This bill focuses on enhancing education programs and systems in Iowa, particularly in the areas of career and technical education (CTE), general education frameworks, and the implementation of a corequisite model in community colleges. It amends existing laws to replace the term "service" with "content" in relation to CTE areas, ensuring that these areas align with a national framework representative of all career pathways. The bill also introduces definitions for high-demand, high-skill, and high-wage occupations, which will guide the development of CTE programs and partnerships. Additionally, it mandates that regional CTE partnerships demonstrate alignment of expenditures with these defined occupations.

Furthermore, the bill establishes a statewide lower division general education framework and common course numbering systems for Iowa community colleges, aimed at facilitating student transfer and academic transparency. It requires the implementation of a common course numbering system that includes alphanumeric prefixes, course equivalency identification, and common descriptions. By the 2028-2029 school year, all community colleges must replace traditional remedial coursework in mathematics and English with corequisite models, supported by a statewide framework developed by the Department of Education. The bill also calls for a study on the implementation of these educational frameworks to be submitted to the General Assembly by the end of 2026.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 256.9, 256.11, 256.7, 256.125, 256.129, 256.136