Bill > SF2501

Introduced Session

This bill relates to education, including by modifying provisions related to charter school approval, contracts, funding, and operations, services provided to charter schools by area education agencies, charter school student participation in extracurricular activities provided by public schools, the Iowa public employees’ retirement system, education savings accounts, independent accreditation, teacher training and licensure, the statewide voluntary preschool program, the district-to-community college sharing or concurrent enrollment program, open enrollment, school tuition organizations, and innovation zone schools. DIVISION I —— CHARTER SCHOOLS. Current Code chapter 256F authorizes school districts to join together to establish an innovation zone school, which is a public school, administered by a principal, that is designed to encourage diverse approaches to learning and education and that operates pursuant to the terms of a contract entered into between the boards of directors of the school districts establishing the innovation zone school and the state board of education. This division modifies Code chapter 256F to remove all references to innovation zone schools, which eliminates the authorization for school districts to join together to establish an innovation zone school. The division transfers the Code sections within Code chapter 256F (charter schools and innovation zone schools) to a new subchapter II within Code chapter 256E (charter schools —— school board and founding group models). The division also organizes the current Code sections within Code chapter 256E into a new subchapter I. Current law provides that the state board of education is the sole authorizer of charter schools under Code section 256E, subchapter I. The division provides that the university of northern Iowa may also authorize charter schools under Code section 256E, subchapter I. Current law provides that the term of a charter school contract entered into between the board of directors of a school district that has established a charter school under Code chapter 256F and the state board of education shall be four years. The division provides that the term of such a contract shall be five years. The division also requires such a contract to incorporate a performance framework in the same manner as a Code chapter 256E, subchapter I, charter school’s contract is required to do so under Code section 256E.9 (performance framework). In addition, the division provides that an approved charter school opens on the first day of the school year that is two school years immediately subsequent to the school year in which the charter school contract is executed; provided, however, that the approved charter school may open on the first day of the school year that is immediately subsequent to the school year in which the charter school contract is executed if the approved charter school demonstrates adequate preparation to the state board. If the charter school requires an opening delay of more than two school years immediately subsequent to the school year in which the charter school contract is executed, the charter school may request an extension from the state board. These provisions apply to charter school contracts under Code chapter 256F that are renewed on or after the effective date of the division. The division provides that the governing board of a charter school that is approved under Code section 256E.5 (founding group-state board model) is a local education agency for the purpose of receiving federal funds for all attendance centers that are under the jurisdiction of the governing board. Code section 256.163 establishes requirements for teacher licensure beyond a temporary initial license or an initial license. Pursuant to current Code section 256.163, the requirements for teacher licensure beyond a temporary initial license or an initial license include successful completion of a beginning teacher mentoring and induction program; two years of successful teaching experience in a school district with approved career paths, leadership roles, and compensation framework; or evidence of not less than three years of successful teaching experience at certain specified schools or programs. The division modifies Code section 256.163 to add charter schools, established pursuant to Code chapter 256E, subchapter I, to this list of schools or programs, allowing a teacher to attain licensure beyond a temporary initial license or an initial license if the teacher completes not less than three years of successful teaching experience at such a charter school. Current law provides that one of the purposes of charter schools established under Code chapter 256E, subchapter I, is to accelerate student learning to prevent learning loss during the COVID-19 pandemic and other significant disruptions to student learning. The division modifies this provision to provide that one of the purposes of such charter schools is to accelerate student learning to prevent learning loss during significant disruptions to student learning. The division makes conforming changes. DIVISION II —— FUNDING AND AREA EDUCATION AGENCY SERVICES. Currently, each student enrolled in a charter school under Code chapter 256E, subchapter I, shall be counted, for state school foundation purposes, in the student’s district of residence. The department of education is then required to pay to the charter school in which the student is enrolled an amount equal to the sum of the regular program state cost per pupil for the budget year plus other additional costs specified in Code section 256E.8(2)(a). This division adds the teacher salary supplement state cost per pupil to the amount required to be paid to the Code chapter 256E, subchapter I, charter school. This provision applies to school budget years beginning on or after July 1, 2026. The division requires area education agencies to provide educational services and media services to students enrolled in Code chapter 256E, subchapter I, charter schools. Additionally, the division authorizes the department of management to deduct both of the following from the state aid due to each school district pursuant to Code chapter 257 (financing school programs) and pay the amounts to the respective area education agencies for purposes of providing services to students enrolled in Code chapter 256E, subchapter I, charter schools within the boundaries of the area education agency: the amount calculated for media services for the school district that is attributable to the number of students enrolled in Code chapter 256E, subchapter I, charter schools within the school district who are provided with media services by an area education agency, and the amount calculated for educational services for the school district that is attributable to the number of students enrolled in Code chapter 256E, subchapter I, charter schools within the school district who are provided with educational services by