Education (School Safety)

in committee · Iowa · House Jan 14, 2025

HF 9: A bill for an act establishing the school security personnel grant program within the department of education and making appropriations.

HF 9 creates a state grant program to help school districts hire security personnel. It requires school districts with over 8,000 students to employ at least one security officer (either a private security officer with a weapons permit or a school resource officer) at each high school campus. The bill establishes a matching grant program for districts with fewer than 1,000 students, providing up to $50,000 annually to offset security costs. Funds for this program are held in a dedicated state fund that remains available year-to-year, ensuring ongoing support for small districts.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationCreates state grant program funding school security personnel, directly increasing school district resources for safety under education funding.90% confidence

Sub-Topics School Safety

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in committee · Iowa · Senate Jan 28, 2025

SF 86: A bill for an act authorizing the boards of directors of school districts to appoint student liaisons to the boards.

This bill requires Iowa school boards to establish a process for appointing student liaisons who serve as nonvoting representatives at board meetings. School districts must create an application and selection process, and if applicants meet the criteria, the board must appoint at least one student to this role. The student liaison attends regular board and committee meetings (but not discipline-related sessions), accesses nonconfidential materials, and advocates for student perspectives on education policies. The Department of Education must provide school districts with a model application and selection process to guide implementation.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationRequires school boards to appoint student liaisons to advocate student perspectives in education policy, enhancing student voice in school governance.92% confidence

Sub-Topics School Safety Student Health

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in committee · Iowa · House Feb 18, 2025

HF 447: A bill for an act authorizing the use of revenues from the district management levy to pay costs related to school safety and security and including applicability provisions.

HF 447 allows Iowa school districts to use funds from their district management levy to cover school safety and security costs. Specifically, it permits using these funds for installing and operating safety infrastructure (like weapons detection and door monitoring systems) and for hiring security personnel. This change applies to school budget years starting July 1, 2025, and modifies existing law to expand the allowable uses of these levy revenues. The bill directly affects school districts seeking to fund safety measures through their existing local levy system.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesRedirects existing school levy tax revenues to fund essential safety infrastructure and personnel, advancing public safety funding through fiscal management of current tax resources.90% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill redirects existing school levy funds to cover safety infrastructure and personnel, directly enhancing school security within educational funding framework.95% confidence

Sub-Topics School Funding School Safety

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in committee · Iowa · Senate Feb 18, 2025

SSB 1065: A bill for an act relating to electronic devices in schools, including student access during instructional hours, school safety plans, and instruction related to the effects of social media in grades six through eight, and including effective date provisions.

This bill requires Iowa public schools to adopt policies restricting personal electronic device use during classroom instruction starting in 2025, with specific guidelines for device storage, emergency communication, and exemptions for students with individualized education plans (IEPs) or 504 plans. It also mandates that health classes in grades six and eight include instruction about social media's effects, as specified in amended curriculum standards (sections 256.11, subsections 3 and 4). School districts must develop model policies for device use, and teachers must receive professional development to deliver the new social media curriculum. The law directly affects all public school students in grades six through eight and their educators, with implementation beginning in the 2025-2026 school year.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationMandates social media curriculum in grades 6-8 and device restrictions during instruction, enhancing educational standards and safety policies.90% confidence ✗ TechnologyOpposes TechnologyRestricts student device use during instruction, mandates social media education, and limits technology access in classrooms per bill requirements.92% confidence

Sub-Topics Curriculum School Safety Social Media

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in committee · Iowa · Senate Mar 3, 2025

SF 64: A bill for an act relating to budget adjustments by school districts affected by a natural disaster.

SF 64 allows Iowa school districts impacted by federally or state-declared natural disasters to receive an additional budget adjustment. If a disaster occurred in the base year or the year before, the district qualifies for an extra adjustment equal to the amount they received in their base year. This extends an existing budget adjustment policy (which normally covers a 1% cost difference) to include disaster recovery needs. The bill directly affects school districts in Iowa that meet the disaster declaration criteria, providing them with an additional year of funding to cover unexpected costs.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesProvides additional budget flexibility for disaster-affected school districts, strengthening fiscal support for essential public education services within state budget management.95% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationProvides additional budget adjustments for Iowa school districts affected by natural disasters, ensuring continued funding for educational operations and recovery needs.95% confidence

Sub-Topics State Budget School Funding School Safety Tags Emergency Management

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in committee · Iowa · House Mar 5, 2025

HF 587: A bill for an act requiring schools to establish and offer a junior fire fighter program to high school students.

