House File 2754 - Introduced HOUSE FILE 2754 BY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS (SUCCESSOR TO HF 2713) (SUCCESSOR TO HSB 735) A BILL FOR An Act relating to education, including by modifying provisions 1 related to charter schools, the Iowa public employees’ 2 retirement system, financing programs for charter schools 3 administered by the Iowa finance authority, the statewide 4 voluntary preschool program for four-year-old children, 5 education savings accounts, independent accrediting 6 agencies, teacher training and licensure, and private 7 instruction, and making appropriations, and including 8 effective date and applicability provisions. 9 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 10 TLSB 5427HZ (2) 91 jda/jh

H.F. 2754 DIVISION I 1 CHARTER SCHOOL FUNDING 2 Section 1. Section 256E.8, subsection 2, paragraph a, Code 3 2026, is amended to read as follows: 4 a. The charter school in which the student is enrolled 5 shall receive under paragraph “c” an amount equal to the sum 6 of the regular program state cost per pupil for the budget 7 year plus the teacher leadership supplement state cost per 8 pupil, the teacher salary supplement state cost per pupil, the 9 professional development supplement state cost per pupil, and 10 the early intervention supplement state cost per pupil for 11 the budget year as provided in section 257.9 plus any moneys 12 that would be due to the school district of residence for the 13 student as a result of the non-English speaking weighting under 14 section 280.4, subsection 3 , for the budget year multiplied by 15 the state cost per pupil for the budget year. If a student 16 is an eligible pupil under section 261E.6 , the charter school 17 shall pay the tuition reimbursement amount to an eligible 18 postsecondary institution as provided in section 261E.7 . 19 Sec. 2. APPLICABILITY. This division of this Act applies to 20 school budget years beginning on or after July 1, 2026. 21 DIVISION II 22 IOWA PUBLIC EMPLOYEES’ RETIREMENT SYSTEM 23 Sec. 3. Section 97B.1A, subsection 8, paragraph a, Code 24 2026, is amended by adding the following new subparagraph: 25 NEW SUBPARAGRAPH . (13) Persons employed by a charter 26 school established pursuant to chapter 256E that satisfies all 27 applicable requirements under federal law for participation in 28 the retirement system. 29 Sec. 4. Section 97B.1A, subsection 9, paragraph a, Code 30 2026, is amended to read as follows: 31 a. “Employer” means the state of Iowa, the counties, 32 municipalities, agencies, public school districts, charter 33 schools established pursuant to chapter 256E that satisfy all 34 applicable requirements under federal law for participation 35 -1- LSB 5427HZ (2) 91 jda/jh 1/ 15

H.F. 2754 in the retirement system, all political subdivisions, and 1 all of their departments and instrumentalities, including 2 area agencies on aging, other than those employing persons as 3 specified in subsection 8 , paragraph “b” , subparagraph (7), and 4 joint planning commissions created under chapter 28E or 28I . 5 Sec. 5. Section 256E.11, subsection 2, Code 2026, is amended 6 to read as follows: 7 2. In the event of a charter school closure, the assets of 8 the charter school shall be used first to satisfy outstanding 9 payroll obligations for employees of the school and any 10 liabilities due and owing to the Iowa public employees’ 11 retirement system , then to creditors of the school, then to the 12 public school district in which the charter school operated, 13 if applicable, and then to the state general fund. If the 14 assets of the charter school are insufficient to pay all 15 obligations of the charter school, the prioritization of the 16 distribution of assets shall be consistent with this subsection 17 and otherwise determined by the district court. 18 DIVISION III 19 EXTRACURRICULAR INTERSCHOLASTIC ATHLETIC CONTESTS OR 20 COMPETITIONS PROVIDED BY PUBLIC SCHOOLS 21 Sec. 6. Section 280.13D, Code 2026, is amended to read as 22 follows: 23 280.13D Participation in extracurricular interscholastic 24 athletic contests or competitions provided by public schools. 25 1. a. The board of directors of a school district shall 26 allow a student who resides within the school district, and 27 who is enrolled in a nonpublic school or a charter school 28 established pursuant to chapter 256E , to participate in any 29 extracurricular interscholastic athletic contest or competition 30 that is provided by the school district pursuant to the terms 31 of an agreement between the board of directors of the school 32 district and the authorities in charge of the nonpublic school 33 or the governing board of the charter school, as applicable, 34 that provides for the eligibility of the student, if all of the 35 -2- LSB 5427HZ (2) 91 jda/jh 2/ 15

