Education (Student Health)

in committee · Iowa · Senate Feb 12, 2025

SF 34: A bill for an act relating to physical activity requirements applicable to students in kindergarten through grade five.

This bill requires Iowa public schools to provide physically able kindergarten through grade five students with 30 consecutive minutes of daily physical activity, separate from the standard physical education curriculum. Schools must ensure this activity occurs unless specific exceptions apply, such as student safety risks, inclement weather requiring indoor relocation, early school dismissal, or student absence due to illness. The requirement does not apply to suspended or expelled students. This policy directly affects K-5 students and school district implementation practices.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationMandates daily physical activity for K-5 students within school curricula, enhancing student health programs without restricting existing requirements.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Curriculum Student Health

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in committee · Iowa · House Feb 18, 2025

HF 262: A bill for an act providing for a teacher minimum salary budget adjustment for school budget years beginning July 1, 2025, and including effective date provisions.

HF 262 creates a budget adjustment for Iowa school districts that face higher actual costs than their current teacher salary funding covers. Specifically, districts would receive state funds if their costs (including retirement contributions and taxes) exceed existing teacher salary supplements for roles like classroom teachers, counselors, nurses, and teacher leadership positions. Districts must formally request this adjustment annually and spend the funds solely on teacher salaries within the same year. The bill aims to help districts comply with minimum salary requirements without creating budget shortfalls.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill provides state funds to school districts for teacher salary costs (including retirement/taxes), increasing budget allocation for education. Directly funds essential public services per topic description.90% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationProvides state funds to cover teacher salary costs exceeding current supplements, directly supporting educator compensation and school budgets.95% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentFunds teacher salary increases for school districts, directly advancing wage standards for education workers per bill's salary-focused budget adjustment.92% confidence

Sub-Topics State Budget School Funding Student Health Teachers

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in committee · Iowa · House Mar 5, 2025

HSB 278: A bill for an act relating to physical education requirements for students enrolled in grades seven through twelve in school districts, charter schools, and innovation zone schools.

HB 278 requires all public school students in grades 7-12 (including charter and innovation zone schools) in Iowa to meet specific physical education (PE) requirements. Male students must complete weightlifting (3 days/week), cardiovascular training (1 day/week), and one extracurricular activity annually, while female students must participate in one extracurricular activity per year. Students may be excused with a physician's note for medical reasons or a parent's written request for non-medical reasons. The bill applies to all public school districts and sets new graduation-level PE standards, replacing previous requirements.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationMandates specific physical education curriculum requirements for grades 7-12, strengthening K-12 educational standards through structured program implementation.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Student Health

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in committee · Iowa · Senate Jan 27, 2026

SSB 1158: A bill for an act relating to student nutrition, including by modifying the curricula provided to students enrolled in kindergarten through grade twelve to include instruction related to nutrition, modifying provisions related to the agriculture, food, and natural resources component of the career and technical education instruction provided to students enrolled in grades nine through twelve, and modifying provisions related to school meal programs, and including effective date provisions.

This bill requires all Iowa public schools to add specific nutrition education to health curricula for students in kindergarten through grade 8. It mandates instruction emphasizing the importance, benefits, and role of animal-based protein, dairy, vegetables, and fruit in a balanced diet. The bill also updates career and technical education (grades 9-12) to include agriculture, food, and natural resources instruction focused on food production, local sourcing, and sustainable farming. These changes apply to public school districts and must be implemented per the bill's effective date provisions.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationMandates nutrition education in K-8 curricula and updates CTE for grades 9-12, enhancing educational content on nutrition and agriculture.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Student Health

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passed · Iowa · House Apr 1, 2025

HF 522: A bill for an act relating to the therapeutic classroom incentive program by authorizing the expenditure of moneys for certain nutritional items.

HF 522 amends Iowa's therapeutic classroom incentive program to allow school districts using grant funds to cover specific nutritional items for students. It directly affects students in therapeutic classrooms - those whose emotional, social, or behavioral needs interfere with learning - and the school districts administering these programs. Key provisions authorize funding for micronutrient access (like vitamins D and K2), assessments of macro-nutritional needs, provision of whole foods (fresh produce, healthy proteins), restrictions on artificial food additives, and initiatives addressing digital screen use and natural light exposure. The bill expands allowable uses of existing grant funds to support nutrition-based strategies within therapeutic classrooms.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill authorizes funding for nutritional items in therapeutic classrooms, directly supporting student needs affecting learning through expanded program funding and access to micronutrients/whole foods.95% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareFunds nutritional items for therapeutic classrooms addressing emotional/behavioral health needs, directly supporting mental health services through school-based nutritional support.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Student Health

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died · Iowa · House Mar 21, 2025

HF 114: A bill for an act relating to the therapeutic classroom incentive program by authorizing the expenditure of moneys for certain nutritional items.

