Capitol Update - February 18, 2022

UEN Legislative Update
Feb. 18, 2022

Week Six of the 2022 Session: Governor signs the school funding bill, House passes big tax cuts, and the Governor’s School Choice Omnibus proposal gets Senate Education Committee Approval but only pieces of it move in the House. This UEN Weekly Report from the 2022 Legislative Session includes: 

• School Aid/SSA is set for FY 2023
• Governor announces $1,000 teacher bonus details
• School Choice Status Update
• Senate Education Committee Action
• Bills Surviving the Funnel
• Funnel Casualties (for now)
• Advocacy Action Steps for This Week
• Links to Advocacy Resources

School Aid/SSA is set: the Senate agreed to the House school funding bill, HF 2316 State Supplementary Assistance (SSA), on Monday of this week. The bill was signed by the Governor Thursday. It matches her recommendation of 2.5%. The bill does the following:

• Establishes a 2.50% growth rate to be applied to the State cost per pupil (SCPP) for FY 2023, for an SSA of $181 per pupil.
• Establishes a 2.50% growth rate to be applied to each of the State categorical cost per pupil amounts for FY 2023 (TLC, PD, TSS, EICS, and Transportation Equity).
• Provides an additional increase of $5 to the FY 2023 regular program SCPP, separate from the SSA, to reduce the difference between the SCPP and district cost per pupil to $140.
• Provides additional property tax replacement funding based on the per pupil increase that results from the establishment of the State percent of growth in FY 2023. The Bill requires the additional levy portion of the FY 2023 SCPP amount to be frozen at $685 per pupil, regardless of the per pupil increase for FY 2023.
• Amends the FY 2023 General Fund appropriation to the Transportation Equity Program to equal the amount necessary to make all transportation equity aid payments. UEN is registered as undecided.

ISFIS New Authority Report has been updated to reflect these changes. Check out the budget guarantee amounts and other details impacting your district. This information will be helpful in advocating with Senators to accept the other funding bill the House sent to them, which is currently in the Senate Appropriations Committee. Find the report on the ISFIS subscriber website at: www.iowaschoolfinance.com/budget_projections.

The House’s second school funding bill, HF 2315 Supplemental Funding of $19.2 million, has been assigned to the Senate Appropriations Committee. A subcommittee of Senators Kraayenbrink, Cournoyer, and J Smith has been assigned. UEN is registered in support.

Governor Press Conference Announces a $1,000 bonus for teachers; From her press release: “Teachers: The Department of Education will work to issue payments to qualifying teachers at public schools, accredited nonpublic schools, independently accredited nonpublic schools, and state-operated schools through their respective employer.” “All qualified individuals receiving a $1,000 payment through the Iowa Worker Premium Pay Program should receive it this spring. Final counts and totals will be made available by the Governor’s Office upon conclusion of the program this spring.” The DE has scheduled a webinar to inform school leaders about the details next week.

School Choice Status:

The Governor’s School Choice Omnibus bill, SSB 3080, was approved by the Senate Education Committee, surviving the Feb. 18 funnel deadline. The House Education Committee parsed the Governor’s concepts into several bills, two of which they approved on Thursday. HSB 705 includes provisions changing special education for students in competent private instruction (CPI home school), open enrollment for siblings, and librarian qualifications. HSB 706 includes the Governor’s Transparency provisions and social studies (high stakes test for graduation). See those bill descriptions in last week’s report. The House bill identical to the Governor’s school choice bill in the Senate, HSB 672, including voucher provisions, did not receive approval in the House Education Committee, but was referred to the House Appropriations Committee, where it is exempt from funnel deadlines. See the UEN Call to Action, updated this week for talking points. UEN is registered opposed to SSB 3080, HSB 672 and HSB 706 and is registered undecided on HSB 705. See more detail under each bill number below.

HF 2317 Income Tax Cuts: the House approved their flat tax bill, essentially lowering the income tax rate to 4% over several years, effective at 4% in TY 2026 and exempts retirement income from state income taxes beginning in TY 2023. The fiscal note explaining the impact on the state general fund, which is initially cushioned by using funding from the Taxpayer Relief Fund, eventually is significant: FY 2026 estimates a loss of $949.3 million; FY 2027 estimates a loss of $1,407.7 and FY 2018 is a loss of $1,614.1 million. This bill has been sent over to the Senate.

