IA
Iowa Senate Bill SSB1049

Iowa 2023-2024 Regular Session

Iowa Senate Bill SSB1049

Introduced
1/17/23  
Introduced
1/17/23  

Caption

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.(See SF 392.)

Impact

The bill represents a significant shift in how teacher preparation and recruitment are approached. By allowing for more applicants to be eligible for grants and by making it easier for teacher candidates, including those from outside Iowa, to obtain teaching licenses, the legislation aims to enhance the recruitment of teachers in the state. The board of educational examiners will be given the authority to issue teacher intern licenses more straightforwardly, expediting the pathway for new educators into the classroom, and hence potentially addressing teacher shortages in critical subject areas.

Summary

Senate Study Bill 1049 relates to various aspects of education in Iowa, primarily focusing on the eligibility criteria for grants under the Teach Iowa Scholar Program, teacher licensing requirements, and fiscal policies regarding the district management levy. One of the central elements of the bill is the adjustment to the eligibility criteria for grants aimed at high-caliber teachers. The bill proposes changing the academic performance threshold from the top 25 percent to the top 30 percent, thereby widening access for potential grant recipients. Additionally, the requirement for applicants to prepare for teaching in specific fields is replaced with a broader requirement that candidates be preparing to become classroom teachers.

Contention

However, discussions around the bill have surfaced concerns regarding the balance between lowering barriers for new teachers and maintaining quality standards in education. Some stakeholders worry that altering the academic requirements for grant recipients may dilute the quality of new educators entering the workforce. Furthermore, the provisions concerning monetary bonuses for retiring teachers and incentivizing new hires through a structured program are framed under fiscal constraints, raising questions about the long-term sustainability of these programs and their impact on school funding already strained by other state obligations.

Latest IA SSB1049 Activity

View All Events: IA 2023-2024 Regular Session SSB1049

Companion Bills

IA SF392

Replaced by 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 1049.)

Previously Filed As

IA SF392

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 1049.)

IA HF4

A bill for an act modifying requirements related to teacher intern license programs and licenses and authorizations issued by the board of educational examiners and establishing a temporary initial teaching license to be issued by the board of educational examiners to applicants who complete an alternative teacher certification program.(See HF 255.)

IA HF255

A bill for an act modifying requirements related to teacher intern license programs and licenses and authorizations issued by the board of educational examiners and establishing a temporary initial teaching license to be issued by the board of educational examiners to applicants who complete an alternative teacher certification program. (Formerly HF 4.) Effective date: 07/01/2024.

IA SSB1100

A bill for an act relating to education, including by modifying provisions related to the calculation of the teacher salary supplement district cost per pupil, teacher preparation requirements, out-of-state placement of certain specified students requiring special education, the duties of the department of education, and minimum teacher salaries, and including effective date provisions.(See SF 442.)

IA SSB3156

A bill for an act relating to education, including modifying provisions related to education data collection and the determination of enrollment, and including effective date and applicability provisions.(See SF 2367.)

IA SF442

A bill for an act relating to education, including by modifying provisions related to the calculation of the teacher salary supplement district cost per pupil, teacher preparation requirements, out-of-state placement of certain specified students requiring special education, the duties of the department of education, and minimum teacher salaries, and including effective date provisions.(Formerly SSB 1100.)

IA HSB147

A bill for an act relating to education, including by modifying provisions related to the calculation of the teacher salary supplement district cost per pupil, teacher preparation requirements, out-of-state placement of certain specified students requiring special education, the duties of the department of education, and minimum teacher salaries, and including effective date provisions.(See HF 787.)

IA HF430

A bill for an act relating to education, including requirements related to mandatory reporters, a process for investigating complaints against school employees, and the responsibilities of the department of education, school districts, charter schools, accredited nonpublic schools, and the board of educational examiners, modifying the membership of the board of educational examiners, and including applicability provisions. (Formerly HF 10.) Effective date: 07/01/2023. Applicability date: 07/01/2023.

IA SF2386

A bill for an act relating to education, including modifying provisions related to the duties and powers of area education agencies, the department of education, the department of administrative services, area education agency funding, the calculation of the teacher salary supplement district cost per pupil and the minimum teacher starting salary, and including transition, effective date, and applicability provisions.(Formerly SSB 3073.)

IA HSB672

A bill for an act relating to education, including modifying provisions related to education data collection and the determination of enrollment, and including effective date and applicability provisions.(See HF 2542.)

Similar Bills

IA HF430

A bill for an act relating to education, including requirements related to mandatory reporters, a process for investigating complaints against school employees, and the responsibilities of the department of education, school districts, charter schools, accredited nonpublic schools, and the board of educational examiners, modifying the membership of the board of educational examiners, and including applicability provisions. (Formerly HF 10.) Effective date: 07/01/2023. Applicability date: 07/01/2023.

IA HF2496

A bill for an act modifying provisions related to the responsibilities of nonpublic schools.

IA HF2487

A bill for an act relating to education, including by modifying provisions related to mandatory reporting to the board of educational examiners of certain specified school employees, complaints against school employees and the investigation of complaints against school employees, and the responsibilities of the department of education and the board of educational examiners. (Formerly HSB 568.) Effective date: 07/01/2024.

IA HSB119

A bill for an act relating to education, including modifying provisions related to comprehensive school improvement plans, teacher librarians and guidance counselors, required days or hours of instruction in elementary and secondary schools, agreements between school districts and community colleges to teach certain courses, required courses in school districts and accredited nonpublic schools, and shared operational functions, and authorizing school districts to offer sequential units in one classroom.(See HF 327.)

IA HF327

A bill for an act relating to education, including modifying provisions related to comprehensive school improvement plans, teacher librarians and guidance counselors, required days or hours of instruction in elementary and secondary schools, agreements between school districts and community colleges to teach certain courses, required courses in school districts and accredited nonpublic schools, and shared operational functions, and authorizing school districts to offer sequential units in one classroom.(Formerly HSB 119.)

IA SSB1076

A bill for an act relating to education, including modifying provisions related to comprehensive school improvement plans, teacher librarians and guidance counselors, required days or hours of instruction in elementary and secondary schools, agreements between school districts and community colleges to teach certain courses, required courses in school districts and accredited nonpublic schools, and shared operational functions, and authorizing school districts to offer sequential units in one classroom.(See SF 391.)

IA HF10

A bill for an act relating to education, including requirements related to mandatory reporters, a process for investigating complaints against licensed practitioners, and the responsibilities of the department of education, school districts, charter schools, accredited nonpublic schools, and the board of educational examiners.(See HF 430.)

IA SF391

A bill for an act relating to education, including modifying provisions related to comprehensive school improvement plans, teacher librarians and guidance counselors, required days or hours of instruction in elementary and secondary schools, agreements between school districts and community colleges to teach certain courses, and required courses in school districts and accredited nonpublic schools, and authorizing school districts to offer sequential units in one classroom. (Formerly SSB 1076.) Effective date: 07/01/2023.