting school finance to exclude voucher users, directly defunding this spending program and reducing government expenditure.95% confidence ✗ EducationOpposes EducationRepeals state-funded vouchers for private schools, removing public funding from nonpublic education programs.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Higher Education School Choice

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died · Iowa · House Mar 9, 2026

HF 2393: A bill for an act permitting school districts to use certain categorical funds generated from pupils participating in the education savings account program for any school general fund purpose.

HF 2393 allows Iowa school districts to use specific categorical funds - generated from students enrolled in the state's education savings account program - for any general school budget purpose, rather than restricted uses. This change applies only to funds tied to students participating in the education savings account program under Section 257.11B. Previously, these funds had to cover teacher salary supplements, professional development, or leadership program costs, but the bill removes those restrictions starting July 1, 2026. The policy directly affects school districts receiving these funds and provides greater budget flexibility for general operations.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill increases fiscal flexibility for school districts by removing restricted fund uses, promoting efficient budget management within school finance.85% confidence ✗ EducationOpposes EducationRemoves requirement for funds to cover teacher salaries/professional development, allowing diversion to general purposes instead of dedicated educational support.85% confidence

Sub-Topics State Budget School Choice School Funding Teachers

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in committee · Iowa · Senate Feb 16, 2026

SF 2241: A bill for an act relating to charter school requirements, including reporting requirements, governance standards, financial accountability, and oversight by the state board of education.

This bill (SF 2241) sets new requirements for Iowa charter schools, directly affecting charter schools and their relationships with school districts. Key provisions include limiting charter schools to one per 10,000 students statewide per grade level (elementary/middle/high), mandating that governing boards include at least 50% parents of enrolled students and a school district representative, and requiring detailed annual reports on student enrollment, withdrawals, finances (including management fees), and academic performance. Charter schools must also comply with public fund restrictions and assessment reporting similar to traditional public schools. The state board of education will develop oversight standards to monitor academic, financial, and operational performance, with enhanced monitoring for underperforming schools.

Topics ✗ EducationOpposes EducationBill restricts charter school expansion (1 per 10k students) and imposes strict governance/oversight requirements, limiting their growth in the education system.90% confidence

Sub-Topics K-12 Education School Choice Testing & Assessment

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in committee · Iowa · House Jan 26, 2026

HF 2152: A bill for an act repealing the school tuition organization tax credit available against the individual and corporate income taxes and including effective date provisions.

HF 2152 repeals Iowa's school tuition organization (STO) tax credit program, which allowed taxpayers to reduce their individual or corporate income tax by 75% of donations to private schools. Starting July 1, 2026, new contributions to STOs will no longer qualify for this credit, and the annual credit limit for 2026 is reduced to $10 million (down from $20 million). The program is fully repealed effective July 1, 2032, ending all future use of the credit. This directly affects Iowa taxpayers and businesses that previously claimed this credit against their state income tax bills.

Topics ✗ Budget & TaxesOpposes Budget & TaxesRepeals tax credit diverting state revenue to private schools, closing a tax loophole that reduced public tax revenue by $10M+ annually.95% confidence ✗ EducationOpposes EducationBill repeals tax credit funding for private school donations, directly reducing financial support for private education options and limiting educational access via tax incentives.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Business Taxes Income Tax Tax Credits Higher Education School Choice

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in committee · Iowa · House Feb 12, 2025

HF 359: A bill for an act relating to disclosures on property tax statements concerning school district funding reductions and individual taxpayer payments to the education savings account program.

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.

Topics ✗ EducationOpposes EducationBill mandates disclosures showing school funding reductions due to ESA usage, highlighting defunding of public schools through taxpayer-facing disclosures.85% confidence

Sub-Topics School Choice School Funding

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in committee · Iowa · Senate Mar 3, 2025

SF 453: A bill for an act relating to school district and area education agency funding and education savings accounts, and including applicability provisions.

SF 453 changes transportation reimbursement rules for students at nonpublic schools: school districts no longer must pay for transportation if parents use education savings accounts (section 257.11B) to cover school costs. It also adjusts funding for area education agencies based on enrollment of nonpublic school students who do not use these accounts, requiring agencies to provide comparable services or face potential budget reductions. The bill affects public school districts, nonpublic schools, and area education agencies by altering reimbursement eligibility and funding calculations. These changes apply to school budget years beginning July 1, 2025.

Topics ✗ EducationOpposes EducationBill redirects public school funds to private education via ESA program, eliminating transportation reimbursements for nonpublic school students using accounts and risking AEA budget cuts, weakening public school funding.85% confidence

Sub-Topics School Choice School Funding School Transportation

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in committee · Iowa · Senate Mar 7, 2025

SSB 1211: A bill for an act modifying supplemental aid and modified supplemental amounts for certain school districts relating to open enrollment, and including effective date and applicability provisions.

This bill modifies how Iowa school districts receive supplemental funding based on open enrollment. It sets a 35% threshold for open enrollment (students from outside the district) to qualify for aid, requires districts to hold a public hearing before applying, and caps aid at 50% of the net enrollment increase multiplied by specific per-pupil costs (like teacher salaries and professional development). Districts where over half of open-enrollment students use private online instruction are excluded. The changes apply to school budgets starting July 1, 2025, and repeal a prior tax levy limitation.

Topics ✗ Budget & TaxesOpposes Budget & TaxesBill caps supplemental aid at 50% of net enrollment increase, restricting school district funding access under budget management rules.95% confidence ✗ EducationOpposes EducationCaps supplemental aid at 50% of net enrollment increase, restricting funding for districts with open enrollment beyond 35% threshold.85% confidence

Sub-Topics School Choice School Funding Teachers

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in committee · Iowa · House Jan 30, 2025

HF 187: A bill for an act modifying provisions related to eligibility for payments under the education savings account program, and including effective date provisions.

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.

Topics ✗ Budget & TaxesOpposes Budget & TaxesRestricts eligibility for education savings accounts to lower-income households, limiting state spending on nonpublic school funding by maintaining income caps and removing future eligibility expansion.85% confidence ✗ EducationOpposes EducationBill restricts access to education savings accounts by imposing income requirements, limiting eligibility for nonpublic school students.90% confidence

Sub-Topics School Choice

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