SF 2206 Senate Tax Cuts, is on the Senate Calendar. It has an even bigger hit to the state General Fund. Whatever final policy is agreed to, it will be important to keep an eye on the changes, since lowering the income tax base will require a higher income surtax rate for either PPEL or ISL to general the same revenue. UEN is opposing both bills. Here’s the fiscal impact table from the LSA’s fiscal note:

 

 

House Education Committee Action Week:

The following bills approved on Thursday will receive new bill numbers as they are assigned to the House Calendar.

HF 2186 Dyslexia Providers: Authorizes school boards to hire independent contractors to serve as dyslexia providers, contingent on an appropriation. Amended and passed, 23-0, moving it to the House Calendar. UEN is undecided.

HF 2085 Alternative Teaching License: establishes an alternative license for teachers. Requires the candidate to be 26, have a bachelor’s degree and complete an alternative program and praxis subject assessment. Requires the candidate to complete a one-year clinical experience as a teacher in the initial year. Prohibits the person from teaching special education courses. Requires the BOEE to report annually on the status of the program. Amended and passed, 14-9, moving it to the House Calendar. UEN is undecided.

HF 2306 Postsecondary Transition Scholarship Program: establishes a transition and postsecondary program scholarship program for students with intellectual disabilities aged 18-21. Requires the program to have federal approval. Requires the College Student Aid Commission to establish criteria and give priority to Iowans. Establishes a fund for appropriations. Amended it to remove the age range and passed, 23-0, sending it to the House Calendar. UEN is undecided.

HSB 702 School Complaint Procedures: requires schools to have a committee to investigate allegations of an employee abusing a student, specifies minimum membership of the Committee, prohibits a school district from having an agreement from prohibiting discussions of past performance or past allegations of wrongdoing with a potential employer or government agent. Protects school districts and employees from liability related to discussion about former employees. Makes incident reports not confidential records. Creates a civil penalty if a school employee or board intentionally tries to conceal information about abuse. Requires the BOEE to suspend the license of a teacher convicted of an aggravated misdemeanor or more serious offense. Requires the BOEE to maintain records of complaints (even unfounded) and requires school districts to confirm with BOEE if a potential hire has any complaints filed, and changes the membership of the BOEE. Requires six members of the BEE to be from the public and four members to be license holders. Rep. Hite, who is floor managing this bill, said he is committed to working with everyone to improve this bill and expects some of the more difficult provisions to change. The Committee approved the bill, 19-4, sending it to the House Calendar. UEN is opposed.

HSB 705 Governor’s School Choice Omnibus bill part 1: allows siblings and step-siblings of a student granted a good cause open enrollment to also open enroll, eliminates the provision that K-12 teacher librarians have a master’ degree and allows a home school student to be dual enrolled for special education services without express approval of the AEA special education director. The Committee approved the bill, 15-8, sending it to the House Calendar. UEN is undecided.

HSB 706 Governor’s School Choice Omnibus bill part 2: transparency provisions requiring districts to post educational materials and standards, processes to challenge library books, and a score of 70% on the citizenship test/high stakes civics test for high school graduation. The Committee approved the bill, 15-8, sending it to the House Calendar. UEN is opposed.

HSB 720 Para Substitutes: Allows paraeducators holding substitute authorizations to substitute in any classroom except drivers’ education limited to the 2021-22 school year. Requires the para to be paid at the same rate as a substitute. Authorizes the BOEE to adopt rules. This bill was proposed by the Administrative Rules Review Committee as they discussed BOEE emergency Rules which became effective on Feb. 15 to allow schools to continue to use Paraeducators as substitutes. The Emergency rules require the districts to make a good faith effort to fill the vacancy with a substitute and a process to request waiver from BOEE to allow a paraeducator to fill the classroom vacancy. The Committee approved the bill, 23-0, sending it to the House Calendar. UEN supports this bill.

These bills were approved by House Education Committee on Monday:

HF 2421 Teacher Internship Program (formerly HSB 632): creates a teacher internship program and teacher-intern license and allows CTE secondary authorization without requiring a job offer from a school. Amended and approved 21:0. Moves to the House Calendar. UEN supports this bill.

