Education

in committee · Iowa · House Feb 24, 2025

HF 154: A bill for an act providing for a waiver of undergraduate tuition and mandatory fees and a stipend at regents institutions for Iowa residents who receive the maximum score on certain standardized tests.

HF 154 would waive undergraduate tuition and mandatory fees at Iowa's public universities for Iowa residents who achieve the highest possible score on the ACT or SAT college readiness assessments. It also provides a $5,000 semester stipend to qualifying students. To receive these benefits, students must submit score documentation and maintain satisfactory academic progress toward graduation. The bill directly affects high-scoring Iowa students at regents institutions, creating a new financial aid pathway tied to standardized test performance.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill waives tuition and provides stipend for high-scoring students at regents institutions, directly expanding access to higher education and increasing financial support for students.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Higher Education Student Financial Aid Testing & Assessment

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in committee · Iowa · Senate Feb 24, 2025

SF 361: A bill for an act establishing the armed forces reserve component scholarship program within the college student aid commission.

SF 361 establishes Iowa's Armed Forces Reserve Component Scholarship Program, administered by the College Student Aid Commission. It provides tuition coverage (up to 100% of resident fees based on financial need) for Iowa-resident military reservists (Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard, or Space Force) enrolled full-time at eligible institutions like community colleges or state universities. To qualify, students must complete required initial active duty training, maintain satisfactory academic progress toward an associate degree or high-demand certificate, and apply for other financial aid. The program includes provisions for active duty orders (extending scholarship use to five years) and requires repayment if students discontinue enrollment without active duty orders.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill creates tuition scholarship program for military reservists at colleges, directly funding higher education access and expanding student financial support.95% confidence ✓ VeteransSupports VeteransCreates tuition scholarship for Iowa military reservists, directly funding education benefits for service members transitioning to veteran status.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Student Financial Aid National Guard & Reserve Veteran Education

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in committee · Iowa · House Feb 24, 2025

HF 555: A bill for an act modifying provisions related to notices that school officials are required to send when a child becomes chronically absent.

HF 555 modifies Iowa school notice requirements for chronically absent students. It changes the method school officials must use to notify parents/guardians or emancipated minors: instead of requiring only certified mail, the bill mandates sending notices via ordinary mail *and* electronic mail (if the school has the email address). The notices must still include details about the child’s absences and school policies on future absences. This bill directly affects school officials who must now use two delivery methods when sending these notices. The change applies to all public schools in Iowa under current chronic absenteeism policies.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill modifies school notice requirements for chronic absenteeism to include electronic mail, improving parent communication to address absenteeism and support student attendance in education.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Student Health

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in committee · Iowa · House Feb 25, 2025

HF 407: A bill for an act relating to open enrollment by requiring the payment of certain moneys received from the secure an advanced vision for education fund.

HF 407 requires Iowa school districts to transfer a portion of funding from the Secure an Advanced Vision for Education (SAVE) fund to receiving districts for students participating in open enrollment. Starting July 1, 2026, for each student enrolled in a district other than their home district, the home district must pay the receiving district an amount equal to the per-pupil SAVE funding the home district received the previous year. This redirected money must be used solely for statewide school infrastructure projects under Chapter 423F. The bill affects home and receiving school districts by changing how existing SAVE fund allocations are distributed for open enrollment students.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesRedirects existing SAVE fund moneys to receiving districts for open enrollment, ensuring proper fiscal management of state education funds per bill requirements.90% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationRedirects SAVE fund money to receiving districts for open enrollment, ensuring funding follows students to support school resources and access.90% confidence

Sub-Topics School Choice School Funding

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in committee · Iowa · Senate Feb 25, 2025

SSB 1135: A bill for an act relating to early childhood education and care, including by modifying provisions related to the statewide preschool program, the child development coordinating council, programs for at-risk children, the responsibilities of the department of education, the early childhood Iowa initiative, and the state child care assistance program, and establishing the child care continuum partnership grants pilot program within the department of health and human services.

SSB 1135 modifies Iowa's early childhood education system by expanding access to preschool programs and creating new support structures. It establishes a new category for community-based child care centers approved to directly operate preschool programs (rather than partnering with school districts), adds requirements for transportation continuity between care settings, and clarifies funding rules to ensure state preschool aid supplements - rather than replaces - existing local funding. The bill also creates a pilot program for "child care continuum partnership grants" within the Department of Health and Human Services to connect early care providers with school-based programs. These changes directly affect school districts, community child care centers, and children enrolled in Iowa's preschool and early care programs.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationExpands preschool access, clarifies state aid supplements local funding, establishes new support structures for early childhood education.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Early Childhood

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in committee · Iowa · Senate Feb 25, 2025

SSB 1076: A bill for an act relating to incentives for whole grade sharing and school district reorganization or dissolution.

