Education

in committee · Iowa · House Jan 29, 2026

HF 2003: A bill for an act requiring the department of education to develop and administer a pilot program that requires certain specified school districts to establish attendance centers for students requiring special education and students with behavioral issues.

HF 2003 requires Iowa's Department of Education to create a pilot program where one rural school district and one urban school district (meeting specific population criteria) must establish attendance centers for students needing special education or struggling with behavioral issues that prevent success in regular classrooms. The program mandates annual reporting on student participation, academic progress, and feedback from students, parents, and teachers, with the Department compiling these reports for the legislature. It redirects 48% of a school district's existing special education funds toward this pilot program starting in 2026, instead of using them for standard special education services. The pilot runs until July 1, 2031, and applies only to the designated districts.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill mandates creation of specialized attendance centers for special education/behavioral needs students, requiring annual reporting on progress and feedback to improve K-12 educational outcomes.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Special Education

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in committee · Iowa · Senate Feb 23, 2026

SF 2095: A bill for an act relating to vaccination exemptions for certain students in clinical rotations and the qualification of postsecondary schools as eligible institutions for Iowa tuition grants.

SF 2095 requires Iowa postsecondary schools offering health-related degree programs (like nursing or medicine) to find clinical rotation placements where students can be exempt from vaccination rules during their training, upon student request. This applies specifically to students completing supervised health care training for academic credit. Schools failing to provide such exemptions lose eligibility to receive Iowa tuition grants for their students. The bill amends existing law to link school compliance with vaccination exemption placement to tuition grant eligibility.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill links Iowa tuition grants to schools accommodating vaccination exemptions for health students, enabling clinical training access and program continuity without restricting educational pathways.90% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill enables clinical training for healthcare students by requiring vaccination exemptions, supporting healthcare workforce development and educational access in health programs.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Higher Education Public Health

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in committee · Iowa · House Feb 10, 2026

HF 2029: A bill for an act relating to health care coverage of public school district personnel under the state health insurance plan, providing fees, making appropriations, and including effective date provisions.

This bill allows public school district employees and elected officials to enroll in Iowa's state health insurance plan, matching the premium rates paid by state employees. School districts must apply for coverage and pay monthly premiums plus administrative fees, deposited into a dedicated trust fund for the program. Unpaid premiums incur interest, and the state may withhold district funding until payments are made. Annual reports on enrollment, costs, and program impact are required. The bill takes effect July 1, 2027.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationProvides health insurance coverage for school staff, supporting educator benefits and retention through state-matched premium rates.95% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareExpands health insurance coverage to public school personnel under state plan, matching state employee rates and requiring enrollment funding.95% confidence

Sub-Topics K-12 Education Insurance

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in committee · Iowa · House Feb 9, 2026

HSB 604: A bill for an act authorizing community-based providers to directly participate in the statewide preschool program for four-year-old children.

This bill allows private childcare centers and community-based providers (like non-profit early learning centers) to directly run Iowa's statewide preschool program for four-year-olds, rather than only partnering with school districts. It creates new approval requirements for these providers, including meeting quality standards, participating in data collection, and ensuring professional development for teachers. Funding rules require that state preschool aid supplements existing local funding (not replaces it) and cannot be used for facility construction. The bill also specifies that children enrolled outside the typical age range in these programs won't count toward state funding calculations.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationExpands preschool access by allowing private/community providers to directly operate program, with quality standards and state funding supplementing local resources.92% confidence

Sub-Topics Early Childhood

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in committee · Iowa · House Feb 16, 2026

HSB 610: A bill for an act relating to computer science education, including high school curricula and graduation requirements, practitioner preparation programs, and college admissions, and including applicability provisions.

Iowa's HSB 610 requires all public and accredited nonpublic high schools to include one semester of computer science as a graduation requirement for students graduating in the 2030-2031 school year and beyond. The bill mandates that computer science courses must cover fundamental concepts of evolving technologies and artificial intelligence - including how AI works, its societal impact, and ethical considerations - starting in the 2022-2023 school year for a half-unit requirement. The state must publish a list of approved computer science courses by June 2027 and create a plan to expand teacher capacity, especially for small schools (under 500 students in grades 9-12). This directly affects Iowa high school students, educators, and school districts implementing new graduation standards.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationMandates computer science curriculum expansion with AI ethics coverage, enhancing K-12 educational requirements and student program standards.95% confidence ✓ TechnologySupports TechnologyMandates computer science education including AI concepts, ethics, and societal impact, promoting tech literacy and digital readiness in curricula.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Curriculum Higher Education K-12 Education Artificial Intelligence

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in committee · Iowa · Senate Feb 19, 2026

SF 2092: A bill for an act establishing the school health-related emergency response plan competitive grant program within the department of education, making appropriations, and including applicability provisions.

