Education

in committee · Iowa · Senate Jan 28, 2025

SF 80: A bill for an act relating to the eligibility of students with individualized education programs to participate in extracurricular interscholastic athletic games or competitions.

This bill requires the lead special education teacher (not coaches or athletic directors) to determine if students with Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) can join school sports teams. The teacher must review the student’s attendance record and whether they are earning passing grades in their classes. It does not apply to students with severe or profound disabilities who receive special education under Chapter 256B. The law applies to both public and nonpublic schools in Iowa.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationEnables IEP students' athletic participation with academic criteria, enhancing extracurricular access for special needs students within educational framework.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Special Education Teachers

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in committee · Iowa · Senate Jan 28, 2025

SF 100: A bill for an act relating to mental health resources for students enrolled in school districts, accredited nonpublic schools, charter schools, and innovation zone schools.

This bill requires all Iowa public school districts, accredited nonpublic schools, charter schools, and innovation zone schools to publish mental health resources from "your life Iowa" (a state program) on their websites or link to them online. Schools must also collaborate with enrolled students to develop new ways to improve awareness of these mental health resources. The law directly affects students and schools by mandating accessible online resource sharing and student involvement in awareness efforts. It does not change funding or create new services, but standardizes how schools provide mental health information.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationMandates schools to provide accessible mental health resources, enhancing student support and well-being directly within educational settings.95% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareMandates schools to publish mental health resources online and involve students, directly advancing student mental health access and awareness.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Student Health

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in committee · Iowa · House Jan 30, 2025

HF 155: A bill for an act prohibiting meetings of the state board of regents from being held if the student member of the board is not present.

HF 155 requires the Iowa State Board of Regents to have its student member physically present at all meetings. If the student member is absent, the board cannot hold a meeting. This bill amends Iowa Code section 262.8 to enforce this requirement, directly affecting how the board conducts its business. The change ensures student representation is present for all official board decisions.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationRequires student member presence at all regents board meetings, ensuring direct student representation in higher education governance decisions. Strengthens student voice in policy-making.90% confidence

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in committee · Iowa · Senate Jan 30, 2025

SF 133: A bill for an act relating to the provision of period products.

SF 133 requires free period products (tampons and pads) to be available in restrooms at no cost for specific state facilities. It applies to state buildings (excluding governor's office, legislature, and courts), health care institutions under the Department of Health and Human Services, the Iowa School for the Deaf, public and nonpublic schools, and correctional facilities. Schools will receive state reimbursement for costs, and all covered entities must provide products appropriate to health needs in designated locations. The bill defines "period products" as tampons and pads for menstrual cycle use. This policy change directly affects students, staff, patients, residents, and the public in these facilities.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationRequires free period products in schools with state reimbursement, supporting student access and attendance - directly enhancing educational access for students in K-12 settings.85% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareMandates free period products in healthcare facilities under HHS, improving access to essential health supplies for patients and staff.95% confidence

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in committee · Iowa · House Jan 30, 2025

HSB 47: A bill for an act relating to school safety by requiring the creation of threat assessment teams and authorizing information sharing between certain governmental agencies.

HB 47 requires all Iowa school districts, nonpublic schools, charter schools (under chapters 256E/256F), and certain agencies (like law enforcement, mental health providers, and juvenile justice) to create multidisciplinary threat assessment teams for K-12 students. These teams must assess and intervene when students exhibit behavior posing a threat to school safety, and they can share relevant information with other covered entities to ensure student safety or access to services. The bill also provides legal immunity for good-faith reports about credible threats of serious harm. It directly affects schools, mental health services, and law enforcement agencies working with students at risk of emotional disturbance or safety threats.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationRequires threat assessment teams to enhance school safety, protecting students and staff within educational settings per bill's intent.90% confidence

Sub-Topics School Safety Testing & Assessment

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in committee · Iowa · House Jan 30, 2025

HSB 6: 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.

