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.
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.
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.
HSB 335 is a bill concerning state finances, primarily impacting education funding and state appropriations. It allocates $14 million annually for fiscal years 2025-2026 and 2026-2027 to supplement compensation for education support personnel in school districts, distributed based on student enrollment. The bill also limits funding for nonpublic school pupil transportation and sets instructional support state aid to zero for FY 2025-2026. Furthermore, it reduces overall funding for school districts and area education agencies by $25 million for FY 2025-2026. The bill also transfers over $21 million from the taxpayer relief fund to the general fund to support foundation aid and allows the use of special funds for state employee salary adjustments.
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.
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.
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.
HF 204 requires Iowa's Department of Education to provide technical assistance to school districts for starting career-focused robotics clubs that comply with federal education rules. It also allows high school athletic organizations to sponsor robotics competitions using school district or state funds. The bill specifically supports robotics teams and competitions under existing career and technical education frameworks. This directly affects school districts, athletic organizations, and students participating in robotics programs.
HF 120 allows Iowa school districts and accredited nonpublic schools to apply to the Department of Education for authorization to implement year-round school calendars for students in grades nine through twelve. Currently, similar authorization only covers prekindergarten through grade eight, so this bill expands the eligibility to high school students. To apply, school boards must hold a public hearing on the proposal before submitting it to the Department of Education, with initial applications due by November 1 of the preceding school year. The bill directly affects high school students and school administrators by providing a new calendar option, while maintaining the existing requirement for public input before authorization.
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.)
