This bill amends Code section 279.46 to allow school districts in Iowa to utilize revenues from the district management levy for both teacher recruitment and retention incentives, in addition to existing provisions for early retirement benefits. The board of directors of a school district is now authorized to adopt programs aimed at recruiting new teachers and retaining current teachers, with specific guidelines on the incentives offered. Notably, the bill stipulates that any recruitment or retention incentive cannot exceed 10 percent of the salary for an initial teacher and cannot be paid for more than five school budget years. Furthermore, the board must hold a public meeting to discuss the adoption of these programs and allow for public comment.

Additionally, the bill establishes that the board of directors can only implement either the early retirement benefits program or the teacher recruitment and retention incentives program at any given time, prohibiting concurrent adoption. It also restricts the use of the district management levy, ensuring that costs for early retirement benefits and teacher recruitment or retention incentives cannot be expended in the same fiscal year. This legislative change aims to enhance the ability of school districts to attract and retain quality educators while managing their financial resources effectively.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 279.46, 284.15