Education

in committee · Iowa · Senate Mar 19, 2026

SF 2303: A bill for an act providing for a review of undergraduate general education requirements and core curricula at regents institutions and authorizing elimination of certain required courses and course requirements.

SF 2303 requires Iowa's state board of regents to review all undergraduate general education requirements and core curricula at public universities (regents institutions) by fall 2028. The review specifically directs institutions to identify required courses containing diversity, equity, inclusion, or critical race theory-related content, with the board having discretion to order the elimination of such courses. The board must establish all necessary policies by December 31, 2026, to implement this review process. This bill directly affects course requirements at Iowa's public universities and aims to modify general education curricula through a state-mandated review.

Topics ✗ EducationOpposes EducationBill mandates review to identify and potentially eliminate DEI/CRT-related courses, restricting curriculum content and academic freedom in higher education.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Higher Education

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introduced · Iowa · House Feb 6, 2026

HF 2338: A bill for an act prohibiting school districts, charter schools, and innovation zone schools from providing any program, curriculum, test, survey, questionnaire, promotion, or instruction relating to gender theory or sexual orientation instruction in grades seven through twelve.

HF 2338 prohibits Iowa public school districts, charter schools, and innovation zone schools from offering any program, curriculum, test, survey, questionnaire, promotion, or instruction about gender theory or sexual orientation to students in grades seven through twelve. This bill extends an existing ban (previously limited to kindergarten through grade six) to cover all middle and high school grades. The law requires schools to comply with this restriction when developing human growth and development courses, including those covering topics like sexuality and sexually transmitted diseases. It amends multiple sections of Iowa code to enforce this prohibition uniformly across all covered school types.

Topics ✗ EducationOpposes EducationProhibits gender theory and sexual orientation instruction in grades 7-12, restricting curriculum content in schools per bill's explicit language.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Curriculum K-12 Education

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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 · House Feb 5, 2026

HF 2286: A bill for an act relating to education, including by modifying provisions related to the social studies curriculum, core curriculum, graduation requirements, area education agencies, and high school equivalency diplomas, and including transition provisions and effective date and applicability provisions.

HF 2286 replaces Iowa's social studies curriculum standards by directly adopting South Dakota's standards as the state's new requirements. It mandates specific content including U.S. government, U.S. history, and voting procedures (requiring one-half unit of government and one unit of history), while explicitly prohibiting "action civics" (defined as assignments encouraging political activism or advocacy). The bill modifies graduation requirements to include three years of social studies and removes the Iowa Department of Education's authority to set social studies content, directing schools to follow the adopted standards instead. This directly affects all Iowa public and accredited nonpublic schools, their students, and teachers implementing social studies curriculum.

Topics ✗ EducationOpposes EducationProhibits 'action civics' and mandates specific social studies content, restricting curriculum freedom per bill's explicit language.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Curriculum K-12 Education

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in committee · Iowa · House Feb 17, 2026

HSB 718: A bill for an act relating to practitioner preparation programs, including by modifying the preparation required to be included in practitioner preparation programs and the duties of the state board of education and the director of the department of education, and including applicability provisions.

This Iowa bill (HSB 718) requires teacher preparation programs to remove specific concepts from their curriculum by July 1, 2027. It prohibits instruction on "diversity, equity, and inclusion" theories, multicultural classroom management frameworks, and social-emotional learning models. Instead, programs must include explicit training in "authority-centered" classroom management techniques - such as clear rules, teacher-led instruction, and consistent discipline - and analyze historical management approaches prior to 1990. The law applies to students admitted to approved programs on or after July 1, 2027, and directs the state education board to enforce these changes through program approvals.

Topics ✗ EducationOpposes EducationProhibits DEI concepts in teacher prep curricula, replacing them with authority-centered methods - direct curriculum restriction per topic description.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Curriculum Teachers

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in committee · Iowa · House Feb 23, 2026

HF 2451: A bill for an act relating to student instructional technology standards, including elementary school digital instruction limits, technology use policies, and governance of one-to-one digital device programs.

