House File 2686 - Introduced HOUSE FILE 2686 BY COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION (SUCCESSOR TO HF 2307) A BILL FOR An Act authorizing the board of educational examiners to issue 1 provisional coaching authorizations. 2 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 3 TLSB 6742HV (1) 91 jda/jh

H.F. 2686 Section 1. Section 256.165, subsection 1, paragraph b, Code 1 2026, is amended to read as follows: 2 b. (1) The board shall issue a transitional coaching 3 authorization to an individual who is at least twenty-one 4 years of age and who provides verification of an offer of a 5 coaching position by a school or a consortium of schools, 6 but who has not completed the coursework required for a 7 coaching authorization as specified in paragraph “a” . A 8 transitional coaching authorization is valid for not more 9 than one year, shall not be renewed, and is valid only in 10 the school or consortium of schools making the offer of the 11 coaching position. A consortium of schools may include a 12 school district, a school district school attendance center, 13 or an accredited nonpublic school, or any combination thereof. 14 However, prior to issuing a transitional coaching authorization 15 to an individual under this paragraph “b” , subparagraph (1), 16 the board shall ensure that the individual meets all of the 17 following requirements: 18 (1) (a) Completes a shortened course of training relating 19 to the code of professional rights and responsibilities, 20 practices, and ethics developed in accordance with section 21 256.146, subsection 1 , paragraph “a” , by the board specifically 22 for transitional coaches. 23 (2) (b) Completes the child and dependent adult abuse 24 mandatory reporter training required by sections 232.69 and 25 235B.16 . 26 (3) (c) Completes a nationally recognized concussion in 27 youth sports training course. 28 (4) (d) Complies with the background investigation 29 requirements established by the board pursuant to section 30 256.146, subsection 16 . 31 (2) (a) The board shall issue a provisional coaching 32 authorization to an individual who satisfies all of the 33 following requirements: 34 (i) The individual complies with the background 35 -1- LSB 6742HV (1) 91 jda/jh 1/ 5

H.F. 2686 investigation requirements established by the board pursuant to 1 section 256.146, subsection 16. 2 (ii) The individual successfully completes training related 3 to cardiopulmonary resuscitation. 4 (iii) The individual successfully completes training 5 related to how to use an automated external defibrillator. 6 (iv) The individual successfully completes the concussion 7 in sports course created by the national federation of state 8 high school associations. 9 (v) The individual successfully completes the child and 10 dependent adult abuse mandatory reporter training required by 11 sections 232.69 and 235B.16. 12 (b) A provisional coaching authorization shall expire 13 upon the earlier of the end of the sport season for which the 14 individual was issued the provisional coaching authorization or 15 the passage of one hundred eighty days from the issuance of the 16 provisional coaching authorization. 17 (c) A provisional coaching authorization shall not be 18 renewed. 19 (d) The board shall allow an individual who holds a 20 provisional coaching authorization to convert the provisional 21 coaching authorization to a coaching authorization if the 22 individual does any of the following: 23 (i) Successfully completes the requirements established in 24 paragraph “a” . 25 (ii) Successfully completes a coaching education course 26 provided by an area education agency or coordinated by an area 27 education agency pursuant to section 273.2, subsection 8A. 28 (iii) Successfully completes the fundamentals of coaching 29 course created by the national federation of state high school 30 associations. 31 (iv) Successfully completes relevant higher-education 32 coursework, including coursework for which partial credit is 33 provided. 34 (v) Provides the board with evidence of prior coaching 35 -2- LSB 6742HV (1) 91 jda/jh 2/ 5

H.F. 2686 experience. 1 (vi) Successfully completes comparable leadership and 2 safety training, including training provided in conjunction 3 with any of the following: 4 (A) Service in the armed forces of the United States. 5 (B) Service in the national guard as defined in section 6 29A.1. 7 (C) Service as a first responder as defined in section 8 147A.1. 9 Sec. 2. Section 273.2, Code 2026, is amended by adding the 10 following new subsection: 11 NEW SUBSECTION . 8A. The board of an area education agency 12 shall develop a coaching education course that can be used 13 by area education agency employees to provide training to 14 individuals who hold a provisional coaching authorization 15 and are trying to convert such authorization to a coaching 16 authorization pursuant to section 256.165, subsection 1, 17 paragraph “b” , subparagraph (2), subparagraph division (d). 18 Sec. 3. Section 279.19B, subsection 1, paragraph a, 19 subparagraph (3), Code 2026, is amended to read as follows: 20 (3) A qualified individual who meets the requirements of 21 section 256.165, subsection 1 , paragraph “b” , subparagraph (1), 22 and possesses a transitional coaching authorization issued by 23 the board of educational examiners. 24 Sec. 4. Section 279.19B, subsection 1, paragraph a, Code 25 2026, is amended by adding the following new subparagraph: 26 NEW SUBPARAGRAPH . (4) A qualified individual who meets 27 the requirements of section 256.165, subsection 1, paragraph 28 “b” , subparagraph (2), and possesses a provisional coaching 29 authorization issued by the board of educational examiners. 30 EXPLANATION 31 The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with 32 the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly. 33 This bill authorizes the board of educational examiners 34 (BOEE) to issue provisional coaching authorizations. 35 -3- LSB 6742HV (1) 91 jda/jh 3/ 5

H.F. 2686 The BOEE is required to issue a provisional coaching 1 authorization to an individual who complies with established 2 background check requirements; successfully completes training 3 related to cardiopulmonary resuscitation and how to use an 4 automated external defibrillator; successfully completes the 5 concussion in sports course created by the national federation 6 of state high school associations (NFHS); and who successfully 7 completes child and dependent adult abuse mandatory reporter 8 training. A provisional coaching authorization expires upon 9 the earlier of the end of the sport season for which the 10 individual was issued the authorization or the passage of 180 11 days from the issuance of the authorization. 12 The bill requires the BOEE to allow an individual holding a 13 provisional coaching authorization to convert the authorization 14 to a coaching authorization if the individual successfully 15 completes the preexisting requirements to obtain a coaching 16 authorization; successfully completes a coaching education 17 course provided by an area education agency; successfully 18 completes the coaching credential stack created by NFHS; 19 successfully completes relevant higher-education coursework; 20 provides the BOEE with evidence of prior coaching experience; 21 or if the individual successfully completes comparable 22 leadership and safety training. 23 Current law authorizes a school district to employ for 24 head coach of any interscholastic athletic activities, or for 25 assistant coach of any interscholastic athletic activity, an 26 individual who possesses a coaching authorization issued by 27 the BOEE or a teaching license with a coaching endorsement. 28 Current law also establishes the order in which school 29 districts are required to consider applicants for such 30 positions, with individuals who possess a valid teaching 31 license with a proper coaching endorsement being considered 32 first, individuals who possess a coaching authorization being 33 considered second, and individuals with a transitional coaching 34 authorization being considered third. The bill provides that 35 -4- LSB 6742HV (1) 91 jda/jh 4/ 5

H.F. 2686 individuals who possess a provisional coaching authorization 1 shall be considered fourth. 2 The bill requires area education agencies to develop a 3 coaching education course that can be used by area education 4 agency employees to provide training to individuals who hold a 5 provisional coaching authorization and are trying to convert 6 such authorization to a coaching authorization. 7 -5- LSB 6742HV (1) 91 jda/jh 5/ 5