H.F. 477 Section 1. POVERTY WEIGHTING WORK GROUP. 1 1. In recognition of the supplemental assistance for 2 high-need schools under section 284.11 originally enacted for 3 the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2014, and in preparation 4 for the school finance formula review committee scheduled to 5 meet during the 2024 legislative interim to review provisions 6 of Iowa’s school foundation formula, it is the intent of the 7 general assembly that a work group be convened by the Iowa 8 department of education to consider what learning gaps are 9 evident in Iowa based on socioeconomic status, identify what 10 promising practices are occurring in Iowa and other states to 11 minimize these learning gaps, and review the funding provided 12 in other states for the instruction of children from low-income 13 families. Since significant levels of poverty exist in all 14 ninety-nine counties of this state, the general assembly should 15 consider additional ways to close the opportunity gap through 16 the school funding formula. 17 2. According to the 2022 condition of education annual 18 report, forty and seven-tenths percent of Iowa public school 19 students are eligible for free and reduced price meals under 20 the federal National School Lunch Act and the federal Child 21 Nutrition Act of 1966, 42 U.S.C. §1751-1785, the most widely 22 used measure of student poverty, including within Iowa’s 23 methodology for funding at-risk programs. 24 3. The school finance formula review committee established 25 under section 257.1, subsection 4, met on December 13, 2019, 26 and recommended to the general assembly the creation of a 27 poverty weighting study committee. 28 4. The director of the department of education shall 29 establish and appoint members to a work group to examine the 30 impact of student poverty on Iowa students’ success, including 31 relative concentration of poverty in school districts and 32 alternative methodologies demonstrated to provide supports 33 necessary to close the opportunity gap, including examination 34 of relevant studies and testimony of relevant experts. The 35 -1- LSB 1964YH (3) 90 md/jh 1/ 4

H.F. 477 work group shall also determine if the current methodology 1 effectively measures the needs of low-income students and shall 2 make recommendations for funding methodologies to provide 3 additional funding required for school districts to provide the 4 supports necessary to deliver successful outcomes for students 5 from low-income households. The department of education shall 6 work cooperatively to provide staffing assistance for the work 7 group. The work group shall be composed of at least all of the 8 following: 9 a. One member representing the Iowa association of school 10 boards. 11 b. One member representing the area education agencies who 12 has expertise in special education services. 13 c. One member representing the Iowa state education 14 association. 15 d. One member representing the school administrators of 16 Iowa. 17 e. One member representing the urban education network of 18 Iowa. 19 f. One member representing the rural school advocates of 20 Iowa. 21 g. One member representing the professional educators of 22 Iowa. 23 h. One representative of the school district with the 24 highest basic enrollment under section 257.6 for the school 25 budget year beginning July 1, 2023. 26 i. One representative of a school district with a basic 27 enrollment under section 257.6 for the school budget year 28 beginning July 1, 2023, that is ranked in the highest one-third 29 among all school districts in the state. 30 j. One representative of a school district with a basic 31 enrollment under section 257.6 for the school budget year 32 beginning July 1, 2023, that is ranked in the middle one-third 33 among all school districts in the state. 34 k. One representative of a school district with a basic 35 -2- LSB 1964YH (3) 90 md/jh 2/ 4

H.F. 477 enrollment under section 257.6 for the school budget year 1 beginning July 1, 2023, that is ranked in the lowest one-third 2 among all school districts in the state. 3 l. One representative of a school district located in whole 4 or in part less than one hundred miles from the eastern border 5 of this state. 6 m. One representative of a school district located in whole 7 or in part more than one hundred miles from both the eastern 8 border of this state and the western border of this state. 9 n. One representative of a school district located in whole 10 or in part less than one hundred miles from the western border 11 of this state. 12 o. The director of the department of health and human 13 services, or the director’s designee. 14 p. Four ex officio, nonvoting legislative members 15 consisting of the following: 16 (1) Two state senators, one appointed by the majority leader 17 of the senate and one appointed by the minority leader of the 18 senate. 19 (2) Two state representatives, one appointed by the speaker 20 and one appointed by the minority leader of the house of 21 representatives. 22 5. By January 2, 2024, the work group shall submit 23 recommendations to the general assembly and the governor for 24 new or modified funding methodologies that demonstrate positive 25 results for lowering achievement gaps and improving outcomes 26 for students from low-income households. 27 EXPLANATION 28 The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with 29 the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly. 30 This bill directs the director of the department of 31 education to establish and appoint members to a work group to 32 examine various topics related to Iowa’s current methodology 33 for determining levels of student poverty and funding related 34 to students from low-income households. The bill directs 35 -3- LSB 1964YH (3) 90 md/jh 3/ 4

H.F. 477 the department of education to work cooperatively to provide 1 staffing assistance for the work group and establishes the 2 minimum persons comprising the work group. By January 2, 2024, 3 the work group is required to submit recommendations to the 4 general assembly and the governor for new or modified funding 5 methodologies that demonstrate positive results for lowering 6 achievement gaps and improving outcomes for students from 7 low-income households. 8 -4- LSB 1964YH (3) 90 md/jh 4/ 4