Education (Curriculum)

in committee · Iowa · Senate Feb 13, 2025

SF 204: A bill for an act relating to education, including by modifying provisions related to private instruction, world language instruction, dual enrollment, and the tuition and textbook tax credit, and including effective date, applicability, and retroactive applicability provisions.

This bill modifies Iowa's education laws to update requirements for private instruction, world language teaching, dual enrollment access, and tax credits. It requires parents of privately instructed students to submit detailed course outlines and health documentation, while ensuring diplomas from private programs are treated equally to public school diplomas. The bill prohibits altering grammatical gender in world language instruction (e.g., Spanish, French) when teaching languages that use gendered grammar. It also clarifies dual enrollment access for privately instructed students to participate in public school academic and extracurricular activities. The tuition tax credit section is amended to adjust the credit amount for dependent students in kindergarten through grade 12.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationEnsures equal diploma recognition for private education, expands dual enrollment access, and updates tax credits to support educational access and equity without restricting curriculum or funding.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Curriculum

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in committee · Iowa · House Feb 13, 2025

HF 150: A bill for an act prohibiting school districts from using standards-based grading in grades six through twelve.

HF 150 prohibits Iowa public school districts from using standards-based grading for students in grades six through twelve. The bill defines standards-based grading as a method that evaluates students on mastery of specific, smaller learning objectives within subjects, rather than traditional letter grades or points. If passed, school districts would be required to switch to alternative grading systems for middle and high school students. The bill is currently under review by the education subcommittee after being introduced in January 2025.

Topics ✗ EducationOpposes EducationProhibits standards-based grading method for middle/high schools, restricting educational practice and mandating alternative systems per bill's explicit language.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Curriculum K-12 Education Testing & Assessment

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in committee · Iowa · Senate Feb 18, 2025

SSB 1065: A bill for an act relating to electronic devices in schools, including student access during instructional hours, school safety plans, and instruction related to the effects of social media in grades six through eight, and including effective date provisions.

This bill requires Iowa public schools to adopt policies restricting personal electronic device use during classroom instruction starting in 2025, with specific guidelines for device storage, emergency communication, and exemptions for students with individualized education plans (IEPs) or 504 plans. It also mandates that health classes in grades six and eight include instruction about social media's effects, as specified in amended curriculum standards (sections 256.11, subsections 3 and 4). School districts must develop model policies for device use, and teachers must receive professional development to deliver the new social media curriculum. The law directly affects all public school students in grades six through eight and their educators, with implementation beginning in the 2025-2026 school year.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationMandates social media curriculum in grades 6-8 and device restrictions during instruction, enhancing educational standards and safety policies.90% confidence ✗ TechnologyOpposes TechnologyRestricts student device use during instruction, mandates social media education, and limits technology access in classrooms per bill requirements.92% confidence

Sub-Topics Curriculum School Safety Social Media

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in committee · Iowa · House Feb 20, 2025

HF 236: A bill for an act relating to social studies instruction, including instruction in United States government, provided to students enrolled in grades nine through twelve.

HF 236 requires all Iowa high school students (grades 9-12) in public school districts, accredited nonpublic schools, charter schools, and innovation zone schools to complete one full unit of U.S. government instruction as part of their social studies curriculum, increasing the current requirement from half a unit. The course must cover voting procedures, voter registration, paper ballots, absentee voting, the U.S. Constitution and Bill of Rights, and civics education including citizen roles in government. This bill directly affects high school students and school districts by mandating specific content within the required social studies curriculum. The change aligns with existing standards but strengthens the depth of civic education for students.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationMandates increased U.S. government curriculum requirements, strengthening civics education in Iowa high schools by raising unit requirement from half to full unit.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Curriculum

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in committee · Iowa · House Feb 20, 2025

HF 253: A bill for an act relating to computer science instruction, including by modifying provisions related to the graduation requirements, the computer science instruction provided by students enrolled in grades nine through twelve, computer science instruction endorsements and authorizations issued by the board of educational examiners, and the computer science professional development incentive fund.

HF 253 requires Iowa high school students graduating in 2029 or later to complete one semester of computer science coursework to meet graduation requirements, which may include classes taken in eighth grade. The bill modifies existing science and math graduation rules to allow up to one unit of computer science to count toward those requirements. School districts must report annually on computer science course offerings, teacher certifications, and student enrollment, while allowing limited waivers for implementation challenges. The law also establishes standards for computer science courses and teacher authorizations to ensure quality instruction.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationMandates computer science coursework for graduation, expanding curriculum requirements and aligning with STEM education goals while requiring district reporting on implementation.92% confidence

Sub-Topics Curriculum Teachers

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in committee · Iowa · Senate Feb 24, 2025

SSB 1164: A bill for an act modifying provisions related to the curriculum provided to students enrolled in grades nine through twelve by allowing instruction related to technology, engineering, or manufacturing to meet a portion of the unit requirements related to computer science.

