Education

introduced · Iowa · House Feb 26, 2026

HR 110: A resolution honoring the Phoenix Declaration.

HR 110 is a non-binding resolution expressing the House of Representatives' support for the "Phoenix Declaration," a set of educational principles. It does not create new laws or policies but formally endorses the declaration's emphasis on parental choice in education, transparency in schools, teaching foundational American history and values, and curricular focus on core subjects and character development. The resolution directly affects congressional record-keeping and symbolic recognition, not actual school operations or funding. It has no concrete policy impact beyond stating the House's belief in these educational principles.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationEndorses parental choice, core curriculum, and American history principles in education without policy changes, aligning with support indicators through symbolic recognition.85% confidence

Sub-Topics K-12 Education School Choice School Safety

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in committee · Iowa · House Feb 23, 2026

HSB 746: A bill for an act relating to education, including by modifying provisions related to summative testing in schools and the educational program provided to students enrolled in kindergarten through grade twelve.

This bill modifies Iowa's K-12 education standards by changing annual testing requirements. It mandates assessments in math, English language arts, science, and social studies for specific grades (e.g., math/ELA in grades 3-11, science in grades 5/8/10, social studies in grades 8/10), requiring alignment with Iowa's academic standards and federal accountability rules. The bill also updates health curriculum standards to include age-appropriate information on communicable and sexually transmitted diseases, adds suicide prevention protocols for schools, and establishes training for equity coordinators. These changes directly affect all Iowa public and nonpublic schools serving kindergarten through grade 12, requiring school districts to implement new testing schedules, curriculum content, and safety protocols.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationMandates aligned assessments and updates health curriculum standards, reinforcing educational requirements and accountability without restricting access or funding.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Curriculum K-12 Education Testing & Assessment

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in committee · Iowa · House Feb 10, 2026

HF 2382: A bill for an act establishing the school resource officer grant program within the department of education, and making appropriations.

HF 2382 establishes a state grant program within Iowa's Department of Education to help school districts cover costs for hiring or keeping school resource officers (SROs), as defined by federal law. School districts must contribute a 1:1 match (e.g., $1 for every $1 granted) and may receive up to $12,000 per SRO per grant. The program is funded by a $480,000 appropriation for fiscal year 2026-2027, with grants awarded on a first-come, first-served basis. Funds must supplement, not replace, existing district funding for similar SRO costs.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill allocates $480,000 in state appropriations for school resource officer grants, directly funding public safety programs through new budgetary spending.90% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationEstablishes state grant program to fund school resource officers, providing direct financial support for school safety within education context.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Appropriations School Safety

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in committee · Iowa · House Feb 16, 2026

HF 2454: A bill for an act relating to the employment of temporary licensed mental health counselors by school districts, accredited nonpublic schools, charter schools, and innovation zone schools.

HF 2454 creates a temporary license for mental health counselors who have met all licensing requirements except the postgraduate supervised clinical experience. This allows school districts, accredited nonpublic schools, charter schools, and innovation zone schools to hire such temporary counselors to provide mental health services to students under a qualified supervisor. The temporary license is valid for three years and renewable, with fees set by the licensing board to cover administrative costs. Schools must ensure these counselors work under supervision as defined by the board.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationAllows schools to hire temporary mental health counselors, directly enhancing student mental health services and educational support programs in K-12 settings.85% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareEnables schools to hire temporary mental health counselors, expanding student access to mental health services under supervision.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Student Health Medical Licensing Mental Health

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in committee · Iowa · Senate Mar 12, 2026

SF 2302: A bill for an act providing for career development information for students newly enrolling in institutions of higher education and including applicability provisions.

SF 2302 requires Iowa institutions of higher education to schedule a career development meeting for each new undergraduate student within their first year. During this meeting, institutions must review the student's interests, career paths aligned with their major (or potential majors), and provide specific job market data including local job availability, pay ranges, and high-demand occupations for the prior five years. The bill mandates that institutions also provide students with resources for resumes, networking, and employment opportunities during or before the meeting. This applies to first-time students enrolling at participating institutions (state-regulated or certain private schools with Iowa tuition grants) on or after July 1, 2026.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationMandates career development meetings with job market data for new higher education students, enhancing student decision-making and workforce preparation within education.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Higher Education

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in committee · Iowa · House Feb 19, 2026

HSB 675: A bill for an act relating to education programs and systems, including career and technical education expenditures and definitions, statewide lower division general education framework and common course numbering systems, and the implementation of a statewide corequisite model in Iowa community colleges.

