HF 811 repeals Iowa's school tuition organization (STO) tax credit, which allowed taxpayers to reduce their individual or corporate income tax by 75% of donations to STOs. The bill ends this credit for contributions made on or after July 1, 2025, and reduces the 2025 credit cap from $20 million to $10 million. It fully repeals the tax credit provision on July 1, 2031, removing all future eligibility and references to the credit in tax law. This directly affects individuals, corporations, and STOs that previously used or issued these tax credits.
This bill requires Iowa school districts, charter schools, and innovation zone schools to adopt and publish written policies for handling staff reductions due to budget cuts or enrollment changes. The policies must prioritize licensed educators' performance - measured by student outcomes, growth, and evaluations - over seniority or tenure when deciding layoffs. Schools must also outline notification timelines, grievance procedures, and specify how performance factors are weighted. These policies must be posted online within 10 days of adoption. The bill directly affects school staff, particularly licensed teachers and administrators, during economic-driven terminations.
HF 88 modifies Iowa's education laws to clarify requirements for private instruction, world language teaching, and tuition tax credits. It requires parents of privately instructed children to submit detailed course outlines, immunization records, and blood lead test results by September 1 each year. The bill defines "independent private instruction" as non-accredited programs with ≤4 unrelated students, no tuition, and religious focus, while ensuring diplomas from such programs are treated equally to public school diplomas. It also prohibits altering grammatical gender in world language instruction (e.g., Spanish/French) and provides a 25.5% tax credit for tuition paid for kindergarten through grade 12. These changes apply immediately upon enactment.
SF 379 creates a new Iowa individual income tax deduction for educational costs at specific career-focused programs and apprenticeships. It allows taxpayers to deduct expenses like tuition, fees, books, and supplies paid for: (1) career-related programs at colleges or training programs that don’t offer college credit, and (2) registered apprenticeship programs. The deduction applies retroactively to tax years beginning January 1, 2025, and excludes payments from education savings plans. It directly affects Iowa residents paying for these qualifying education expenses.
HF 214 changes how Iowa school districts receive state funding for approved preschool programs. It increases the "preschool budget enrollment" from 50% to 100% of actual eligible student enrollment on October 1 (or the first Monday in October if October 1 falls on a weekend) when calculating funding. For districts newly approved to participate, it also modifies the initial year funding calculation to use 60% of eligible enrollment instead of the previous method. This bill applies to school budget years starting July 1, 2026, directly affecting school districts offering state-approved preschool programs.
HF 136 modifies how Iowa calculates school performance grades by changing the treatment of student dropouts. Specifically, it states that if a student returns to school after dropping out and then drops out again, that second or subsequent dropout will no longer negatively impact the school's performance grade. The bill directly affects Iowa public schools and their accountability ratings, which determine school classifications (like "needs improvement" or "priority") and eligibility for support or recognition. This change is part of the state's school performance profiles, which use metrics like graduation rates, attendance, and college-readiness to evaluate schools under federal and state requirements.
SF 140 amends Iowa law to regulate satellite absentee voting stations. It requires that if a station is located on school property, the election must include a school-related ballot measure (such as a bond, levy, or educational program vote). The bill also mandates that election officials remove or obscure any published materials showing candidate names or public measure details (other than the ballot itself) at these stations. These changes affect how absentee voting locations are set up and what materials voters see near polling areas.
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HF 513 requires Iowa school districts, nonpublic schools, charter schools, and innovation zone schools to allow 8th-grade students who meet the school's academic standards to participate in high school athletic competitions designed for grades 9-12. The bill mandates that schools must permit these students to join existing interscholastic athletic programs on the same basis as older students. It does not change eligibility requirements but ensures schools cannot exclude qualified 8th graders from participating in current high school sports offerings. This policy directly affects 8th graders seeking athletic opportunities and the schools managing those programs.
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.
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.
