Iowa 2025-2026 Regular Session

Iowa Senate Bill SF520

Caption

A bill for an act relating to education, including by modifying provisions related to community college and department of education reporting requirements, employees of the Iowa educational services for the blind and visually impaired program or the Iowa school for the deaf, and employment contracts between community colleges and community college instructors.(Formerly SSB 1075.)

Impact

One of the significant impacts of SF520 is its potential to modify the landscape of community college employment contracts. Specifically, the bill clarifies and expands the definition of who qualifies as a 'teacher' under various educational codes, explicitly including certain instructors who meet specific workload criteria. However, adjunct instructors, continuing education instructors, and noncredit instructors are explicitly excluded from this classification. This distinction could affect job protections and rights for different categories of instructional staff and further delineate roles within community colleges.

Summary

Senate File 520 addresses various aspects of education in Iowa, focusing particularly on community college reporting requirements, employment conditions for instructors, and provisions for the Iowa educational services for the blind and visually impaired, as well as the Iowa school for the deaf. The bill proposes amendments to current laws that govern how community colleges report educational data and financial information, emphasizing the need for uniformity and timely submission of data to the Department of Education (DE). This change aims to enhance accountability and ensure that financial data from community colleges is systematically reported and analyzed by state committees.

Contention

While supporters of SF520 argue that these changes will lead to more effective oversight of educational outcomes and better resource allocation, concerns have been raised about the implications of altering employment classifications. Critics may view these distinctions as a potential weakening of job security for non-traditional educators, asserting that clarifications could inadvertently marginalize adjunct and noncredit instructors, who play crucial roles in adult education and workforce training. The bill's focus on ensuring comprehensive reporting and accountability raises discussions about the balance between regulation and fostering a supportive environment for diverse teaching roles.

Companion Bills

IA SSB1075

Related A bill for an act relating to education, including by modifying provisions related to community college and department of education reporting requirements and employees of the Iowa educational services for the blind and visually impaired program or the Iowa school for the deaf.(See SF 520.)

Previously Filed As

IA SF2188

A bill for an act relating to the reporting requirements of community colleges in connection with moneys deposited in the community colleges' workforce training and economic development funds.(Formerly SSB 3046.)

IA HF731

A bill for an act relating to and making appropriations to the education system, including the funding and operation of the department for the blind, the department of education, and the state board of regents; requiring the state board of regents to conduct a study and prepare a report related to diversity, equity, and inclusion programs and efforts; providing for responsibilities of the workforce development board; establishing the Iowa workforce grant and incentive program; requiring the department of education to convene a task force on at-risk students and dropout prevention programs; modifying provisions related to the future ready Iowa skilled workforce grant program, the all Iowa opportunity scholarship program, the education savings account program, the gap tuition assistance program, the Iowa educational services for the blind and visually impaired program, career and technical education programs, the fine arts beginning teacher mentoring program, the equipment replacement and program-sharing property tax levy, and the posting of education-related job openings; and including effective date, applicability, and retroactive applicability provisions.(Formerly HSB 254.)

IA SF560

A bill for an act relating to and making appropriations to the education system, including the funding and operation of the department for the blind, the department of education, and the state board of regents; requiring the state board of regents to conduct a study and prepare a report related to diversity, equity, and inclusion programs and efforts; providing for responsibilities of the workforce development board; establishing the Iowa workforce grant and incentive program; requiring the department of education to convene a task force to study issues related to programs for at-risk students and dropout prevention programs; modifying provisions related to the future ready Iowa skilled workforce grant program, the all Iowa opportunity scholarship program, the education savings account program, the gap tuition assistance program, the Iowa educational services for the blind and visually impaired program, career and technical education programs, the fine arts beginning teacher mentoring program, the equipment replacement and program-sharing property tax levy, and the posting of education-related job openings; and including effective date, applicability, and retroactive applicability provisions. (Formerly SSB 1212.) Effective date: 06/01/2023, 07/01/2023. Applicability date: 01/24/2023, 07/01/2023.

IA SF2373

A bill for an act modifying provisions related to the distribution formula for general state financial aid to community colleges and including applicability provisions.(Formerly SSB 3164; See SF 2405.)

IA HSB254

A bill for an act relating to and making appropriations to the education system, including the funding and operation of the department for the blind, the department of education, and the state board of regents; requiring the state board of regents to conduct a study and prepare a report related to diversity, equity, and inclusion programs and efforts; providing for responsibilities of the workforce development board; establishing the Iowa workforce grant and incentive program; requiring the department of education to convene a task force on at-risk students and dropout prevention programs; modifying provisions related to the future ready Iowa skilled workforce grant program, the all Iowa opportunity scholarship program, the education savings account program, the gap tuition assistance program, the Iowa educational services for the blind and visually impaired program, career and technical education programs, the fine arts beginning teacher mentoring program, the equipment replacement and program-sharing property tax levy, and the posting of education-related job openings; and including effective date, applicability, and retroactive applicability provisions.(See HF 731.)

IA HSB565

A bill for an act relating to the reporting requirements of community colleges in connection with moneys deposited in the community colleges' workforce training and economic development funds.

IA HF15

A bill for an act establishing the pathways to education and employment reentry program to be administered by the community colleges division of the department of education and making appropriations.

IA HF2558

A bill for an act relating to higher education, including by modifying the responsibilities of private institutions of higher education, community colleges, the state board of regents, and institutions of higher education governed by the state board of regents, modifying provisions related to diversity, equity, and inclusion policies, tuition, and administrator hiring at state universities, membership of the state board of regents, and student-employer work and tuition programs at state universities and community colleges, and including applicability provisions. (Formerly HF 2327.)

IA HF293

A bill for an act relating to programs offered by community colleges that duplicate existing programs provided by private educational institutions or vocational institutions offering a career and technical education program.

IA SSB3046

A bill for an act relating to the reporting requirements of community colleges in connection with moneys deposited in the community colleges' workforce training and economic development funds.(See SF 2188.)

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