This Iowa bill (HSB 675) establishes new standards for career and technical education (CTE) in K-12 schools and creates statewide transfer systems for community colleges. It requires schools to offer computer science instruction starting in 2023, mandate six specific CTE content areas (like health sciences and business), and define "high-demand" occupations to guide career planning. For community colleges, it implements a common course numbering system to simplify transfers and requires replacing remedial math/English with corequisite models by 2028-2029. The bill directly affects Iowa public schools, community colleges, and students pursuing CTE pathways or college transfers.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationMandates computer science instruction, requires six CTE content areas, and creates transfer systems for community colleges, advancing educational access and curriculum standards.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Career & Technical Education Curriculum Higher Education

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in committee · Iowa · Senate Feb 12, 2026

SF 2170: A bill for an act modifying provisions related to the district-to-community college sharing or concurrent enrollment program.

This bill (SF 2170) modifies Iowa's concurrent enrollment program, which allows high school students (grades 9-12) to take college courses at community colleges. Its key change requires students to enroll in in-person course sections at community colleges unless a school superintendent specifically authorizes online enrollment. The bill also maintains requirements for school districts to approve courses for academic rigor, provide written notices about course details to students and parents, and ensure comparable courses aren’t already offered locally. These changes aim to standardize enrollment procedures while preserving the program’s goal of offering rigorous academic options. The bill does not alter funding or eligibility but clarifies operational rules for the existing program.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationRequires in-person enrollment to maintain academic rigor, enhancing program quality and student engagement in concurrent education.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Higher Education K-12 Education

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in committee · Iowa · Senate Feb 16, 2026

SF 2329: A bill for an act relating to education, including by modifying provisions related to the duties and powers of area education agencies, the department of education, and area education agency funding, and including effective date and applicability provisions.

SF 2329 modifies Iowa's area education agencies (AEAs), which provide educational services to schools across the state. The bill requires AEAs to adjust their boundaries to avoid splitting school districts and to align with school district mergers, while mandating that they offer educational services to accredited public and nonpublic schools at least comparable to those available in 1974. It also establishes new budget rules requiring AEAs to submit annual budgets for approval by the Department of Education and the State Board of Education, and caps AEA administrator salaries at 125% of the average superintendent salary in their region. Additionally, the bill creates a special education division within AEAs led by a director appointed by the Department of Education to oversee special education services.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationMandates AEAs to maintain services comparable to 1974 for all schools and align boundaries to prevent district fragmentation, ensuring continued educational access and service continuity.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Special Education

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in committee · Iowa · House Feb 16, 2026

HSB 674: A bill for an act relating to apprenticeships and other career training and making appropriations.

This bill, the "Iowa Skilled Workforce Act," updates Iowa's apprenticeship framework to support career training. It creates clear definitions for "intermediary sponsors" (entities training multiple employers) and clarifies that partner employers (those using intermediaries) must follow the intermediary's standards. The bill also adds financial assistance for apprenticeship programs meeting a minimum of 100 training hours per apprentice annually and updates plumbing/mechanics licensing rules to allow up to three apprentices per licensed supervisor. It directly affects apprenticeship sponsors, employers, and training programs across Iowa.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationProvides financial assistance for apprenticeship programs requiring 100+ annual training hours, supporting workforce development and career training pathways linked to higher education.90% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentAdds financial assistance for apprenticeships meeting 100+ annual training hours, directly advancing workforce development and career training standards.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Career & Technical Education Apprenticeships Professional Licensing Workforce Development

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in committee · Iowa · House Feb 16, 2026

HSB 714: A bill for an act relating to education, including by modifying provisions related to the social studies instruction provided to students enrolled in grades one through twelve and the educational programs provided by the institutions of higher education under the control of the state board of regents, and requiring education related to the holocaust for students and teachers in school districts.

This bill modifies Iowa's social studies curriculum for grades 1-12 and requires Holocaust education for students and teachers in public school districts. It mandates specific historical documents (like the Declaration of Independence, Federalist Papers, and Emancipation Proclamation) be studied in grades 5-6 and throughout social studies, emphasizes "admirable Americans" (including Lincoln and Douglass), and requires instruction on U.S. founding principles, free enterprise economics, and Iowa history. The bill also adds Holocaust education as a required component for both students and teachers. These changes directly affect all public school students and educators in Iowa's K-12 system.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationMandates specific historical curriculum content (Declaration of Independence, Holocaust education) and foundational principles, enhancing social studies standards per bill's requirements.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Curriculum K-12 Education

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