HF 2409 ELL Terminology (formerly HSB 611): changes ELL/LEP terminology throughout the Code of Iowa to English learner (EL). Approved 21:0. Moves to the House Calendar. UEN is undecided.
HF 2398 Permanent Teacher License (formerly HSB 656): allows permanent teacher license without CEU’s requirements for individuals with masters’ or doctorate degrees. Approved 14:7, moving it to the House Calendar. UEN is undecided.

HF 2418 Social Studies (formerly HF 2099): requires auditors to audit compliance with this section annually. Requires students to complete certain social studies courses (1/2 unit of US History and Iowa History, ½ unit of US Government, ½ unit of civics, and ½ unit of civil discourse. Requires these units to emphasize interactive learning techniques and important historical documents (Declaration of Independence, emancipation proclamation, federalist papers and the Constitution of the US.) Specifies additional requirements of each course. Graduation requirements apply to students entering 9^th grade on or after July 1, 2024. Incorporation of the standards for grades 1-8 begins for students entering grade one on or after July 1, 2024. UEN is opposed.

HF 2417 Athletic Eligibility: (formerly HF 2139) changes the waiting period for participation in varsity athletics after open enrollment from 90 school days to 90 calendar days. Approved 14:7, moving it to the House Calendar. UEN is undecided.

HF 2412 Radon Testing and Mitigation: (formerly HF 2264) requires school boards to have a plan for radon testing and mitigation and allows the costs of radon testing and mitigation to be paid from PPEL or state penny sales tax. Makes exceptions for pending construction. Approved 20:1, moving it to the House Calendar. UEN supports.

HF 2416 Transgender Girls Athletic Eligibility: (Formerly HF 2309) prohibits transgender girls from participating in girls’ varsity sports in a nonpublic school, public school, charter school, community college, or state university and defines “sex” as the biological sex assigned at birth. Approved 14:7, moving it to the House Calendar. UEN is opposed.

 

Senate Education Committee Action:

SF 89 Cursive Writing: requires schools instruct students in cursive writing so that students are proficient in cursive by grade 3. Approved by the Committee 10-4, sending it to the Senate Calendar. UEN is opposed.

SF 2107 Technology and Learning Study: requires the DE to convene a workgroup to study the impact of technology on learning and cognitive development and to report on the matter by December 2022. Was amended and approved by the Committee, 14-0, sending it to the Senate Calendar. UEN is undecided.

SF 2112 Achievement Gap Study: directs the DE to convene a working group on achievement gaps for K-12 students and to report by December 2022. Was amended and approved by the Committee, 14-0, sending it to the Senate Calendar. UEN is undecided.

SF 2203 School Board Meetings: requires school boards to meet in person. Prohibits remote attendance by a member unless the member is sick. Requires members to vote yea or nay on issues, except in cases of a personal conflict. Requires that a majority of members present constitutes a quorum. An amendment changed the bill to only require all board member, including the president, to cast a vote. Was amended and approved by the Committee, 14-0, sending it to the Senate Calendar. UEN is opposed.

SSB 3103 Open Enrollment Supplement: allows a school district to request a modified supplemental amount (MSA) from the School Budget Review Committee if the number of open-enrolled students in the district exceeds 35% of the enrollment. Establishes a formula for how much supplemental aid the School Budget Review Committee can allow. Requires the school district to hold public hearings. Amended and passed, 14-0, sending it to the Senate Calendar. UEN is undecided.

SSB 3104 Electronic Notice and School Health Trainings: includes the following provisions:

• Bonds: Allows notice for bonds to be published electronically and allows bids to be received electronically. Authorizes notice for school bonds to be published electronically.
• School Board Vacancy: Allows school boards to publish a notice of vacancy on the website for the school board.
• Electronic Signatures: Allows boards to use electronic signatures and contracts in specific circumstances.
• Pledge of Allegiance: Requires schools, rather than school boards, to administer the Pledge of Allegiance daily.
• Health Trainings Work Group: Requires DE to convene a workgroup on health care training for schools. Requires a report by December 2022. Requires the DE to work with the DPH on a school health care training task force.
• Conference Boards: Allows a mayor to appoint a designee to serve instead of the mayor and strikes the requirements that the school boards in the county appoint members to the board.
• Seizure Plan: Requires schools that have a student known to have a seizure disorder (epilepsy) have a seizure action plan, and if needed, train school employees. Requires every school to have at least one employee with such training by the 2023-24 school year. Requires additional training for volunteers and biennial training for school employees. Requires schools to keep the written authorization for medication from the parent on file. Includes liability protections.
• Background Checks: Deems that the BOEE or a school district can issue a license or authorization, or hire a teacher, before the national criminal history background check is received, contingent on the candidate passing such a check. Passed 14:0, sending it to the Senate Calendar.
• UEN is undecided on this bill.

