HF2670: Education Program Changes

This bill makes substantial changes to Iowa's education code, particularly regarding summative assessment administration, curriculum content for K-12 (including kindergarten and health education), and requirements for both public and nonpublic schools. Notable changes include the restructuring of required assessments, expansion and clarification of health curriculum requirements, removal of certain equity and diversity mandates, and changes to school compliance procedures. It also clarifies that funding for state mandates will come from existing state aid, with no new appropriations. Some provisions apply to charter and innovation schools to ensure parity with public school requirements. Effective 7/1/2026 (social studies requirement effective 7/1/2027).

Key Points & Impacts

• Restructures statewide assessment requirements: clarifies grades and subjects for math, ELA, science, and adds social studies assessments in grades 8 and 11.

• Removes language requiring assessment alignment with the 'Iowa common core' and instead references Iowa standards; clarifies federal compliance applies only 'if applicable.'

• Removes state rules mandating multicultural, gender-fair, and global perspectives in curriculum and instruction across all grades; eliminates requirement to develop and distribute standards of practice for equity coordinators.

• Expands and specifies required content in health curriculum for grades 1-12, now listing explicit topics (e.g., communicable diseases, physical fitness, nutrition, substance use, CPR, and prevention/control of disease).

• Allows additional mathematics units to include agriculture and clarifies inclusion of applied sciences, technology, engineering, and manufacturing, broadening curricular options.

• Adjusts guidance counselor requirements to mandate collaborative work with parents/guardians and specifies goals for academic, career, and social development.

• Mandates that students may not serve on committees related to school library material removal decisions, applying this to charter and innovation schools as well.

• Specifies that school district compliance costs for new mandates are to be covered by existing state foundation aid; no new appropriations are provided.