Education

signed · Iowa · House May 6, 2026

HF 703: A bill for an act concerning information regarding certain state and federal student loan programs.

HF 703, the "Increasing Student Financial Aid Awareness Act," requires Iowa's Student Loan Liquidity Corporation to provide the Bureau of Iowa College Aid with annual estimates of federal direct PLUS loan interest rates and comparisons between state and federal loan terms. The Bureau must analyze this data to determine if Iowa's college family or partnership loans offer lower interest rates than federal PLUS loans. If they do, the Bureau must publish a clear online statement explaining this difference and require all Iowa colleges to include this information in financial aid offers to students. This bill directly affects Iowa students, families, and higher education institutions by improving transparency around loan options and ensuring they receive standardized comparisons of state and federal student loan rates.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationPromotes educational access by informing students of lower-cost state loan options, reducing financial barriers to higher education85% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Education

passed · Iowa · House May 2, 2026

HF 2791: A bill for an act permitting an exchange of the cash reserve levy for another local levy within the school budget for certain school districts to correct for an extreme circumstance and including effective date provisions.

This bill allows certain Iowa school districts to temporarily exceed their usual cash reserve tax limits for the 2026-2027 school year if a single property tax correction caused their taxable value to drop by at least $100 million. To do this, the districts must offset the extra money raised for reserves by reducing other local property taxes, such as the management levy, ensuring the total tax amount remains within legal limits. The process requires the district to notify the Department of Management, which will then adjust the official tax rates to reflect these changes. This measure is designed to help districts maintain financial stability after a significant administrative error in property valuation.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill allows school districts to correct extreme tax valuation drops by temporarily increasing reserve levies, ensuring fiscal stability and protecting school budgets.85% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill allows districts to exceed reserve limits to correct tax drops, ensuring financial stability and protecting school budgets.85% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Education

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passed · Iowa · House Apr 29, 2026

HF 2759: A bill for an act relating to the payment of claims associated with nonpublic school pupil transportation, making appropriations, and including effective date provisions.

This bill increases the state funding limit for nonpublic school pupil transportation claims from approximately $8.997 million to $9.184 million for the 2025-2026 fiscal year. The additional funds are specifically designated to reimburse claims that were not previously paid because they were submitted late due to administrative errors. It directs the Iowa Department of Education to use these new moneys to process those delayed reimbursements and takes effect immediately upon enactment.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill increases state funding limits to reimburse delayed transportation claims for nonpublic schools, directly advancing fiscal management and appropriations.95% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill increases funding for nonpublic school transportation claims to reimburse previously unpaid delayed reimbursements.95% confidence ✓ TransportationSupports TransportationBill increases funding for nonpublic school pupil transportation to reimburse delayed claims, directly supporting transportation services.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Education

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passed · Iowa · House Apr 20, 2026

HF 2755: A bill for an act relating to state participation in the federal tax credit program for individual contributions to scholarship granting organizations.

This bill directs the Governor of Iowa to opt into a federal tax credit program that allows individuals to receive tax breaks for donating money to scholarship-granting organizations. These organizations are nonprofits that provide financial aid for elementary and secondary education expenses, such as tuition and tutoring, to students in both public and private schools. To maintain eligibility for this program starting in tax years after January 1, 2027, the state's departments of revenue and education must follow federal rules and submit required information to the U.S. Treasury.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill establishes a state tax credit program for education donations, promoting fiscal incentives and supporting educational funding.85% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill enables tax credits for donations to scholarship organizations, expanding financial aid access for K-12 and private school students.85% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Education

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passed · Iowa · House Apr 14, 2026

HF 2752: A bill for an act relating to the teach Iowa scholar program, including modifying eligibility provisions and establishing funding allocations.

This bill modifies the Teach Iowa Scholar Program to change how state funding is distributed to teachers starting in the 2026 fiscal year. It mandates that 20% of the funds go to special education instructors and 50% go to teachers working in rural school districts, which are defined as those with fewer than 1,000 students. The legislation also clarifies that a single teacher cannot receive funding under both categories simultaneously, requiring the state department to assign them to only one group. These changes directly affect eligible classroom teachers in Iowa by altering the specific criteria and allocation percentages for the scholarship fund.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill establishes specific funding allocations for the Teach Iowa Scholar Program, directing state funds to special education and rural teachers.90% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill increases funding for special education and rural teachers, strengthening educational access and teacher support.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Education

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passed · Iowa · House Mar 26, 2026

HF 175: A bill for an act relating to in-state residency for purposes of undergraduate tuition and mandatory fees at regents institutions and community colleges for certain military personnel and family members.