This bill expands Iowa's in-state tuition residency rules to include more military-connected students. It allows qualified military personnel (including those stationed in Iowa or at Rock Island Arsenal), their spouses, dependent children, and survivors (spouses/children of deceased veterans) to be classified as Iowa residents for undergraduate tuition and fees at public colleges and universities. To qualify, military members must be stationed in Iowa or have filed an Iowa tax return recently, while survivors must be the spouse or child of a veteran meeting specific federal benefit criteria. The bill clarifies that dependents remain eligible if they maintain continuous enrollment during military relocations. It directly affects active-duty service members, veterans, and their families enrolled in Iowa's public higher education institutions.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationExpands in-state tuition access for military-connected students, reducing costs and enhancing affordability at public colleges and universities.95% confidence ✓ VeteransSupports VeteransExpands in-state tuition benefits to include survivors (spouses/children) of deceased veterans, directly advancing veteran family support through education access.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Higher Education Military Families Veteran Education

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in committee · Iowa · House Jan 30, 2025

HSB 46: A bill for an act relating to mandatory reporting to the board of educational examiners of licensed school employees who engage in grooming behavior toward students.

This bill amends Iowa law to clarify the definition of "grooming behavior" by licensed school employees toward students. It specifies that grooming behavior includes "building trust and emotional connections with a student with the intent to exploit such student," replacing the prior definition focused on "enticing or entrapping." The change directly affects school employees whose conduct meets this definition, requiring school districts and administrators to report such behavior to the Board of Educational Examiners. The bill does not create new reporting requirements but refines what constitutes reportable conduct under existing law.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationClarifies mandatory reporting for grooming behavior to protect students, strengthening school safety protocols under education policy.92% confidence

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in committee · Iowa · House Jan 30, 2025

HSB 33: A bill for an act relating to the administration of the statewide summative assessment of student progress to students of online schools by school districts, accredited nonpublic schools, and charter schools.

This bill (HSB 33) allows Iowa school districts, accredited nonpublic schools, and charter schools providing primarily internet-based instruction to administer statewide student assessments online. It requires that online assessments must be conducted synchronously (in real-time), monitored via video by proctors at a 10:1 student-to-proctor ratio, scheduled by school staff, and verified by an administrator. The bill specifies that the online assessment environment must mirror students' regular academic instruction. These requirements apply to all state assessments mandated under Iowa law for online students.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationEnables online schools to administer required assessments, supporting educational access for virtual students and compliance with state standards.75% confidence

Sub-Topics Testing & Assessment

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in committee · Iowa · Senate Feb 4, 2025

SSB 1027: A bill for an act authorizing school districts to use revenues from the district management levy for teacher recruitment and retention incentives.

This bill (SSB 1027) allows Iowa school districts to use funds from their district management levy to pay for teacher recruitment and retention incentives. It permits school boards to create programs offering monetary bonuses or other incentives to attract new teachers and retain current staff, but limits annual incentives to 10% of an initial teacher's salary and restricts payments to no more than five school years. The bill prohibits using the levy for both teacher incentives and early retirement benefits in the same fiscal year, and requires public comment before adoption. It directly affects school districts and their teaching staff by changing how levy funds can be allocated for workforce strategies.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill authorizes use of district management levy (tax revenue) for teacher recruitment/retention incentives, funding essential public education programs within school budgets.90% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill authorizes use of levy funds for teacher recruitment/retention incentives, directly supporting educators and addressing K-12 staffing challenges through funding.95% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentAuthorizes school districts to fund teacher recruitment/retention incentives within salary limits, directly advancing labor & employment through wage retention measures.90% confidence

Sub-Topics School Funding Teachers

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in committee · Iowa · House Feb 6, 2025

HF 223: A bill for an act relating to mental health resources for students enrolled in public schools.

HF 223 requires Iowa public schools and accredited nonpublic schools to publish mental health resources provided by "your life Iowa" on their websites or link to those resources. It also mandates that schools partner with enrolled students to develop additional methods for increasing awareness of mental health resources and information. This applies to all school districts, charter schools, and innovation zone schools in Iowa. The bill creates specific, concrete requirements for resource visibility and student involvement without altering the content of mental health services.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationMandates schools to provide mental health resources and increase awareness, directly enhancing student well-being and support systems in K-12 education, aligning with educational access and student program advancement.90% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareMandates schools to publish mental health resources and partner with students for awareness, directly advancing student mental health services as specified in the bill's requirements.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Student Health Mental Health

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