SSB 3080 Governor’s School Choice Omnibus: Approved 10-4, sending it to the Senate Calendar. UEN is registered opposed. Details include:

Division I Transparency: requires school districts to publish course syllabi on the internet. Requires course summaries, with explanations how the course meets educational requirements, a listing of texts and other materials for the course, a library catalogue, and procedures on how to request the removal of a book using a flowchart, and other information on instruction. Reduces state aid for violations. Requires school districts to establish procedures for the selection and removal of materials from school libraries.

Division II Vouchers: creates scholarships (Student First) to make qualified educational costs for students in private schools with a family income under 400%. Includes students with individualized education plans and a student who received such funding in the previous year. Caps the number of scholarships at 10,000. Requires the scholarships to be approved annually. Allows the funding to carry forward until the student graduates HS or turns 21. Deems the money to be non-taxable income. Creates a standing appropriation for the program. Establishes penalties for false claims, Supplement: Establishes a supplement, with a formula, for payments to schools with enrollments under 500 for losses related to the Student First scholarships.

Division III Social Studies: requires high school government classes to test students using the US citizenship test and to submit the results annually to the DE. Requires the student to answer 70% correctly to pass. Allows students to retake the tests.

Division IV Private Special Ed: allows a private school student needing special education courses to be placed in those courses without prior approval by the AEA special education director. Allows the student to be dually enrolled.

Division V Open Enrollment: Allows the sibling or step-sibling of a student who is appealing a decision to deny an open enrollment request due to good cause that was filed after March 1 to also appeal a decision on open enrollment. Allows such a sibling student to compete immediately in athletics.

Division VI Librarians: Strikes requirements that a school librarian have a masters’ degree.

SSB 3085 Volunteer Substitute Teachers: allows a school board to use a volunteer substitute teacher who has a substitute authorization without having to pay the person. Requires the sub to pass a background check. Amended and approved 11-3, sending it to the Senate Calendar. UEN supports this bill.

SF 2342 Transgender Sports: requires that high school sports be classified according to the sex of the team members, including categories for mixed or co-ed. Limits participation on teams for girls to students who were listed as female on their birth certificates. Eliminates tort liability for schools that do not comply with the bill and grants immunity to schools for complying with the bill. Allows a student who suffers a direct or indirect harm, or retaliated against, to sue for damages, injunctive relief and declaratory relief. Allows for awards of attorney fees to the prevailing party. Requires the Attorney General to represent, at no cost, any public or private school, or employee against any lawsuit brought due to compliance. Requires the state assume various costs related to compliance lawsuits, including awards for attorney fees and costs. Approved by the Committee 10:4, moving it to the Senate Calendar. Formerly SSB 3146. UEN is registered opposed.

 

Other Committee Action:

SF 2306 High School Admission Charges: (Successor to SF 2239) prohibits high schools from charging admissions to persons under 18 to high school sports and other extracurricular activities. Excludes post-season and state tournaments. Appropriates sufficient funds from the Sports Wagering Fund to the DOM to pay schools for the foregone admissions. Requires the state BE to determine such costs. Allows the BE to adopt emergency rules. Effective for events after July 2022. Approved by the Senate State Government Committee. UEN is undecided.

SF 2322 Copying Records Costs: (Successor to SF 480) requires copying costs for public records to be reasonable. Does not allow costs for legal counsel for the review or redaction of records to be included. Approved by the Senate State Government Committee. UEN is opposed.

 

Funnel Survivors:

Friday, Feb. 18 was the funnel deadline by which bills must be approved by a committee in their chamber of origin to move on (House bills out of a House Committee, and vice versa.) Appropriations, Ways and Means and Leadership bills are exempt from funnel deadlines. Remember that bill language can be added to an appropriations bill or amended onto another bill along the way, so this deadline is not an absolute guarantee that an idea won’t move forward. The following tables list the bills that have cleared the House and Senate Education Committees this week and the casualties of the funnel deadline which are technically dead, but may reappear as amendments to appropriations or other bills along the way. March 18 is the next funnel deadline, by which time Senate bills must have been approved by a House Committee and vice versa to move along.

