Education

in committee · Iowa · House Apr 3, 2025

HF 845: A bill for an act relating to elective social studies courses emphasizing religious scripture that school districts may offer and teach.

HF 845 allows Iowa public high schools (grades 9-12) to offer elective social studies courses focused on the Bible's Old and New Testaments, subject to school board approval. School districts must get a recommendation from a school improvement committee and a majority vote from the school board to implement such courses. Courses must teach how biblical content influences modern culture, literature, and society while maintaining religious neutrality - prohibiting endorsement of any faith and requiring students to choose their own Bible translations. The bill affects Iowa high school students and teachers, who must follow state guidelines for course content and professional development.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationAllows elective social studies courses on biblical influence, enhancing curriculum options in K-12 education while maintaining religious neutrality.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Curriculum

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in committee · Iowa · House Apr 3, 2025

HF 270: A bill for an act requiring regents institutions to make certain course syllabus information available to the public online and including effective date provisions.

HF 270 requires Iowa's public universities to post key syllabus details online for every undergraduate course meeting in a classroom. The syllabus must include the instructor's name, descriptions of major assignments/exams, and required readings. Institutions must make this information searchable, accessible without login within five clicks from their homepage, available by the first day of classes, and kept online for at least a year. The bill does not apply to non-classroom courses like internships or study abroad programs and takes effect December 31, 2025.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationRequires public syllabus transparency for university courses, enhancing student access to course details and improving educational transparency.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Curriculum Higher Education

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in committee · Iowa · Senate Apr 8, 2025

SSB 1222: A bill for an act relating to and making appropriations to the education system, including the funding and operation of the department for the blind, department of education, and state board of regents.

SSB 1222 is an appropriations bill that allocates $3.2 million for the Department for the Blind and $7.3 million for general education administration in Iowa for fiscal year 2025-2026. It funds specific programs including $1.7 million for birth-to-three early childhood services, $574,500 for Early Head Start pilot projects, $9.6 million for Jobs for America’s Graduates school programs, and $1.9 million for early literacy assessment systems. The bill directs funds toward operational needs like salaries, school food programs, career training, and statewide student assessments, with requirements for annual reporting on antibullying programming. It directly affects Iowa’s public education system, students from birth through high school, and schools receiving state funding. This is a routine funding measure, not a policy change.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesAllocates $3.2M for Department for the Blind and $7.3M for education admin, funding specific programs like early childhood services and literacy systems, advancing education budget priorities.95% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationAllocates $3.2M for Department for the Blind, $7.3M general education admin, and specific programs including early childhood services, literacy systems, and career education initiatives.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Early Childhood Testing & Assessment

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died · Iowa · Senate Apr 9, 2025

SF 442: A bill for an act relating to education, including by modifying provisions related to the calculation of the teacher salary supplement district cost per pupil, teacher preparation requirements, out-of-state placement of certain specified students requiring special education, the duties of the department of education, and minimum teacher salaries, and including effective date provisions.

This bill modifies several education policies in Iowa. It establishes tiered school district cost calculations for teacher salary supplements based on enrollment size (over/under 3,500 students), sets minimum teacher salaries ($50,000 starting, $62,000 for 12+ years experience), and requires districts to cover retirement and payroll costs. It also updates teacher preparation rules to mandate 80 hours of field experience for new teachers (including 10 hours before program entry) and clarifies requirements for out-of-state special education placements, requiring coordination between health, education, and residency criteria. These changes directly affect school districts, teachers, and students with special education needs.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationSets minimum teacher salaries ($50k-$62k), mandates 80-hour field experience for new teachers, and requires districts to cover retirement costs, strengthening educator compensation and preparation.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Special Education Teachers

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in committee · Iowa · House Apr 14, 2025

HSB 311: 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.

This bill (HSB 311) allows Iowa public school districts to use funds from their district management levy to cover school safety and security costs. Specifically, it authorizes spending on weapons detection systems, door monitoring, and hiring qualified personnel - including school resource officers (as defined federally), private security officers with weapon permits, reserve peace officers, or certified peace officers. The policy change applies to school budgets starting July 1, 2025, and directly affects school districts managing their local levies. It provides a clear funding mechanism for safety infrastructure and staffing without altering existing levy authorization rules.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesReallocates existing district management levy funds for school safety, directing tax revenue toward essential public service without new taxes or spending cuts.85% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill reallocates existing school levy funds for safety measures (weapons detection, personnel), directly enhancing school safety - a critical component of the educational environment and operational security for K-12 schools.85% confidence

Sub-Topics School Funding School Safety

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died · Iowa · Senate Apr 15, 2025

SF 519: A bill for an act establishing a school of intellectual freedom at the university of Iowa.

