SF 2312 (LSB 6172XS (3) 90)

SENATE FILE 2312

BY  DONAHUE

A BILL FOR

An Act relating to the amount of compensation paid to school district employees, including by establishing an educator supplement for all fund to be administered by the department of education, and modifying the amount of compensation paid to teachers, certain employees with a license, endorsement, certification, authorization, or statement of recognition issued by the board of educational examiners, and teaching assistants, and making appropriations.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:

    Section 1.  NEW SECTION.  256.20  Educator supplement for all fund —— teacher and staff pay —— appropriation.
   1.  a.  An educator supplement for all fund is established in the state treasury. The fund shall be administered by the department and shall consist of moneys appropriated by the general assembly and any other moneys received by the department for deposit in the fund. The moneys in the fund are appropriated and made available to the department to be used for meeting the requirements of this section.
   b.  The department shall distribute moneys from the fund to school districts established pursuant to chapter 274 in amounts necessary to ensure that school districts compensate employees and teachers in accordance with this section, section 284.15, subsection 2, paragraph “a”, subparagraph (1), section 284.16, subsection 1, paragraph “a”, unnumbered paragraph 1, and section 284.17, subsection 1.
   c.  For the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2024, and for each succeeding fiscal year, there is appropriated from the general fund of the state to the educator supplement for all fund the amount necessary to make all distributions required under paragraph “b” for the fiscal year.
   2.  a.  (1)  Subject to paragraph “b”, each school district shall pay to each employee with a license, endorsement, certification, authorization, or statement of recognition issued by the board of educational examiners who has been employed by the school district for at least one year, and who has completed all periods of conditional employment with the school district, five thousand dollars each year in addition to the employee’s base salary.
   (2)  Subparagraph (1) shall not require a school district to pay any amounts in addition to an employee’s base salary if the employee holds an administrator license issued by the board of educational examiners and is employed by the school district in an administrative role.
   b.  Each school district shall pay to each employee who serves as a teaching assistant an amount equal to ten percent of the employee’s current annual salary each year in addition to the employee’s base salary.
   c.  If an employee qualifies for a payment from a school district under paragraph “a” and paragraph “b”, the school district shall pay the employee the greater of the amount required under paragraph “a” or paragraph “b”, but not both.
   3.  Each school district shall apply to the department for a distribution of moneys pursuant to this section.
    Sec. 2.  Section 257.10, subsection 12, paragraph d, Code 2024, is amended to read as follows:
   d.  Except as otherwise allowed under this paragraph, for the budget year beginning July 1, 2014, and succeeding budget years, the use of the funds calculated under this subsection shall comply with the requirements of chapter 284 and shall be distributed to teachers pursuant to section 284.15. The funds shall be used only to increase the payment for a teacher assigned to a leadership role pursuant to a framework or comparable system approved pursuant to section 284.15; to increase the percentages of teachers assigned to leadership roles; to increase the minimum teacher starting salary to thirty-three thousand five hundred dollars the amount provided in section 284.15, subsection 2, paragraph “a”, subparagraph (1); to cover the costs for the time mentor and lead teachers are not providing instruction to students in a classroom; for coverage of a classroom when an initial or career teacher is observing or co-teaching with a teacher assigned to a leadership role; for professional development time to learn best practices associated with the career pathways leadership process; and for other costs associated with a framework or comparable system approved by the department of education under section 284.15 with the goals of improving instruction and elevating the quality of teaching and student learning. If all requirements for the school district for the use of funds calculated under this subsection are met and funds received under this subsection remain unexpended and unobligated at the end of a fiscal year beginning on or after July 1, 2020, the school district may transfer all or a portion of such unexpended and unobligated funds for deposit in the school district’s flexibility account established under section 298A.2, subsection 2. At the end of a fiscal year beginning on or after July 1, 2022, school districts may use all or a portion of funds under this subsection for the purposes authorized under subsection 9, paragraph “d”, and, notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, school districts shall not be required to participate in or comply with section 284.15 in order to continue to receive funding under this subsection.
    Sec. 3.  Section 284.15, subsection 2, paragraph a, subparagraph (1), Code 2024, is amended to read as follows:
   (1)  The For the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2024, and for each subsequent fiscal year, the salary for an initial teacher who has successfully completed an approved practitioner preparation program as defined in section 256.145 or holds an initial or intern teacher license issued under chapter 256, subchapter VII, part 3, shall be at least thirty-three thousand five hundred fifty thousand dollars, which shall also constitute the minimum salary for an Iowa teacher.
    Sec. 4.  Section 284.16, subsection 1, paragraph a, unnumbered paragraph 1, Code 2024, is amended to read as follows:
   The For the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2024, and for each subsequent fiscal year, the beginning teacher shall be paid not less than thirty-three thousand five hundred fifty thousand dollars and shall meet the following requirements:
    Sec. 5.  Section 284.17, subsection 1, Code 2024, is amended to read as follows:
   1.  A For the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2024, and for each subsequent fiscal year, the minimum salary of thirty-three thousand five hundred fifty thousand dollars for a full-time teacher.
EXPLANATION
The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with
the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly.
   This bill relates to the amount of compensation paid to school district employees, including by establishing an educator supplement for all fund to be administered by the department of education, and modifying the amount of compensation paid to teachers, certain employees with a license, endorsement, certification, authorization, or statement of recognition issued by the board of educational examiners (BOEE), and teaching assistants.
   Currently, Code chapter 284 (teacher compensation) provides that the minimum annual salary for an initial teacher who has successfully completed an approved practitioner preparation program or holds an initial or intern teacher license issued by the BOEE shall be at least $33,500. The bill increases this minimum annual salary to $50,000, beginning July 1, 2024. The bill makes conforming changes to Code chapter 257 (financing school programs).
   The bill requires school districts to pay to each employee with a license, endorsement, certification, authorization, or statement of recognition issued by the BOEE who has been employed by the school district for at least one year, and who has completed all periods of conditional employment with the school district, $5,000 each year in addition to the employee’s base salary. The bill establishes that this provision does not apply to administrators. The bill requires school districts to pay to each employee who serves as a teaching assistant an amount equal to 10 percent of the employee’s current annual salary each year in addition to the employee’s base salary.
   The bill establishes an educator supplement for all fund in the state treasury under the control of the department of education. The bill requires the department to distribute moneys from the fund to school districts in amounts necessary to ensure that school districts compensate employees and teachers in accordance with the bill’s provisions. For the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2024, and for each succeeding fiscal year, the bill appropriates from the general fund of the state to the educator supplement for all fund the amount necessary to make all distributions required under the bill’s provisions.