IA
Iowa Senate Bill SF175

Iowa 2025-2026 Regular Session

Iowa Senate Bill SF175

Introduced
2/3/25  

Caption

A bill for an act incorporating provisions related to pregnancy and fetal development into the human growth and development and health curricula provided by school districts, accredited nonpublic schools, charter schools, and innovation zone schools to students enrolled in grades four through twelve. (Formerly SSB 1028.)

Impact

This bill is expected to significantly impact educational regulations and requirements in Iowa. By establishing explicit parameters for health education concerning fetal development, schools will need to revise their curricula to meet the new standards. Moreover, the requirement for schools to adopt research-based educational materials underscores the bill's emphasis on scientifically accurate and objective content in the health curriculum, aiming to enhance the quality of education provided to students. In doing so, it would align state educational standards with specific instructional mandates related to reproductive health topics.

Summary

Senate File 175 aims to integrate comprehensive provisions regarding pregnancy and fetal development into the human growth and development curriculums for students in grades four through twelve across school districts, accredited nonpublic schools, charter schools, and innovation zone schools in Iowa. The legislation directs that this curriculum includes instruction on human development, particularly emphasizing prenatal growth stages and the biological characteristics of unborn children. By mandating the inclusion of high-definition ultrasound videos and high-quality animations that illustrate fetal development, the bill seeks to provide students with a more detailed understanding of pregnancy from a scientific perspective.

Sentiment

The sentiment surrounding SF 175 is likely to be polarized. Supporters of the bill argue that it provides essential knowledge concerning human development that is necessary in a comprehensive health education framework. They believe that understanding fetal development is crucial for informed decision-making among young individuals. Conversely, detractors may voice concerns that the bill emphasizes a particular viewpoint on pregnancy and may limit the scope of comprehensive sexual education by focusing heavily on fetal biology without addressing broader reproductive health issues. This divide reflects ongoing debates about educational content and parental rights in determining what is appropriate for school curricula.

Contention

Notable points of contention regarding SF 175 may arise from debates around the implications of requiring specific instructional content related to fetal development. Critics may argue that such mandates encroach on local control over educational content and limit educators' flexibility to design comprehensive health education courses that address a wider range of interpersonal and reproductive health topics. The prescription for using specific media, like ultrasound videos, may also spark discussions about the appropriateness of such visual content in a learning environment and could lead to pushback from parents or advocacy groups concerned about the implications of such instructions.

Latest SF175 Activity

Companion Bills

IA HF76

Similar To A bill for an act incorporating provisions related to pregnancy and fetal development into the human growth and development and health curriculum provided by school districts, accredited nonpublic schools, charter schools, and innovation zone schools to students enrolled in grades seven through twelve.

IA SSB1028

Related A bill for an act incorporating provisions related to pregnancy and fetal development into the human growth and development and health curricula provided by school districts, accredited nonpublic schools, charter schools, and innovation zone schools to students enrolled in grades one through twelve.(See SF 175.)

Similar Bills

IA SSB1028

A bill for an act incorporating provisions related to pregnancy and fetal development into the human growth and development and health curricula provided by school districts, accredited nonpublic schools, charter schools, and innovation zone schools to students enrolled in grades one through twelve.(See SF 175.)

IA HSB84

A bill for an act prohibiting school districts, charter schools, and innovation zone schools from providing any program, curriculum, test, survey, questionnaire, promotion, or instruction relating to gender identity or sexual orientation to students in grades seven through twelve.

CA SB387

Pupil health: school employee and pupil training: youth mental and behavioral health.

IA HF851

A bill for an act relating to student nutrition, including by modifying the curricula provided to students enrolled in kindergarten through grade twelve to include instruction related to nutrition, modifying provisions related to the agriculture, food, and natural resources component of the career and technical education instruction provided to students enrolled in grades nine through twelve, and modifying provisions related to school meal programs, and including effective date and applicability provisions. (Formerly HSB 173.)

IA SF525

A bill for an act relating to student nutrition, including by modifying the curricula provided to students enrolled in kindergarten through grade twelve to include instruction related to nutrition, modifying provisions related to the agriculture, food, and natural resources component of the career and technical education instruction provided to students enrolled in grades nine through twelve, and modifying provisions related to school meal programs, and including effective date provisions.(Formerly SSB 1158.)

IA SSB1158

A bill for an act relating to student nutrition, including by modifying the curricula provided to students enrolled in kindergarten through grade twelve to include instruction related to nutrition, modifying provisions related to the agriculture, food, and natural resources component of the career and technical education instruction provided to students enrolled in grades nine through twelve, and modifying provisions related to school meal programs, and including effective date provisions.(See SF 525.)

IA HSB173

A bill for an act relating to student nutrition, including by modifying the curricula provided to students enrolled in kindergarten through grade twelve to include instruction related to nutrition, modifying provisions related to the agriculture, food, and natural resources component of the career and technical education instruction provided to students enrolled in grades nine through twelve, and modifying provisions related to school meal programs, and including effective date provisions.(See HF 851.)

IA SF113

A bill for an act relating to children and students, including by modifying provisions related to a parent's or guardian's rights to make decisions affecting the parent's or guardian's child, the educational program and human growth and development curriculum provided to students enrolled in school districts, charter schools, and innovation zone schools, student health screenings, school district library programs, special education, and other duties of school districts and the governing boards of charter schools and innovation zone schools.