 

	Bills Approved by House Education Committee 2022 Session:
HF 2080	A bill for an act relating to school districts that share an operational function in the area of superintendent management and including effective date and applicability provisions.(Formerly HF 2037.) UEN is undecided.
HF 2081	A bill for an act relating to teachers, including the assessments administered to practitioner preparation program admission candidates and to practitioner preparation program students prior to students’ completion of a practitioner preparation program, and certain specified licenses for teachers created by the board of educational examiners, and including notice and applicability provisions.(Formerly HSB 520.) UEN supports.
HF 2082	A bill for an act relating to the division of certain school taxes collected in urban renewal areas containing wind energy conversion property.(Formerly HSB 521.) UEN supports.
HF 2083	A bill for an act relating to the eligibility for grants under the teach Iowa scholar program.(Formerly HSB 519.) UEN supports.
HF 2148	A bill for an act relating to a teacher’s filing of a written resignation with the board of directors of a school district.(Formerly HSB 518.) UEN opposes.
HF 2156	A bill for an act relating to schools that are required to register with the college student aid commission.(Formerly HSB 542.) UEN is undecided.
HF 2165	A bill for an act relating to students who are eligible to receive a scholarship from the future ready Iowa skilled workforce last-dollar scholarship fund.(Formerly HSB 541.) UEN is undecided.
HF 2218	A bill for an act relating to public school internet filtering of social media sites.(Formerly HF 2052.) UEN is undecided.
HF 2294	A bill for an act relating to the inclusion of the telephone and text numbers for the your life Iowa program on public school student identification cards and including applicability provisions.(Formerly HF 2109.) UEN is undecided.
HF 2298	A bill for an act relating to immunization against COVID-19 requirements for enrollment in any licensed child care center, elementary or secondary school, or postsecondary school in Iowa.(Formerly HF 2040.) UEN is undecided.
HF 2316	A bill for an act relating to public school funding by establishing the state percent of growth and the categorical state percent of growth for the budget year beginning July 1, 2022, modifying provisions relating to the regular program state cost per pupil, modifying provisions relating to the property tax replacement payment and the transportation equity payments, and including effective date provisions. (Formerly HSB 658.) Effective date: Enactment, 02/17/2022. UEN is undecided.
HF 2398	A bill for an act relating to renewal requirements for licenses issued by the board of educational examiners to practitioners with master’s or doctoral degrees.(Formerly HSB 656.) UEN is undecided.
HF 2409	A bill for an act relating to education, including the education of students who are not fully English proficient and the standards applicable to the hiring, developing, and evaluation of community college faculty.(Formerly HSB 611.) UEN is undecided.
HF 2412	A bill for an act requiring radon testing and mitigation in public schools, and including applicability provisions.(Formerly HF 2264.) UEN is undecided.
HF 2416	A bill for an act relating to student eligibility requirements in school district and accredited nonpublic school athletics based on sex.(Formerly HF 2309.) UEN is opposed.
HF 2417	A bill for an act concerning the eligibility of students who transfer or open enroll to participate in varsity interscholastic athletic contests.(Formerly HF 2139.) UEN is undecided.
HF 2418	A bill for an act relating to social studies instruction in public schools and including applicability provisions.(Formerly HF 2099.) UEN opposes.
HF 2421	A bill for an act relating to education, including requirements related to teacher intern license programs and licenses and authorizations issued by the board of educational examiners.(Formerly HSB 632.) UEN supports.

 

