Education

signed · Iowa · House May 27, 2025

HF 393: A bill for an act relating to the Iowa school performance profiles published by the department of education, including how dropout students affect school performance grades contained in the profiles.

HF 393 modifies how Iowa schools calculate performance grades by excluding students who drop out from certain school performance profile metrics. This change directly affects Iowa public schools and their published performance ratings, which are used to inform parents and the public. The bill alters the Department of Education's methodology to ensure dropout rates do not negatively impact a school's overall grade. It became law after passing the Senate unanimously and receiving the Governor's signature on May 27, 2025. The policy change specifically adjusts how student enrollment data is processed for grading purposes.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationExcludes dropouts from performance metrics to prevent negative school ratings, protecting schools from unfair penalization under education performance profiles.85% confidence

signed · Iowa · House Jun 6, 2025

HF 787: 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.

HF 787 modifies several education policies in the state. It changes how school districts calculate teacher salary supplements, updates requirements for teacher training programs, and sets rules for placing students needing special education services out of state. The bill also defines the Department of Education's duties and establishes minimum salary levels for teachers. These changes directly affect school districts, educators, and students requiring special education services. The bill became law after passing the legislature and being signed by the Governor.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationEstablishes minimum teacher salaries, updates teacher preparation requirements, and modifies salary supplement calculations to support educators and special education services.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Special Education Teachers

passed · Iowa · Senate May 15, 2025

SF 515: A bill for an act relating to consideration of the educational setting of a minor child in a child custody proceeding.

SF 515 requires Iowa courts to prioritize a child's current educational setting during custody disputes. It creates a legal presumption that children should remain in their existing school (public, private, or homeschool) unless a parent provides strong evidence showing it harms the child's best interests. The bill applies specifically to cases where parents disagree about schooling, including those with joint legal custody. Court orders must now explicitly outline each parent's rights regarding school access, records, and decisions about the child's education.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationProtects educational stability by mandating courts prioritize a child's current school setting in custody disputes, preventing disruption to education.95% confidence

Track

signed · Iowa · House Jun 27, 2025

HF 189: A bill for an act relating to the eligibility of students enrolled in nonpublic schools to compete in extracurricular interscholastic athletic contests or competitions provided by public schools, and including effective date provisions.

HF 189 allows students enrolled in nonpublic schools (like private or religious schools) to compete in public school athletic programs. The bill establishes eligibility rules for these students to participate in interscholastic sports and competitions organized by public schools. It became law when the Governor signed it on June 6, 2025, directly affecting nonpublic school students and public school athletic departments. The law modifies existing rules to expand participation opportunities for this specific student group.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationExpands athletic program access for nonpublic school students, enhancing educational opportunities in school activities per bill's intent to include more students in public school competitions.90% confidence

signed · Iowa · Senate Jun 27, 2025

SF 647: 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.

SF 647 is a budget bill that allocates state funding to the Department for the Blind, the Department of Education, and the State Board of Regents. It provides financial resources for their day-to-day operations and program delivery. The bill includes specific conditions that determine when certain funding becomes effective. This legislation directly affects these state agencies and the educational services they provide to residents.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesAllocates state funding to education departments and blind services, directly supporting budget appropriations for public education programs.95% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill allocates state funding to education departments and agencies, directly advancing operational resources for K-12 and higher education services per appropriations language.95% confidence

Sub-Topics State Budget School Funding

signed · Iowa · Senate May 2, 2025

SF 275: A bill for an act requiring the director of the department of education to develop and administer a purple star school initiative.

SF 275 requires the Director of the Department of Education to develop and administer a "purple star school initiative." This initiative is designed to recognize and support schools that provide specific resources and services for military-connected students and their families. The bill tasks the Department of Education with creating the program's framework and overseeing its implementation across the state.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationCreates new program to support military-connected students through school resources, enhancing educational access and services for a specific student group.95% confidence

signed · Iowa · Senate Jun 6, 2025

SF 175: A bill for an act incorporating provisions related to pregnancy and fetal development into the human growth and development and health curricula provided by school districts, accredited nonpublic schools, charter schools, and innovation zone schools to students enrolled in grades five through twelve.

SF 175 requires public school districts, charter schools, and other accredited schools to add specific content about pregnancy and fetal development to health and human growth classes for students in grades 5 through 12. This policy change directly affects all schools in the state and their students in those grade levels by mandating the inclusion of this topic in existing health education. The bill does not alter funding or create new programs but updates curriculum standards to include this subject matter. It was passed by the legislature and signed into law by the Governor on June 6, 2025.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationMandates inclusion of pregnancy/fetal development in health curricula for grades 5-12, enhancing curriculum standards per educational requirements.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Curriculum

in committee · Iowa · House Mar 5, 2025

HSB 45: A bill for an act requiring the director of the department of education to develop and administer a purple star school initiative.

This bill requires Iowa's education director to create and run a "Purple Star School" recognition program. It directly affects public schools in Iowa that serve military-connected students and their families by allowing them to apply for recognition if they demonstrate existing support for these students. The program's key mechanism is a formal recognition system for schools already providing such support, with the goal of encouraging more schools to increase their assistance. The initiative aims to boost the overall level of support available to military-connected students and families across Iowa's schools.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationCreates Purple Star School recognition program to incentivize schools supporting military-connected students, enhancing educational access and support systems for this group.90% confidence

Track

passed · Iowa · House Apr 10, 2025

HF 401: A bill for an act providing for general education requirements for undergraduate students at regents institutions and including applicability provisions.

HF 401 establishes standardized general education requirements for undergraduate students at Iowa's public universities (governed by the state board of regents). It requires 37 total semester credit hours across specific areas: 6 in English, 3 in math/statistics, 4 in natural sciences, 6 in social sciences, 6 in humanities, 3 in western heritage (e.g., Western civilization), and 3 in American heritage (e.g., American history). The bill also prohibits courses from distorting historical events or teaching that systemic racism/sexism is inherent in U.S. institutions, while allowing transfer credit for equivalent coursework. These requirements apply to students beginning enrollment in fall 2027 or later.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationEstablishes standardized core curriculum requirements across multiple academic areas, reinforcing educational standards for undergraduates at public universities.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Higher Education

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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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