an area education agency. This provision applies to school budget years beginning on or after July 1, 2026. DIVISION III —— EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES. This division requires the board of directors of a school district to allow a student who resides within the district, and who is enrolled in a Code chapter 256E, subchapter I, charter school, to participate in any extracurricular interscholastic athletic contest or competition, and any extracurricular activity, including theater, show choir, and band, that is provided by the school district pursuant to the terms of an agreement between the board of directors of the school district and the governing board of the charter school if the extracurricular interscholastic athletic contest or competition or extracurricular activity has not been provided by the charter school during the two immediately preceding school years and if the charter school has not entered into an agreement under Code section 280.13A (sharing interscholastic activities) with another school district, nonpublic school, or charter school that provides for the eligibility of students enrolled in the charter school to participate in the extracurricular interscholastic athletic contest or competition or any extracurricular activity that is being provided by that school. The division requires the board of directors of a school district to allow a student who resides within a contiguous school district, and who is enrolled in a Code chapter 256E, subchapter I, charter school, to participate in any extracurricular interscholastic athletic contest or competition and any extracurricular activity that is provided by the school district pursuant to the terms of an agreement between the board of directors of the school district and the governing board of the charter school that provides for the eligibility of the student if the extracurricular interscholastic athletic contest or competition or extracurricular activity has not been provided by the charter school, or by the student’s school district of residence, during the two immediately preceding school years, and if the charter school has not entered into an agreement under Code section 280.13A with another school district, nonpublic school, or charter school that provides for the eligibility of students enrolled in the charter school to participate in the extracurricular interscholastic athletic contest or competition or extracurricular activity that is being provided by that school. The division provides that if the board of directors of a school district has established a fee for the cost of a student’s participation in an extracurricular interscholastic athletic contest or competition or extracurricular activity, a student who is enrolled in a Code chapter 256E, subchapter I, charter school and is participating in an extracurricular interscholastic athletic contest or competition or extracurricular activity at a public school pursuant to the division’s provisions, or the student’s parent or guardian, shall be responsible for the payment of such fee. The division requires a student who is enrolled in a Code chapter 256E, subchapter I, charter school and is participating in an extracurricular interscholastic athletic contest or competition or extracurricular activity at a public school pursuant to the division’s provisions to participate under the same conditions as a student who is enrolled in the school district, including meeting the school district’s student code of conduct requirements. The division provides that a student who participates in an extracurricular interscholastic athletic contest or competition or extracurricular activity pursuant to the division’s provisions is deemed to satisfy the residence requirements for purposes of Code section 256.46 (rules for participation in extracurricular activities by certain children). DIVISION IV —— DRIVER EDUCATION. Current law requires every public school district in Iowa to offer or make available to all students residing in the school district, including Iowa students attending a nonpublic school or receiving competent private instruction or independent private instruction, in the district, an approved course in driver education. This division requires Code chapter 256E, subchapter I, charter schools to offer or make available such courses to students attending the charter school. In addition, the division requires every public school district in Iowa to offer or make available to all Iowa students residing in the school district who attend a Code chapter 256E, subchapter I, charter school an approved course in driver education pursuant to policies established by the school district. The charter school is responsible for the payment of all of the school district’s costs associated with providing the approved course in driver education to such students. DIVISION V —— IOWA PUBLIC EMPLOYEES’ RETIREMENT SYSTEM. This division provides that persons employed by Code chapter 256E, subchapter I, charter schools that satisfy all applicable requirements under federal law for participation in the retirement system are employees for purposes of the provisions of the Iowa public employees’ retirement system (IPERS). Additionally, the division provides that Code chapter 256E, subchapter I, charter schools that satisfy all applicable requirements under federal law for participation in the retirement system are employers for purposes of the provisions of IPERS. The division provides that in the event of a Code chapter 256E, subchapter I, charter school closure, the assets of the charter school shall be, after payroll obligations but prior to paying creditors, used to satisfy any liabilities due and owing to IPERS. DIVISION VI —— CHARTER SCHOOL FACILITIES REVOLVING LOAN PROGRAM. This division establishes a charter school facilities revolving loan program fund within the Iowa finance authority (IFA) to assist Code chapter 256E, subchapter I, charter schools in acquiring suitable school facilities. The moneys in the funds are appropriated to the IFA for use in the development and operation of a charter school facilities revolving loan program to assist charter schools in purchasing, acquiring, developing, reconstructing, remodeling, or replacing school buildings. The division also allows the IFA to make or enter into a liquidity or credit enhancement agreement with a Code chapter 256E, subchapter I, charter school to assist the charter school in purchasing, acquiring, developing, reconstructing, remodeling, or replacing school buildings. DIVISION VII —— EDUCATION SAVINGS ACCOUNTS. The education savings account program is a program that provides funds to pupils who attend nonpublic schools to pay for qualified educational expenses, including but not limited to tuition, tutoring or cognitive skill training fees, educational therapy costs, software expenses, and expenses related to course materials. Under current law, the parent or guardian of a pupil is required to submit