	Bills Approved by Senate Education Committee 2022 Session:
SF 2079	A bill for an act relating to limitations on the immunization of children for enrollment in any licensed child care center or elementary or secondary school in the state and including effective date provisions.(Formerly SSB 3004.) UEN is undecided.
SF 2080	A bill for an act relating to the administration of certain physical examinations and student health screenings by school districts, charter schools, or innovation zone schools.(Formerly SSB 3005.) UEN is undecided.
SF 2081	A bill for an act relating to disbursements from the computer science professional development incentive fund and including applicability provisions.(Formerly SSB 3002.) UEN supports.
SF 2128	A bill for an act relating to education, including the education of students who are not fully English proficient and the standards applicable to the hiring, developing, and evaluation of community college faculty.(Formerly SSB 3047.) UEN is undecided.
SF 2129	A bill for an act relating to students who are eligible to receive a scholarship from the future ready Iowa skilled workforce last-dollar scholarship fund.(Formerly SSB 3046.) UEN is undecided.
SF 2130	A bill for an act relating to schools that are required to register with the college student aid commission.(Formerly SSB 3048.) UEN is undecided.
SF 2195	A bill for an act establishing the mental health professional loan repayment program within the college student aid commission.(Formerly SSB 3003.) UEN supports.
SF 2197	A bill for an act providing for the establishment of a task force related to special education support for students at nonpublic schools.(Formerly SF 168.) UEN is undecided.
SF 2202	A bill for an act relating to education, including eligibility for grants under the teach Iowa scholar program, licenses issued by the board of educational examiners, and the use of revenues from the district management levy, and including applicability provisions.(Formerly SSB 3067.) UEN supports.
SF 2204	A bill for an act relating to public school funding by establishing the state percent of growth and the categorical state percent of growth for the budget year beginning July 1, 2022, modifying provisions relating to the regular program state cost per pupil, modifying provisions relating to the property tax replacement payment and the transportation equity payments, and including effective date provisions.(Formerly SSB 3090.) UEN opposes.
SF 2205	A bill for an act relating to the rights of students enrolled in school districts or charter schools and the rights of parents and guardians of those students.(Formerly SSB 3079.) UEN is undecided.
SF 2342	A bill for an act relating to student eligibility requirements in school district, accredited nonpublic school, charter school, community college, and regent institution athletics based on sex.(Formerly SSB 3146.) UEN opposes.

 

Funnel Casualties:
Remember, appropriations (spending) and ways and means (tax) bills and leadership bills are exempt from the funnel deadlines. Content from dead bills can reappear as amendments to other bills that are alive. This is a preliminary list that we will continue to watch for reappearance of some of these proposals. The next funnel deadline is March 18, by which time Senate bills must clear a House Committee and vice versa to move forward.