HF 175 changes Iowa's tuition rules to allow certain military families to qualify for in-state tuition rates at public colleges. It directly affects active-duty military members stationed in Iowa, their spouses and children, veterans eligible for Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits, and survivors of deceased veterans. The bill creates new definitions that let these groups be classified as Iowa residents for tuition purposes if they meet specific criteria, such as having the military member stationed in Iowa, filing Iowa taxes, or claiming dependents on tax returns. Spouses and children can maintain in-state status even if the military member is transferred, as long as they stay enrolled continuously. This policy change aims to reduce tuition costs for military-connected students without altering residency requirements for other students.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationExpands higher education access for military families by enabling in-state tuition rates at public colleges, directly increasing affordability and access to postsecondary education.95% confidence ✓ VeteransSupports VeteransBill grants in-state tuition benefits to veterans eligible for Post-9/11 GI Bill, directly expanding educational benefits for veterans as part of its core provisions.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Education

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passed · Iowa · House Mar 19, 2026

HF 2487: A bill for an act concerning restrictions on certain activities relating to diversity, equity, inclusion, and critical race theory by state entities and public institutions of higher education.

HF 2487 restricts state entities and public higher education institutions in Iowa from requiring content related to diversity, equity, inclusion, and critical race theory in undergraduate general education courses. It mandates that the state board of regents review all such required courses by fall 2028, identify those containing this content, and have discretion to direct institutions to eliminate them. The bill empowers the attorney general to investigate alleged violations, issue subpoenas for records, and seek enforcement through courts, with institutions required to reimburse legal costs. It also sets a December 2026 deadline for the board to establish required policies.

Topics ✗ EducationOpposes EducationRestricts curriculum content on DEI/CRT in higher education courses, limiting academic freedom and required educational content per bill's explicit language.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✓ Supports Education

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passed · Iowa · House Mar 19, 2026

HF 2362: A bill for an act relating to tuition charged to resident undergraduate students enrolled at regents institutions.

HF 2362 requires Iowa's regents institutions to establish a policy preventing tuition increases for resident undergraduate students during their subsequent years of enrollment after the first year, starting with enrollments beginning in 2027 or later. It directly affects in-state undergraduate students who begin their first academic year at a regents institution in 2027 or later, freezing tuition for up to three additional years. Key exceptions include students who transfer to a higher-tuition institution (allowing the new school to charge more) or those who complete their degree in fewer than four years using transfer credits. The policy does not apply to any academic years beyond three consecutive years after the student's first year.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationFreezes tuition for in-state undergrads at regents institutions, reducing financial barriers and enhancing access to higher education.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Education

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signed · Iowa · House Jun 27, 2025

HF 189: A bill for an act relating to the eligibility of students enrolled in nonpublic schools to compete in extracurricular interscholastic athletic contests or competitions provided by public schools, and including effective date provisions.

HF 189 allows students enrolled in nonpublic schools (like private or religious schools) to compete in public school athletic programs. The bill establishes eligibility rules for these students to participate in interscholastic sports and competitions organized by public schools. It became law when the Governor signed it on June 6, 2025, directly affecting nonpublic school students and public school athletic departments. The law modifies existing rules to expand participation opportunities for this specific student group.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationExpands athletic program access for nonpublic school students, enhancing educational opportunities in school activities per bill's intent to include more students in public school competitions.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Education

passed · Iowa · House Jun 16, 2025

HF 389: A bill for an act relating to student abuse by school employees.

HF 389 creates a new process for investigating student abuse by school employees in Iowa. It requires the Department of Health and Human Services (DHS) to investigate reports within 24 hours and complete investigations within 30 business days. Schools must immediately place accused employees (including teachers, vendors, and volunteers) on administrative leave during investigations, and must terminate employment if DHS confirms abuse. This directly affects public and nonpublic schools, their employees, and the DHS, replacing current procedures with a standardized, time-bound system for handling such reports.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill mandates swift investigations and termination of abusive school employees, directly protecting student safety in educational settings.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Education

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