Iowa 2025-2026 Regular Session

Iowa Senate Bill SF168

Introduced
1/30/25  

Caption

A bill for an act modifying provisions related to shared operational functions and school district supplementary weighting.(Formerly SSB 1022.)

Impact

The impact of SF168 will be significant for school districts in Iowa, as it will allow them greater flexibility in employing social workers and mental health professionals without repercussions on their funding caps. Specifically, the bill stipulates that the roles of master social workers, independent social workers, mental health professionals, and school resource officers will not count towards the supplementary weighting cap starting in the budget year 2025. This shift recognizes the importance of mental health and social services in schools, aligning educational funding with the growing needs for these services among students.

Summary

Senate File 168 modifies existing provisions related to the supplementary weighting assigned to school districts that engage in shared operational functions. The bill specifically aims to provide increased funding to schools that share certain operational roles with political subdivisions, focusing on expanding opportunities for students. This initiative is crucial for enhancing resources dedicated to student programming, thereby addressing the quality of education delivered in various school districts. Under the previous framework, supplementary weighting was limited to specific operational roles, which the new legislation aims to expand by excluding certain roles from counting towards the maximum limit of weighting per school district.

Contention

While the bill appears to gain support from educators and mental health advocates, there may be contention regarding the financial implications of implementing these changes. Critics might argue that while the bill aims to enhance student services, it could also lead to an increase in the state's financial burden. Additionally, questions around the effectiveness of shared operational functions and the potential variability in quality across different districts may arise. Stakeholders will likely debate the proper allocation of state funds towards shared services versus direct funding for individual districts, highlighting ongoing discussions in educational reform.

Companion Bills

IA SSB1022

Related A bill for an act modifying provisions related to shared operational functions and school district supplementary weighting.(See SF 168.)

Previously Filed As

IA HF459

A bill for an act relating to supplementary weighting for certain shared operational functions and including effective date and applicability provisions.(Formerly HSB 169.)

IA HF98

A bill for an act extending the period of budget years for which supplementary weighting is available for shared operational functions by school districts and area education agencies.

IA HF2146

A bill for an act relating to shared operational functions for purposes of supplementary weighting for school districts that share school resource officers, and including applicability provisions.

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 HSB169

A bill for an act relating to supplementary weighting for certain shared operational functions and including effective date and applicability provisions.(See HF 459.)

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 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 HF360

A bill for an act relating to school districts and area education agencies that share operational functions by adding eligibility for information technology specialists and including effective date and applicability provisions.(Formerly HF 123.)

IA SF2105

A bill for an act raising the maximum amount of additional weighting a school district may receive for sharing operational functions and including applicability provisions.

IA HF2615

A bill for an act relating to education, including by requiring community colleges to publish information related to graduates, requiring school districts to provide students enrolled in grades eleven and twelve with information related to graduates of community colleges and the average income and student debt of graduates of institutions of higher education governed by the state board of regents, and modifying provisions related to supplementary weighting. (Formerly HF 2347.) Effective date: 07/01/2024.

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IA HF98

A bill for an act extending the period of budget years for which supplementary weighting is available for shared operational functions by school districts and area education agencies.

IA HF459

A bill for an act relating to supplementary weighting for certain shared operational functions and including effective date and applicability provisions.(Formerly HSB 169.)

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IA SSB1022

A bill for an act modifying provisions related to shared operational functions and school district supplementary weighting.(See SF 168.)