	House Education Bills Dead due to the Feb. 18 Funnel Deadline:
HF 2449	A bill for an act requiring that human growth and development instruction provided by school districts include instruction on consent.
HF 2448	A bill for an act requiring that human growth and development instruction provided by school districts include age-appropriate and research-based instruction inclusive of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender health practices.
HF 2352	A bill for an act relating to the student teaching experience provided in practitioner preparation programs and including applicability provisions.
HF 2351	A bill for an act establishing a teacher apprenticeship program within the district-to-community college sharing or concurrent enrollment program.
HF 2350	A bill for an act establishing the Iowa for all college corps program in the college student aid commission and making appropriations.
HF 2332	A bill for an act relating to financial support for the development of early childhood educators.
HF 2283	A bill for an act relating to school district funding for at-risk pupils and dropout prevention programs and including effective date provisions.
HF 2263	A bill for an act relating to education, including modifying provisions related to required social studies instruction, personal financial literacy instruction, and high school equivalency diplomas, and including applicability provisions.
HF 2262	A bill for an act establishing the language equality and acquisition for deaf kids’ task force.
HF 2254	A bill for an act relating to the minimum school calendar requirements and the use of online learning by school districts and accredited nonpublic schools.
HF 2253	A bill for an act authorizing certain specified school districts to use revenues from the district management levy for student loan repayment.
HF 2224	A bill for an act relating to Native American mascots in schools.
HF 2223	A bill for an act establishing the Iowa hope scholarship program and making appropriations.
HF 2212	A bill for an act relating to the compulsory attendance age of certain specified children.
HF 2204	A bill for an act establishing student activity fund supplementary weighting and including applicability provisions.
HF 2185	A bill for an act establishing the advanced dyslexia specialist endorsement grant program.
HF 2184	A bill for an act relating to the composition of the boards of directors of school districts by including certain specified nonvoting members.
HF 2183	A bill for an act requiring that human growth and development instruction provided by school boards include information regarding healthy and safe dating relationships.
HF 2182	A bill for an act relating to AEAs, including consolidating the AEAs, modifying the teacher salary supplement state cost per pupil calculation, and modifying the employment terms of certain specified employees of area education agencies.
HF 2181	A bill for an act establishing the teacher student loan repayment program and making appropriations.
HF 2178	A bill for an act relating to practitioner preparation programs, including the duration of the student teaching experience, and including applicability provisions.
HF 2177	A bill for an act relating to parental access to live video feeds of public-school district classrooms and providing penalties.
HF 2159	A bill for an act establishing a teacher license reciprocity task force.
HF 2158	A bill for an act relating to substitute teacher authorizations for student teachers.
HF 2132	A bill for an act relating to meetings of the boards of directors of school districts.
HF 2100	A bill for an act establishing the alternate energy innovation program in the department of education.
HF 2098	A bill for an act relating to the health and human growth and development instruction provided by school districts and accredited nonpublic schools.
HF 2089	A bill for an act relating to civic education and social studies instruction in public schools, accredited nonpublic schools, and charter schools.
HF 2060	A bill for an act relating to social studies instruction in public schools and including applicability provisions.
HF 2055	A bill for an act relating to student athletes at institutions under the control of the state board of regents.
HF 2054	A bill for an act relating to sexual orientation or gender identity instruction or related materials provided by school districts to pupils.
HF 2053	A bill for an act relating to the curriculum provided by school districts.
HF 2039	A bill for an act relating to certain athletic competitions between institutions of higher education governed by the state board of regents.
HF 2038	A bill for an act relating to matters under the purview of the college student aid commission, including accredited private institutions and eligible institutions.
HF 2021	A bill for an act relating to practitioner preparation programs, including field experiences and the assessments administered to students admitted to practitioner preparation programs, and including applicability provisions.
HF 2020	A bill for an act relating to the assessments administered to practitioner preparation program students prior to students’ completion of a practitioner preparation program and including effective date provisions.
HF 2019	A bill for an act relating to the establishment of an advanced opportunities program for certain students enrolled in public schools to take overload and dual credit courses, postsecondary credit-bearing and career and technical education certificate examinations, and career and technical education workforce training courses, and the award of a scholarship for early graduation.
HF 2009	A bill for an act authorizing the use of revenues from the district management levy for the employment of school resource officers and including applicability provisions.
HF 2008	A bill for an act relating to certain amounts of school district funding for programs for at-risk students, secondary students who attend alternative programs or alternative schools, or returning dropouts and dropout prevention, and including effective date provisions.
HSB 684	A bill for an act relating to licenses issued by the board of educational examiners to teachers licensed out of state.
HSB 683	A bill for an act relating to facial covering policies adopted by the boards of directors of school districts or the authorities in charge of accredited nonpublic schools and providing civil penalties.
HSB 574	A bill for an act relating to the beginning date of the school calendar for school districts and accredited nonpublic schools.

 

	Senate Education Bills Dead due to the Feb. 18 Funnel Deadline:
SF 2341	A bill for an act establishing a school mental health staff supplement, making appropriations, and including effective date provisions.
SF 2340	A bill for an act relating to education, including responsibilities of the board of educational examiners with respect to background checks, endorsements, and authorizations, requiring the boards of directors of school districts to make payments to certain specified student teachers and full-time employees, requiring the boards of directors of school districts to hire a certain specified amount of substitute teachers, making appropriations, and including effective date provisions.
SF 2339	A bill for an act relating to excused absences for public school district student mental health days.
SF 2291	A bill for an act relating to paraeducators holding substitute authorizations and including effective date provisions.
SF 2273	A bill for an act relating to the future ready Iowa skilled workforce last-dollar scholarship program, making appropriations, and including effective date provisions.
SF 2248	A bill for an act relating to the state school foundation program and the calculation of minimum state foundation aid for school districts and including applicability provisions.
SF 2244	A bill for an act establishing the nonprofit employer recruitment and retention loan repayment program within the college student aid commission and making appropriations.
SF 2243	A bill for an act relating to an experiential learning competitive grant program in the department of education, making an appropriation, and including effective date provisions.
SF 2221	A bill for an act relating to school district class size and student performance, making appropriations, and including effective date provisions.
SF 2201	A bill for an act relating to the statewide preschool program by modifying provisions relating to eligibility, funding, and compulsory attendance and including applicability provisions.
SF 2200	A bill for an act relating to the composition of the boards of directors of school districts by including nonvoting student members.
SF 2199	A bill for an act relating to funding sources for preschool programs and including effective date provisions.
SF 2163	A bill for an act relating to a mental health service providers competitive grant program for school districts and area education agencies, making an appropriation, and including effective date provisions.
SF 2154	A bill for an act relating to science instruction and the Iowa core content standards applicable to certain specified students of school districts and accredited nonpublic schools.
SF 2151	A bill for an act relating to the determination of funding for the statewide preschool program for four-year-old children and including applicability provisions.
SF 2150	A bill for an act relating to the college student aid commission, including vocational-technical tuition grants and skilled workforce shortage tuition grants, and making appropriations.
SF 2149	A bill for an act relating to funding amounts for the statewide preschool program and including effective date and applicability provisions.
SF 2136	A bill for an act relating to elective social studies courses emphasizing religious scripture that school districts may offer and teach.
SSB 3139	A bill for an act requiring the department of education to convene a working group to study the feasibility of integrating crossbow instruction into the physical education curriculum and extracurricular programs.
SSB 3081	A bill for an act relating to the district-to-community college sharing or concurrent enrollment program and the community colleges through which school districts may offer courses.