This Iowa bill (SSB 1076) extends incentives for school districts to reorganize, dissolve, or enter whole grade sharing agreements through July 1, 2030. It provides supplementary funding (weighted enrollment) to districts with whole grade sharing agreements or those studying reorganization, counting 1/10th of a student’s time attending classes in another district toward funding. This supplemental weighting is limited to three years, with renewal requiring progress reports to the school budget committee. The bill directly affects Iowa school districts considering consolidation or shared programs, aiming to support financial stability during transitions.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesProvides supplemental funding via weighted enrollment for school reorganization, directly impacting state budget allocation for public education.95% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationExtends supplementary funding via weighted enrollment for school reorganization and grade sharing, directly strengthening district financial flexibility and structural options in K-12 education.95% confidence

Sub-Topics School Funding

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in committee · Iowa · House Feb 26, 2025

HSB 219: A bill for an act relating to mathematics instruction, including by requiring school districts, charter schools, and innovation zone schools to develop an advanced mathematics pathway that is designed to enable students to succeed in courses related to algebra in grade eight.

This bill requires Iowa school districts, charter schools, and innovation zone schools to create an "advanced mathematics pathway" designed to prepare students for algebra in eighth grade. It mandates automatic enrollment for students scoring at grade level or higher on math assessments in grades 5-7, or demonstrating proficiency through grades/rank, unless parents opt out. Schools must provide specific supports like tutoring and small-group instruction, and report annually on course offerings, student participation, and demographic data. The policy directly affects middle school students and school districts by restructuring math course access and requiring transparency in enrollment and outcomes.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationMandates advanced math pathways, automatic enrollment for proficient students, and required supports to strengthen algebra readiness in K-12 education.95% confidence

Sub-Topics K-12 Education

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in committee · Iowa · Senate Feb 26, 2025

SF 265: A bill for an act implementing requirements related to organizations that sponsor or administer extracurricular interscholastic athletics, including the creation of a conference realignment committee.

SF 265 creates a conference realignment committee to oversee changes in high school athletic conferences across Iowa. Starting July 1, 2025, school districts and accredited nonpublic schools must get the committee’s approval before switching conferences, and the committee must consider factors like enrollment, travel distance, and traditional rivalries. Schools must also offer both boys’ and girls’ sports in all seasons to remain in conferences, and schools withdrawing without approval face a two-year competition ban. The bill directly affects all Iowa public schools and accredited nonpublic schools participating in state athletic associations.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationRequires gender equity in school sports programs, enhancing student access to extracurricular activities within education topic60% confidence

Sub-Topics K-12 Education

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in committee · Iowa · Senate Feb 17, 2025

SF 250: A bill for an act creating a rural attorney recruitment assistance program, and making appropriations.

SF 250 creates a program to help rural Iowa counties and municipalities recruit attorneys by offering financial incentives. It targets areas with populations under 26,000 located more than 20 miles from a city of 50,000+ residents. Eligible attorneys receive annual tuition reimbursements (90% of University of Iowa law school costs) over five years, with counties covering 35% of the cost. The program limits participation to five attorneys and requires them to work full-time in the area for five years while providing legal services to low-income residents.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationProvides tuition reimbursement for law students at University of Iowa, directly supporting higher education funding through targeted financial aid.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Higher Education

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in committee · Iowa · House Feb 28, 2025

HF 665: A bill for an act relating to mental health services at public institutions of higher education.

HF 665 requires Iowa's public colleges and universities to enhance mental health support for students. It mandates annual mental health awareness sessions during orientation, integration of mental health topics into coursework, and publication of campus mental health resources online. The bill also requires institutions to implement an annual online screening tool for mental health conditions (starting three years after enactment), provide mental health first aid training for resident assistants and advisors, establish peer support programs using student peers, and form partnerships with local mental health providers for referrals. These measures directly affect all students at Iowa's public institutions of higher education.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationMandates enhanced mental health support in higher education, including orientation sessions, curriculum integration, and screening tools, strengthening student well-being and access.90% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareMandates enhanced mental health support in colleges, including screenings, training, and resources - directly advancing mental health services as part of healthcare.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Student Health Mental Health

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