HF 587 requires all Iowa public school districts and accredited nonpublic schools to offer a junior firefighter program to students in grades 9-12. The program must teach about firefighting work safely, build life skills like teamwork, and connect students with emergency services providers. Schools can implement this through new programs or by partnering with national organizations, offering it as an extracurricular activity or part of career education. The bill specifies that existing state school foundation aid will cover implementation costs, with no new state funding required. This directly affects high school students and school districts across Iowa.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationMandates schools to implement a career-focused junior firefighter program, enhancing student opportunities and curriculum through skill-building and emergency services connections.90% confidence

Sub-Topics School Safety

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in committee · Iowa · House Mar 5, 2025

HSB 200: A bill for an act relating to firearm safety instruction in school districts.

This bill requires Iowa school districts to implement firearm safety instruction for students. By July 1, 2026, the state must develop and distribute age-appropriate model programs: kindergarten through grade six must use the NRA's Eddie Eagle program, while grades seven through twelve must use the NRA's hunter education course. School districts must offer approved courses to all students in grades seven through twelve (including nonpublic school students in the district) starting the 2026-2027 school year, with flexibility for off-campus locations, non-traditional schedules, and non-licensed instructors. The bill specifies that school districts will fund implementation using existing state foundation aid, with no new state funding required.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationMandates firearm safety curriculum in schools (NRA programs), enhancing student safety education programs as part of required school instruction.90% confidence

Sub-Topics School Safety

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died · Iowa · Senate Mar 24, 2025

SF 370: A bill for an act relating to electronic devices in schools, including student access during instructional hours, school safety plans, and instruction related to the effects of social media in grades six through eight, and including effective date provisions.

SF 370 requires Iowa public schools to adopt policies restricting student use of personal electronic devices during classroom instruction starting in the 2025-2026 school year. It mandates that health classes in grades six and eight include instruction on the effects of social media, and directs school districts to develop model policies by May 1, 2025. The bill also requires schools to provide professional development for teachers on social media effects and establish clear protocols for device storage, emergency communication, and disciplinary procedures. These changes apply to all public school districts, charter schools, and innovation zone schools in Iowa.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationMandates social media education in grades 6-8 health classes and restricts device use during instruction to improve focus, enhancing curriculum and safety protocols.95% confidence ✗ TechnologyOpposes TechnologyRestricts student device use during instruction and mandates social media education, directly limiting technology access in schools per bill language.95% confidence

Sub-Topics School Safety Social Media

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in committee · Iowa · House Mar 25, 2025

HF 603: A bill for an act relating to school safety, including grant programs, attendance center standards, and emergency planning, and making appropriations.

HF 603 requires all Iowa public and accredited nonpublic schools to implement specific safety measures, including installing break-resistant doors and locks that allow quick exit from classrooms, labeling all doors sequentially, and creating secure vestibule entry systems. It establishes a state-funded grant program to help schools purchase compliant doors and systems, with funds carried over annually instead of reverting. Schools must also adopt electronic threat reporting platforms, develop visitor entry plans, and create access control plans to monitor building entry. These requirements apply to all new construction, renovations, and door replacements starting on the bill’s effective date.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationProvides state grants for school safety infrastructure (doors, vestibules), enhancing physical security in schools to protect students and staff.95% confidence

Sub-Topics School Safety

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passed · Iowa · House Mar 26, 2025

HF 515: A bill for an act relating to school districts that share the operational functions of a school resource officer, and including applicability provisions.

HF 515 increases state funding for Iowa school districts that share school resource officer (SRO) services with other entities. It raises the supplementary weighting for SRO sharing from 2 to 4 pupils per shared function (up from current law), meaning districts sharing SRO duties receive more state funding based on this higher rate. The bill applies to school budget years starting July 1, 2025, and affects any district sharing SRO operational functions for at least 20% of the school year with a political subdivision or another district. This change redirects additional resources toward student programming by adjusting the funding formula for shared SRO services.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesIncreases state funding for school districts sharing SRO services via higher supplementary weighting, directly advancing public service budget allocation.90% confidence ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeIncreases state funding for school resource officers (SROs), directly supporting law enforcement presence in schools under criminal justice policy.90% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill explicitly increases state funding for school districts sharing SRO services by raising supplementary weighting from 2 to 4 pupils per shared function, directly advancing school funding.95% confidence

Sub-Topics School Funding School Safety

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