SF 2092 creates a competitive grant program within Iowa's Department of Education to help schools develop cardiac emergency response plans. The program provides funding to schools (including public, nonpublic, and charter schools) to cover costs for plans meeting specific requirements, such as establishing emergency response teams, placing automated external defibrillators (AEDs) within three minutes of any location on school property, requiring annual staff training in CPR and AED use, and conducting regular emergency drills. Schools must follow American Heart Association guidance for AED placement and maintenance, and the grants are intended to supplement, not replace, existing funding for these purposes. The law applies to school years starting July 1, 2027.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationCreates grant program funding cardiac emergency response plans for schools, directly supporting school safety infrastructure under education department.95% confidence

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in committee · Iowa · House Jan 30, 2026

HF 2240: A bill for an act creating an endowment tax on the endowment value of certain Iowa colleges and universities, limiting charges relating to certain endowment funds, making appropriations to workforce grant and incentive programs, and making appropriations to supplement tuition grants for high-wage and high-demand jobs.

HF 2240, the "Tax the Endowments Act," imposes an annual tax of 7.1% on the endowment value exceeding $500 million held by Iowa public universities (governed by the state board of regents) and accredited private colleges. The tax revenue is directed to two specific programs: funds from public institutions support workforce grant programs, while funds from private institutions supplement tuition grants for students in high-wage, high-demand majors. The bill also limits institutions to charging no more than 5% on gift proceeds and 1% annual fees on endowment management. It directly affects large Iowa colleges with substantial endowments, redirecting tax revenue to workforce development and targeted student financial aid.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesImposes 7.1% tax on large endowments to fund workforce grants and tuition programs, directly allocating new revenue to public services and education initiatives.95% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationRedirects endowment tax revenue to tuition grants for high-demand majors and workforce programs, directly enhancing student access and affordability in higher education.95% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentBill directs tax revenue to workforce grant programs and tuition grants for high-wage, high-demand jobs, explicitly funding labor market development initiatives.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Revenue Higher Education Student Financial Aid Workforce Development

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in committee · Iowa · House Jan 21, 2026

HF 2050: A bill for an act relating to the discipline of students who disrupt the educational process, and including effective date provisions.

HF 2050 requires Iowa school districts to adopt policies allowing teachers to immediately remove students who disrupt classes, threaten safety, or violate school rules. After a third removal, teachers and principals must discuss behavior patterns and hold a conference with the student (and parent/guardian if applicable) before the student returns to class. The bill also protects teachers from retaliation by administrators for following these discipline policies. It takes effect on December 31, 2026, and directly affects students, teachers, and school administrators in Iowa public schools.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationEmpowers teachers to address disruptions immediately, protects educators from retaliation, and mandates behavior conferences - supporting classroom safety and teacher effectiveness in education.85% confidence

Sub-Topics School Safety

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in committee · Iowa · Senate Jan 27, 2026

SF 2076: A bill for an act relating to a waiver of tuition and mandatory fees at accredited private institutions and regents institutions for students during student teaching experiences in the state.

This bill requires Iowa public universities and private colleges participating in the state's tuition grants program to waive tuition and mandatory fees for education students during their student teaching semester. It directly affects teacher education students in their final year of training, who must complete a full-time, supervised teaching experience under a licensed instructor. The key provision mandates institutions to adopt this waiver policy as a condition of their participation in the Iowa tuition grants program, defining "student teaching" as the final-year clinical teaching experience. The policy applies only to the specific semester of student teaching, not the entire degree program.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationWaives tuition/fees for teacher education students during student teaching, reducing financial barriers for future educators and aligning with teacher support and access indicators.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Higher Education Teachers

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in committee · Iowa · House Jan 20, 2026

HSB 554: A bill for an act relating to education, including by modifying provisions related to the Iowa statewide assessment of student progress and programs for gifted and talented children, and by requiring school districts to develop an advanced mathematics pathway and implement procedures for subject acceleration and whole-grade acceleration.

This bill modifies Iowa's education requirements by updating statewide student assessments and creating new standards for gifted programs. It mandates that all students in grades 3-11 take annual math and English language arts assessments, with science tests for grades 5, 8, and 10-11. School districts must establish procedures to identify gifted students using multiple data sources (like test scores and teacher input) and develop an advanced math pathway to enable algebra I completion by grade nine. Additionally, districts must automatically enroll students scoring in the "advanced" range on math or ELA tests in more rigorous courses, with parent opt-out options, and implement subject/grade acceleration procedures.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationMandates advanced math pathways, updated assessments, and gifted program procedures to enhance educational standards and student progression in K-12 curriculum.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Teachers Testing & Assessment

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