SSB 1164 modifies Iowa's high school curriculum requirements to allow students in grades 9-12 to fulfill part of their computer science graduation requirement through courses in technology, engineering, or manufacturing. This includes classes covering topics like transportation, logistics, architecture, and construction, which can be offered as standalone courses or integrated into existing career and technical education programs. The bill applies to all public schools, charter schools, and accredited nonpublic schools in Iowa. The state board of education must develop implementing rules for this change.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill expands curriculum flexibility by allowing tech/engineering courses to fulfill computer science requirements, enhancing educational relevance and student program options in K-12 education.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Career & Technical Education Curriculum

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in committee · Iowa · Senate Feb 19, 2025

SF 322: A bill for an act establishing completion of a course on American history and civil government as a requirement for the completion of a baccalaureate degree program at a public institution of higher education.

SF 322 requires all public Iowa colleges and universities offering bachelor's degrees to mandate a 3-credit survey course in American history and civil government for graduation, beginning in the 2027 academic year. The course must cover specific content like the U.S. Constitution, founding documents (including the Declaration of Independence and Federalist Papers), key Supreme Court cases, and the historical development of U.S. government. It must fulfill general education social science requirements and cannot be repeated if a student transfers to another public Iowa institution. This bill directly affects all undergraduate students at public Iowa higher education institutions seeking bachelor's degrees.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationMandates American history/civics curriculum requirement, enhancing civic education standards in higher education per bill's explicit content requirements.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Curriculum Higher Education

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in committee · Iowa · Senate Mar 4, 2025

SF 138: A bill for an act relating to elective social studies courses emphasizing religious scripture that school districts may offer and teach.

This bill allows Iowa public school districts to offer elective high school courses (grades 9-12) focused on biblical texts, including the Old Testament, New Testament, or both. School boards must approve such courses after a school improvement committee recommends them by majority vote. Courses must teach biblical content to help students understand culture and society, while strictly following religious neutrality rules - no endorsement of any faith, and students may use alternative Bible translations. The bill also permits displays of religious materials in class if educationally appropriate, without requiring students to engage with texts conflicting with their family's beliefs.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationAllows elective biblical text courses in social studies, expanding curriculum options while maintaining religious neutrality per bill's intent.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Curriculum

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in committee · Iowa · House Mar 4, 2025

HF 734: A bill for an act relating to social studies instruction, including instruction in United States government, provided to students enrolled in grades nine through twelve.

HF 734 increases Iowa's requirement for U.S. government instruction in high schools (grades 9-12) from half a unit to one full unit. It mandates that all students in public school districts, accredited nonpublic schools, charter schools, and innovation zone schools complete this course, covering voting procedures, Constitution/Bill of Rights study, and civics education. The bill also updates curriculum standards to align with this new requirement and ensures schools comply with these changes. This directly affects all high school students and educators in participating Iowa schools by expanding the mandated social studies content. The change raises the current standard from a half-unit to a full-unit requirement for U.S. government instruction.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationMandates increased U.S. government instruction (1 unit) for all high schools, strengthening civics curriculum standards and requiring Constitution/Bill of Rights study.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Curriculum

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in committee · Iowa · House Mar 5, 2025

HSB 106: A bill for an act relating to electronic devices in schools, including student access during instructional hours, school safety plans, and instruction related to the effects of social media in grades six through eight, and including effective date provisions.

This bill requires Iowa school districts to adopt policies restricting student use of personal electronic devices during classroom instruction by the 2025 school year. It mandates that health classes in grades six through eight include age-appropriate instruction about the effects of social media. The policies must cover device storage, emergency communication methods, and exceptions for students with individualized education plans (IEPs) or 504 plans. Schools must also develop model policies for device use and provide teacher training on social media effects, as outlined in updated health curriculum standards.

Topics ✗ EducationOpposes EducationRestricts student device use during classroom instruction, limiting tech access in learning environments per bill's core requirement.95% confidence ✗ TechnologyOpposes TechnologyRestricts student device use during class, mandating policies limiting personal electronic device access in educational settings, directly opposing unregulated technology use in schools.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Curriculum School Safety Teachers Social Media

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