an application for payment under the education savings account program to the department of education on or after January 1, but on or before June 30, preceding the school year for which the education savings account payment is requested. This division allows the parent or guardian of a pupil to submit such an application on or after October 15, but on or before November 15, preceding the semester for which the education savings account payment is requested. Additionally, under current law, each education savings account payment is equal to the regular program state cost per pupil for the same school budget year. The division provides that, if the parent or guardian of a pupil submitted such an application on or after December 1, but on or before December 20, preceding the semester for which the education savings account payment is requested, the education savings account payment for such pupil is equal to 50 percent of the regular program state cost per pupil for the same school budget year. Current law requires the department of education or a third-party entity to notify the parent or guardian of each pupil approved for the following school year or semester of the amount of the education savings account payment for the pupil within 30 days after the submission of an application. The division strikes this 30-day deadline. The division makes conforming changes. DIVISION VIII —— INDEPENDENT ACCREDITATION. This division provides that if an approved independent accrediting agency deaccredits a nonpublic school, the nonpublic school is prohibited from seeking accrediting from an independent accrediting agency for a period of three years. The division authorizes such a nonpublic school to immediately seek accreditation from the department of education. Current law authorizes a nonpublic school to be accredited by an approved independent accrediting agency instead of by the state board of education if the nonpublic school is accredited by an independent accrediting agency that is on a list of approved independent accrediting agencies maintained by the state board of education. The division provides that these provisions shall not be construed to authorize the state or any political subdivision of the state to exercise authority over any nonpublic school or construed to require a nonpublic school to modify its academic standards for admission or educational program. The division also provides that these provisions shall not be construed to expand the authority of the state or any political subdivision of the state to impose regulations upon any nonpublic school that are not necessary to implement the state’s educational standards. The division provides that rules adopted by the state board of education to implement these provisions that impose an undue burden on a nonpublic school are invalid. The division requires that a nonpublic school shall be given the maximum freedom possible to provide for the educational needs of the school’s students, consistent with state and federal law. DIVISION IX —— SCHEDULE OF TEACHER TRAININGS AND LICENSURE RENEWAL REQUIREMENTS. This division requires the department of education to convene a task force to study the training programs in which teachers in this state are required to participate pursuant to state law and the requirements associated with renewing a teaching license. The task force is required to submit its findings and recommendations to the general assembly on or before December 31, 2026. The recommendations must include specific recommendations related to how to change current law to create a more manageable training program schedule and licensure renewal requirement schedule for teachers. DIVISION X —— STATEWIDE PRESCHOOL PROGRAM. Under current law, only school districts that meet certain requirements established by the state board of education are able to participate in the statewide preschool program for four-year-old children established pursuant to Code chapter 256C, although school districts may contract with community-based providers. This division authorizes community-based providers to directly participate in the statewide preschool program for four-year-old children established pursuant to Code chapter 256C by applying with the department of education to implement a preschool program. The state board is required to adopt rules to further define the requirements of community-based providers implementing the preschool program. Under current law, state funding provided under the statewide preschool program for four-year-old children is provided to school districts based upon the number of eligible students enrolled in the preschool programming provided by the school district. Also under current law, if the school district contracts with a community-based provider, state funding passes from the school district to the community-based provider. The division allows a community-based provider approved to directly participate in the preschool program to be paid preschool foundation aid directly in the same manner as a school district. The division establishes the amount of preschool foundation aid that is payable to such a community-based provider for the initial school year for which the community-based provider is approved to directly participate in the preschool program, and for subsequent school years. The division makes conforming changes. DIVISION XI —— SCHOOL TUITION ORGANIZATIONS —— PRESCHOOL STARTUP COSTS. This division authorizes certain specified school tuition organizations to provide funding to a preschool in an amount up to the costs the preschool incurred in its first year of operation related to the provision of preschool services. The division defines “preschool” and “school tuition organization”. DIVISION XII —— MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS. This division allows students from charter schools established pursuant to Code chapter 256E, subchapters I and II, to access the district-to-community college sharing or concurrent enrollment program through the school district in which the charter school is located. The division also allows students from online charter schools to access the program through the students’ school district of residence. Current law requires the board of directors of a receiving district to enroll a pupil who has properly applied for open enrollment for the following school year unless the receiving district has insufficient classroom space or unless the receiving district has prohibited the pupil from enrolling because the pupil is truant. The division requires the receiving district to document the reason for the denial of any open enrollment request and submit information related to the denial to the department of education. DIVISION XIII —— IMMEDIATE EFFECTIVE DATE. This division provides that the entire bill takes effect upon enactment.

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Withdrawn. S.J. 895. (on 04/27/2026)

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