 

Advocacy Actions This Week:

• Always start with a thank you! See the 2021 Legislative Session Successes on the UEN website and find one you are grateful for them accomplishing. Weigh in your support on the additional flexibility to recruit and retain teachers and grow our teacher workforce. Tell your legislators and the Governor thank you for getting SSA decided at the beginning of Session so you can work on your budgets within the mandated timelines.

• Explain the SSA numbers to your legislators focusing on the Senate, especially in light of inflation and workforce shortage, with the House Supplemental bill, HF 2315, now assigned to Senate Appropriations. Ask senators to support the supplemental appropriation to help with inflationary costs. Talking points:
• Supplemental state aid is the biggest source of per pupil funding in Iowa, but our funding has not kept pace nationally, putting our students and state at a disadvantage. Sufficient funding provides for a high-quality education that translates to a successful future and economic growth in our state.
• As a result of the legislature eliminating the Commercial and Industrial Replacement payment for school districts but increasing the foundation level, the cost of school aid will increase by $59 million without providing any new money to school districts. The funding source becomes the state general fund instead of local property taxes.
• Inflation and cost-of-living increases should be considered when determining school aid funding. School districts must pay competitive salaries to retain teachers and staff, especially during a labor shortage. The legislature should provide funding that considers the impact inflation has on recruiting and retaining school employees. PERB has set a CPI-U of 7.5% for June arbitrations. (Although arbitrators are limited to the lower of 3% or that CPI-U rate, the inflation factor is a sign of private-sector wage growth and competition for school employees.)
• School funding is enrollment-driven and increases in enrollment impact the supplemental state aid amount. On the flip side, declining enrollment combined with low SSA means more rural schools will have to consolidate or face closure by the state because they depend on adequate state funding to remain open.
• Low SSA amounts also lead to more districts being eligible for budget guarantee, which shifts the funding burden to local property taxpayers. At the Governor’s proposed 2.5% SSA, 82 districts would be eligible for the budget guarantee at a total cost to property taxpayers of $9.1 million.

Find more SSA information and talking points in the UEN Issue Brief on Adequate Funding on the UEN website here.

• Shore up Voucher Opposition: Circle back with your legislators focusing on the House who have previously told you they opposed vouchers and reiterate key messages:
  • Use public dollars for public schools. Period.
  • Public funds require public accountability and transparency.
  • A slippery slope toward a costly an expansive voucher program.
  • Iowa already has many parent choice options
     

Connecting with Legislators: To call and leave a message at the Statehouse during the legislative session, the House switchboard operator number is 515.281.3221 and the Senate switchboard operator number is 515.281.3371. You can ask if they are available or leave a message for them to call you back. You can also ask them what’s the best way to contact them during session. They may prefer email or text message or phone call based on their personal preferences.

UEN Advocacy Resources: Check out the UEN Website at www.uen-ia.org to find Advocacy Resources such as Issue Briefs, UEN Weekly Legislative Reports and video updates, UEN Calls to Action when immediate advocacy action is required, testimony presented to the State Board of Education, the DE or any legislative committee or public hearing, and links to fiscal information that may inform your work. The latest legislative actions from the Statehouse will be posted at: www.uen-ia.org/blogs-list. See the 2022 UEN Advocacy Handbook, which is also available from the subscriber section of the UEN website.