This bill outlines appropriations for Iowa's education system for the fiscal year 2026-2027, allocating funds to various departments, including the Department for the Blind and the Department of Education. Key funding initiatives include $3,229,468 for the All Iowa Opportunity Scholarship Program, $1,041,361 for the Teach Iowa Scholar Program, and $7,985,911 for the Health Care Professional Incentive Program. The bill also emphasizes early childhood education, work-based learning, and mental health training for educators, while ensuring that unencumbered funds from the fiscal year can be carried over for future expenditures. Additionally, it modifies existing provisions related to the Iowa Special Education Council and the School Budget Review Committee.

The bill introduces amendments to vocational-technical tuition grants, establishing a maximum grant of $6,000 per year for full-time students and requiring annual reapplication. It also allows students at for-profit institutions to apply for these grants while repealing the previous program for such institutions. Furthermore, it mandates that state-regulated institutions include introductory courses in American history and government in their general education requirements and limits tuition increases for resident undergraduate students. New reporting requirements for school districts regarding incidents of violence are also included, along with provisions to maintain student privacy and promote civil dialogue through lecture and debate series.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 256.7, 261.9, 256.194, 256.192, 256.191, 284.13, 257.38, 257.11, 84J.3, 263C.3, 262.100, 262.9, 279.51A