Iowa 2023-2024 Regular Session

Iowa House Bill HF477

Introduced
2/27/23  
Introduced
2/27/23  

Caption

A bill for an act requiring the director of the department of education to establish a low-income student and poverty weighting work group.

Impact

Should HF477 be enacted, it will specifically impact the state’s education funding policies and the methodologies used to allocate resources among school districts. This will involve a comprehensive review of how factors such as socioeconomic status influence educational outcomes and the provision of instructional supports. The anticipated outcome is a more equitable funding model that prioritizes addressing achievement gaps for students from low-income families. The bill emphasizes collaboration with various educational associations and experts to ensure a well-rounded approach to understanding and supporting the needs of disadvantaged students.

Summary

House File 477 aims to address the educational challenges faced by low-income students in Iowa by directing the Iowa Department of Education to establish a work group focused on poverty weighting. This work group is tasked with examining the impact of student poverty on educational success and evaluating the effectiveness of current funding methodologies related to low-income households. The bill is framed within the context of existing issues in school finance, aiming to identify gaps and propose enhancements to current support structures. As a response to significant poverty levels impacting nearly 47% of public school students in Iowa, the work group will convene experts and stakeholders to develop strategic recommendations.

Contention

While HF477 is generally supported as a step towards improving educational equity, some concerns may arise regarding the feasibility and implementation of its recommendations. Critics may voice skepticism on whether the state can adequately fund new or modified methodologies that emerge from the work group's findings. Additionally, ensuring diverse representation in the work group to genuinely reflect the varying experiences of districts across Iowa could be a potential point of contention. As the work group will include members from different educational associations and districts, balancing these interests while focusing on the intended goals may prove challenging.

Companion Bills

No companion bills found.

Previously Filed As

IA HF730

A bill for an act requiring the director of the department of education to establish a special education weighting work group.

IA SF375

A bill for an act establishing a low-income enrollment categorical funding supplement for school districts and including applicability provisions.

IA HF370

A bill for an act relating to entities supported in whole or in part by public moneys, including the sale of public bonds, the duties and responsibilities of the directors and officers of school boards, school districts, the department of education, the department of health and human services, accredited nonpublic schools, charter schools, community colleges, institutions under the control of the state board of regents, area education agencies, and election commissioners, and the membership and voting units of county and city conference boards. (Formerly HSB 118.)

IA HF2347

A bill for an act relating to education, including by requiring community colleges and certain private institutions of higher education to publish information related to the average income and student debt of graduates, requiring school districts to provide students enrolled in grades eleven and twelve with information related to the average income and student debt of graduates of postsecondary institutions in the state, and modifying provisions related to supplementary weighting.(See HF 2615.)

IA SF389

A bill for an act directing the department of education to convene an achievement gap working group.(Formerly SF 38.)

IA HF2612

A bill for an act relating to education, including modifying provisions related to the duties and powers of area education agencies, the membership of the boards of directors of area education agencies, the department of education, area education agency funding, the calculation of the teacher salary supplement district cost per pupil and minimum teacher salaries, Iowa public employees' retirement system bona fide retirement requirements, and property tax replacement payments, establishing the state percent of growth and the categorical state percent of growth for supplemental state aid calculations for the budget year beginning July 1, 2024, and including transition, effective date, and applicability provisions. (Formerly HSB 713.) Effective date: 03/27/2024, 07/01/2024, 07/01/2025. Applicability date: 07/01/2024, 07/01/2025.

IA HF2544

A bill for an act relating to education, including by modifying provisions related to the social studies instruction provided to students enrolled in grades one through twelve and the educational programs provided by the institutions of higher education under the control of the state board of regents, and requiring education related to the holocaust for students and teachers in school districts. (Formerly HF 2330.)

IA HF233

A bill for an act relating to determination of school district enrollments and education savings account participation and including effective date and applicability provisions.

IA HF835

A bill for an act relating to school personnel training, including by implementing provisions related to emergency care planning, authorizations for assisting, and limitations of liability concerning students with epilepsy or seizure disorder, and requiring the department of education to convene a health care-related training for school personnel work group. (Formerly HF 102.) Effective date: 07/01/2025.

IA HSB713

A bill for an act relating to area education agencies, including modifying provisions related to the duties and powers of area education agencies, oversight by the department of education, funding, shared operational functions, and establishing a task force related to area education agency property and operations, and including effective date and applicability provisions.(See HF 2612.)

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