HF 114 would require school districts operating therapeutic classrooms - designed to support students with emotional, social, or behavioral needs that interfere with learning - to incorporate specific nutritional and environmental changes. Key provisions mandate providing access to micronutrients (like vitamins D and K2), assessing students' macro-nutritional needs, serving minimally processed whole foods (fruits, vegetables, healthy proteins), restricting artificial food additives, limiting excessive digital screen use, and increasing natural light exposure. These changes would apply to classrooms funded through the state’s competitive grant program for therapeutic classrooms. The bill aimed to integrate science-backed health initiatives into these classrooms to improve student outcomes. (Note: The bill was withdrawn on March 21, 2025.)

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill authorizes state expenditure for nutritional items in therapeutic classrooms, directly funding a specific program under government spending.95% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationMandates nutritional changes in therapeutic classrooms (supporting students with behavioral needs) and authorizes funding for micronutrients/whole foods, directly enhancing student support programs within K-12 education.95% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareMandates nutritional changes in therapeutic classrooms for students with behavioral needs, directly supporting mental health services through dietary interventions.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Government Spending Student Health

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in committee · Iowa · Senate Jun 16, 2025

SF 168: A bill for an act modifying provisions related to shared operational functions and school district supplementary weighting.

This bill modifies Iowa school funding rules by changing how certain shared staff positions count toward a school district's annual funding cap. Starting July 1, 2024, funding for college/career transition counselors no longer counts toward the 21-pupil maximum. Starting July 1, 2025, funding for master social workers, licensed social workers, mental health professionals, and school resource officers also won't count toward this cap. School districts using these staff will have more flexibility to allocate funding toward other shared operational functions within the 21-pupil limit. The change affects all Iowa school districts receiving supplementary funding for shared staff services.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill removes certain staff funding from district cap calculations, increasing budget flexibility for schools without new appropriations, promoting efficient fiscal management within existing budget constraints.85% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationRemoves funding cap barriers for counselors/social workers, enabling expanded student support services without triggering district budget constraints.95% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareExcludes mental health professionals' funding from school budget cap, enabling increased hiring for school-based mental health services without triggering funding limits.90% confidence

Sub-Topics School Funding School Safety Student Health

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passed · Iowa · House Mar 10, 2026

HF 851: A bill for an act relating to student nutrition, including by modifying the curricula provided to students enrolled in kindergarten through grade twelve to include instruction related to nutrition, modifying provisions related to the agriculture, food, and natural resources component of the career and technical education instruction provided to students enrolled in grades nine through twelve, and modifying provisions related to school meal programs, and including effective date and applicability provisions.

HF 851 requires all Iowa public and nonpublic schools offering kindergarten through grade 12 to include specific nutrition education in their health curricula. It mandates that students learn about the importance, benefits, and role of animal-based proteins, dairy, vegetables, and fruits in a balanced diet across multiple grade levels. The bill also modifies career and technical education to include agriculture, food, and natural resources instruction, emphasizing local food sourcing. These changes apply to all schools meeting state curriculum standards, with requirements beginning in the 2023-2024 school year for certain grades.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationMandates nutrition curriculum in K-12 health classes and modifies CTE to include agriculture, enhancing educational content per bill's requirements.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Curriculum Student Health

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in committee · Iowa · Senate Jun 16, 2025

SF 525: A bill for an act relating to student nutrition, including by modifying the curricula provided to students enrolled in kindergarten through grade twelve to include instruction related to nutrition, modifying provisions related to the agriculture, food, and natural resources component of the career and technical education instruction provided to students enrolled in grades nine through twelve, and modifying provisions related to school meal programs, and including effective date provisions.

SF 525 requires all Iowa public schools (and nonpublic schools offering kindergarten) to add specific nutrition instruction to health classes for students in kindergarten through 12th grade. The bill mandates that this instruction emphasize the importance, benefits, and role of animal-based protein, dairy, vegetables, and fruit in a balanced diet. It also updates career education standards to include food production and local sourcing benefits within agriculture, food, and natural resources programs for high school students. These curriculum changes apply to all schools meeting state accreditation standards and take effect upon enactment.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationMandates nutrition curriculum additions in K-12 health classes, strengthening educational content standards per bill requirements.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Curriculum Student Health

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in committee · Iowa · House Mar 7, 2025

HSB 173: A bill for an act relating to student nutrition, including by modifying the curricula provided to students enrolled in kindergarten through grade twelve to include instruction related to nutrition, modifying provisions related to the agriculture, food, and natural resources component of the career and technical education instruction provided to students enrolled in grades nine through twelve, and modifying provisions related to school meal programs, and including effective date provisions.

HB 173 requires all Iowa public and nonpublic schools (K-12) to include specific nutrition education in their curricula. It mandates instruction emphasizing the importance and benefits of animal-based proteins, dairy, vegetables, and fruit in balanced diets for students in kindergarten through grade 8, and updates health education standards to include these topics. The bill also modifies career and technical education for grades 9-12 to add agriculture, food, and natural resources content focused on local sourcing and sustainable farming. Additionally, it updates school meal program requirements and specifies that these changes apply to all schools meeting state accreditation standards.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationMandates nutrition curriculum for K-8 and updates health standards, strengthening educational content on nutrition in K-12 curricula.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Student Health

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