SF 519 establishes a School of Intellectual Freedom as an independent academic unit within the University of Iowa's College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. The school will teach and research the historical ideas, texts, and debates that shaped the American constitutional order, focusing on free societies, civic engagement, and intellectual diversity. It must offer courses and programs on these topics, foster civil discourse, and use private donations or state funds only for its direct operations (not university overhead). The bill requires at least five tenure-eligible faculty members and mandates annual reports to state officials on the school's progress.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationEstablishes new higher education unit focused on intellectual freedom curriculum, enhancing academic programs and discourse within university education.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Higher Education

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died · Iowa · House Apr 17, 2025

HF 391: A bill for an act incorporating provisions related to pregnancy and fetal development into the human growth and development and health curriculum provided by school districts, accredited nonpublic schools, charter schools, and innovation zone schools to students enrolled in grades seven through twelve.

Bill HF 391 requires school districts, accredited nonpublic schools, charter schools, and innovation zone schools to incorporate specific content related to pregnancy and fetal development into their curricula. This affects students in grades seven through twelve. The bill mandates that human growth and development (grades 7-8) and health (grades 9-12) curricula include instruction on human biology related to pregnancy and development inside the womb. Key provisions require the use of a high-definition ultrasound video, at least three minutes long, showing early fetal organ development. It also requires a computer-generated rendering or animation, similar to the "Meet Baby Olivia" video, depicting fertilization and every stage of human development inside the uterus until birth.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationMandates inclusion of pregnancy/fetal development content in required health and human growth curricula for grades 7-12, expanding educational content standards.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Curriculum

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in committee · Iowa · Senate May 6, 2025

SSB 1231: A bill for an act relating to and making appropriations to the education system, including the funding and operation of the department for the blind, department of education, and state board of regents, and including contingent effective date provisions.

SSB 1231 is an appropriations bill that allocates state general funds to various components of the education system for the fiscal year 2025-2026. It provides funding for the operations of the Department for the Blind, the Department of Education, and the State Board of Regents. Key provisions include appropriations for general administration, career and technical education, school food services, early childhood programs such as Birth to Age Three Services and Early Head Start, and statewide student assessment. The bill also directs the Department of Education to submit a report on its antibullying programming.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill allocates state funds to education departments and programs, directly supporting public service funding through appropriations.95% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationAllocates state funds to education departments, early childhood programs, and career education, directly supporting system operations and student services.95% confidence

Sub-Topics State Budget Early Childhood School Funding Testing & Assessment

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in committee · Iowa · House May 9, 2025

HSB 337: A bill for an act relating to and making appropriations to the education system, including the funding and operation of the department for the blind, department of education, and state board of regents, and including contingent effective date provisions.

HSB 337 is an appropriations bill that allocates funds from the state's general fund to various parts of the education system for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2025, and ending June 30, 2026. It provides funding for the Department for the Blind, the Department of Education, and the State Board of Regents. The bill details specific appropriations for programs such as career and technical education, school food services, early childhood initiatives like Birth to Age Three Services and Early Head Start, and statewide student assessments. Additionally, it funds work-based learning, postsecondary summer classes for high school students, and the Jobs for America's Graduates program, and requires a report on anti-bullying programming.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesAllocates state general fund to education departments and blind services, directly funding public education and support programs per appropriations language.95% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationAllocates state funds to education departments, career/tech programs, and early childhood initiatives, directly supporting system funding and operations.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Appropriations State Budget Early Childhood School Funding School Safety

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died · Iowa · House May 13, 2025

HF 1045: A bill for an act relating to and making appropriations to the education system, including the funding and operation of the department for the blind, department of education, and state board of regents, and including contingent effective date provisions.

HF 1045 is an appropriations bill that allocates state funds to various parts of the education system for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2025, and ending June 30, 2026. It provides funding for the Department for the Blind, the Department of Education, and the State Board of Regents. Key provisions include specific appropriations for programs such as career and technical education, early childhood services like Birth to Age Three and Early Head Start projects, and initiatives supporting student assessment and work-based learning. The bill also mandates a report from the Department of Education on antibullying programming.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesAllocates state funds to education departments and programs, directly advancing budgetary support for public education services per appropriations language.95% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill allocates state funds for K-12 education (career tech, early childhood programs), Department of Education, and State Board of Regents per appropriations language.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Early Childhood Testing & Assessment

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