HF 2451 sets a 60-minute daily limit on digital instruction for Iowa students in kindergarten through fifth grade, excluding uses like IEP-required technology, teacher demonstrations, or state assessments. It requires school districts to adopt written technology use policies for these grades, including daily limits, a list of digital platforms, parent opt-out rights, and a statement that technology should support foundational learning. The bill also mandates a technology adoption checklist for one-to-one device programs, covering instructional purpose, age appropriateness, content filtering, and student data practices. These policies and checklists must be published online for public access. The bill applies to all school districts, charter schools, and innovation school zones in Iowa.

Topics ✗ EducationOpposes EducationRestricts digital instruction time to 60 minutes daily in K-5 and mandates policies limiting tech use, aligning with OPPOSE indicators of restricting educational technology access.85% confidence ✗ TechnologyOpposes TechnologyImposes 60-minute daily digital instruction limit for K-5, mandates restrictions on tech use, and requires opt-out policies, directly limiting technology integration in schools.92% confidence

Sub-Topics K-12 Education Special Education Teachers Data Privacy Online Safety

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in committee · Iowa · Senate Feb 12, 2026

SF 2176: A bill for an act relating to the district-to-community college sharing or concurrent enrollment program.

This bill requires students (or their parents/guardians if the student is a minor) to reimburse school districts if they fail a community college course taken through the district-to-community college concurrent enrollment program. Specifically, if a student fails a class offered by a community college or taught by a community college instructor, the school district can request payment equal to the amount it paid the college for that student's participation. The reimbursement applies only to the district's direct costs for that specific course, not to the student's regular tuition or fees. This policy directly affects high school students in Iowa's concurrent enrollment programs who fail a college-level course.

Topics ✗ EducationOpposes EducationRequires student reimbursement for failed community college courses, creating financial barriers that limit program access and participation in concurrent enrollment.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Higher Education K-12 Education

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in committee · Iowa · House Feb 4, 2026

HF 2271: A bill for an act modifying provisions related to world language instruction.

HF 2271 modifies Iowa's world language instruction requirements for grades 9-12 in public school districts, nonpublic schools, charter schools, and innovation zone schools. It prohibits educators from altering languages that use grammatical gender (like Spanish or French) to incorporate gender-neutral terms. The bill specifically requires that instruction maintain the language's original grammatical structure, including gendered nouns and pronouns. This policy change directly affects how world language courses are taught in participating schools across Iowa.

Topics ✗ EducationOpposes EducationProhibits gender-neutral language in world language curricula, restricting academic flexibility and mandating traditional grammatical structures in instruction.95% confidence

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in committee · Iowa · Senate Feb 19, 2026

SF 2405: A bill for an act relating to trainings and curricula regarding specific defined concepts provided by public institutions of higher education and school districts.

SF 2405 requires public schools and colleges in Iowa to ensure that all staff, contractors, and volunteers avoid promoting stereotyping or scapegoating based on demographic group membership or identity in any curriculum, educational materials, or training. It prohibits school districts from using public funds or resources to support such content and mandates that all relevant personnel receive training on these requirements. The bill allows parents, employees, or residents to file lawsuits seeking to stop violations without needing to prove personal harm. This policy directly affects school districts, higher education institutions, and their employees, contractors, and volunteers who develop or deliver educational content.

Topics ✗ EducationOpposes EducationRestricts curriculum content by banning stereotyping based on identity, requiring staff training, and allowing lawsuits for violations, directly limiting educational content in schools.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Curriculum

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introduced · Iowa · House Feb 23, 2026

HF 2685: A bill for an act relating to student instructional technology standards, including elementary school digital instruction limits, technology use policies, and governance of one-to-one digital device programs.

HF 2685 establishes Iowa's first statewide standards for student instructional technology in elementary schools (K-5). It limits digital instruction to 60 minutes daily, excluding uses like IEP-required technology, teacher demonstrations, assessments, and computer science classes. School districts must adopt written policies detailing daily limits, digital tools used, and parental opt-out rights for reduced screen time, and publish these policies online. The bill also requires transparency around one-to-one device programs, including data practices and parental choice options, but excludes online learning programs.

Topics ✗ EducationOpposes EducationBill imposes 60-minute daily limit on digital instruction in K-5 schools, restricting technology use in classrooms with specific exceptions.85% confidence ✗ TechnologyOpposes TechnologyImposes 60-minute daily limit on elementary student digital instruction, restricting technology use in schools per bill's core provisions.95% confidence

Sub-Topics K-12 Education Special Education Teachers Data Privacy

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