HF 543 requires Iowa public school districts to provide free sanitary napkins and tampons in at least half of restrooms serving students in grades 6-12, with products regularly refilled. It directly affects school districts and students in those grades by ensuring access to essential hygiene products without cost. The bill appropriates state funds to reimburse districts for compliance costs from 2025 through 2028, with districts submitting documented expenses for reimbursement. After June 2028, school foundation aid will fund ongoing compliance, ending the state appropriation.
HB 218 allows Iowa school districts, charter schools, and innovation zone schools to create policies awarding academic credit for religious instruction courses provided by private organizations. It modifies compulsory education rules by exempting students from attendance requirements when attending such courses (with limits: max 5 hours weekly, required parental notification, and private organization maintaining attendance records). The bill also explicitly excludes these religious instruction absences from counting toward chronic absenteeism thresholds under Iowa law. School policies must evaluate courses based on instructional hours, assessment methods, and instructor qualifications - without considering religious content or denominational affiliation - to determine if they meet academic standards.
HF 914 modifies Iowa's education structure by changing how area education agencies (AEAs) operate and interact with the Department of Education. It removes outdated sections and updates key provisions, including requiring AEAs to provide evidence-based professional development and special education oversight through a new "division of special education" within the Department (not AEAs). The bill also revises budget processes, mandating that AEA annual budgets must be approved by both the Department of Education and the State Board of Education before final adoption. These changes directly affect AEAs, local school districts, and students - particularly those with disabilities - by clarifying service responsibilities and oversight for educational programs.
SF 286 modifies Iowa's national board certification program for teachers and creates a new tuition reimbursement program for dyslexia specialist training. It establishes the "advanced dyslexia specialist endorsement competitive scholar program" administered by the College Student Aid Commission (CSAC), providing tuition reimbursement to Iowa teachers working toward an advanced dyslexia specialist endorsement. Eligible teachers must be employed by an Iowa school district, charter school, nonpublic school, or education agency and can receive reimbursement for up to two years, covering actual tuition costs (capped at total costs incurred). The program is funded through dedicated state appropriations that roll over annually if unspent, with CSAC reporting annually on participation and outcomes.
HF 122 increases funding for Iowa school districts that share operational functions with other entities, specifically raising the supplementary weighting for sharing a school resource officer (SRO) from 2 to 4 pupils. This policy change directly affects school districts sharing SRO services (or other eligible roles like counselors or special education directors) for at least 20% of the school year. The bill provides additional state funding by assigning districts extra weighted pupils based on shared functions, with SRO sharing now earning 4 pupils instead of 2. The change applies to school budget years beginning July 1, 2025.
HF 60 would allow Iowa school districts impacted by federally or state-declared natural disasters to receive an additional year of budget adjustment funding. Specifically, if a disaster occurred in the base year or the year before, districts would get a second adjustment equal to the amount they received in their base year. This applies to districts already eligible for standard budget adjustments under existing law. The bill directly affects school districts in Iowa that experience qualifying natural disasters with official disaster declarations. (Note: The bill was withdrawn on March 14, 2025, and did not become law.)
HF 327 creates a tax credit for Iowa residents who serve as clinical preceptors for advanced registered nurse practitioner students. The credit provides $1,000 per clinical preceptorship (involving at least 100 hours of supervised learning) with a maximum $2,000 annual credit, directly affecting licensed nurse practitioners who mentor students without compensation. To qualify, preceptors must be employed at the clinical site, selected by the nursing program, and have at least one year of mentoring experience. The credit is refundable if it exceeds tax liability, and preceptors must document student details including hours and program information. The bill applies to tax years beginning January 1, 2026.
This bill creates a $1,000 tax credit per clinical preceptorship for Iowa-licensed advanced registered nurse practitioners (ARNPs) who provide uncompensated clinical instruction and supervision to nursing students. To qualify, ARNPs must be employed at the clinical site, have at least one year of preceptor experience, and document student details including hours of supervision and expected graduation year. The credit is refundable and capped at $2,000 annually per preceptor. It applies to tax years beginning January 1, 2026, and requires the Department of Revenue to report annual credit usage to the legislature.
HF 1 would require Iowa public school districts to allow students enrolled in nonpublic schools (who live within the district or a contiguous district) to immediately participate in public school athletic competitions, provided the school districts and nonpublic schools have a written agreement. Nonpublic school students would pay the same participation fee as public school students, and their participation would not affect how public schools are classified for athletic competitions. The bill also ensures these students meet residency requirements for athletic eligibility under existing rules. This bill directly affects nonpublic school students seeking to join public school sports teams and the school districts managing those programs. (Note: The bill was withdrawn on March 21, 2025.)
HF 271 creates a scholarship program providing up to $5,000 annually for Iowa residents with intellectual, developmental, or learning disabilities who are enrolled in approved comprehensive transition and postsecondary programs (college programs designed for students with disabilities). The College Student Aid Commission, working with vocational rehabilitation services, will administer the program, requiring annual applications and prioritizing Iowa residents. Funds for the program will be held in a dedicated state treasury account that carries over each year instead of reverting to the general fund. This bill establishes the program structure and funding mechanism but requires separate annual appropriations from the legislature to operate.