H.F. 2754 following criteria are satisfied: 1 (1) The extracurricular interscholastic athletic contest or 2 competition has not been provided by the nonpublic school or 3 the charter school during the two immediately preceding school 4 years. 5 (2) The nonpublic school or charter school has not entered 6 into an agreement under section 280.13A with another school 7 district, nonpublic school, or charter school that provides 8 for the eligibility of students enrolled in the nonpublic 9 school or charter school to participate in the extracurricular 10 interscholastic athletic contest or competition that is being 11 provided by that school district, nonpublic school, or charter 12 school. 13 b. The board of directors of a school district shall allow 14 a student who resides within a contiguous school district, and 15 who is enrolled in a nonpublic school or charter school , to 16 participate in any extracurricular interscholastic athletic 17 contest or competition that is provided by the school district 18 pursuant to the terms of an agreement between the board of 19 directors of the school district and the authorities in charge 20 of the nonpublic school or the governing board of the charter 21 school, as applicable, that provides for the eligibility of the 22 student, if all of the following criteria are satisfied: 23 (1) The extracurricular interscholastic athletic contest 24 or competition has not been provided by the nonpublic school 25 or charter school or by the student’s school district of 26 residence , during the two immediately preceding school years. 27 (2) The nonpublic school has not entered into an agreement 28 under section 280.13A with another school district, nonpublic 29 school, or charter school that provides for the eligibility of 30 students enrolled in the nonpublic school or charter school to 31 participate in the extracurricular interscholastic athletic 32 contest or competition that is being provided by that school 33 district, nonpublic school, or charter school. 34 c. If the board of directors of a school district has 35 -3- LSB 5427HZ (2) 91 jda/jh 3/ 15

H.F. 2754 established a fee for the cost of a student’s participation 1 in an extracurricular interscholastic athletic contest or 2 competition, a student who is enrolled in a nonpublic school 3 or a charter school and is participating in a contest or 4 competition at a public school pursuant to paragraph “a” or 5 “b” , or the student’s parent or guardian, shall be responsible 6 for the payment of such fee. The amount of such fee shall not 7 exceed the amount of the fee the board of directors of the 8 school district has established for students who are enrolled 9 in the school district. 10 2. A student who is enrolled in a nonpublic school or a 11 charter school and is participating in a contest or competition 12 at a public school pursuant to subsection 1 , paragraph “a” or 13 “b” , shall participate under the same conditions as a student 14 who is enrolled in the school district, including meeting the 15 school district’s student code of conduct requirements. 16 3. A student who participates in an extracurricular 17 interscholastic athletic contest or competition pursuant 18 to this section shall be deemed to satisfy the residence 19 requirements for purposes of section 256.46 . 20 DIVISION IV 21 LOCAL EDUCATION AGENCY STATUS 22 Sec. 7. Section 256E.5, Code 2026, is amended by adding the 23 following new subsection: 24 NEW SUBSECTION . 1A. The governing board of a charter school 25 that is approved under this section shall be designated a local 26 education agency for the purpose of receiving federal funds for 27 all attendance centers that are under the jurisdiction of the 28 governing board. 29 DIVISION V 30 CHARTER SCHOOL FACILITIES REVOLVING LOAN PROGRAM 31 Sec. 8. NEW SECTION . 16.163 Charter school facilities 32 revolving loan program fund —— credit enhancement agreements. 33 1. a. A charter school facilities revolving loan program 34 fund is created within the authority to assist charter schools 35 -4- LSB 5427HZ (2) 91 jda/jh 4/ 15

H.F. 2754 established pursuant to chapter 256E in acquiring suitable 1 school facilities. The moneys in the charter school facilities 2 revolving loan program fund are appropriated to the authority 3 for use in the development and operation of a charter school 4 facilities revolving loan program to assist charter schools in 5 purchasing, acquiring, developing, reconstructing, remodeling, 6 or replacing school buildings. 7 b. Moneys transferred by the authority for deposit 8 in the charter school facilities revolving loan program 9 fund, moneys appropriated to the charter school facilities 10 revolving loan program, and any other moneys available to 11 and obtained or accepted by the authority for placement in 12 the charter school facilities revolving loan program fund 13 shall be deposited in the fund. Additionally, payment of 14 interest, recaptures of awards, and other repayments to the 15 charter school facilities revolving loan program fund shall 16 be deposited in the fund. Notwithstanding section 12C.7, 17 subsection 2, interest or earnings on moneys in the charter 18 school facilities revolving loan program fund shall be credited 19 to the fund. Notwithstanding section 8.33, moneys that remain 20 unencumbered or unobligated at the end of the fiscal year shall 21 not revert but shall remain available for the same purpose in 22 the succeeding fiscal year. 23 c. The authority shall annually allocate moneys available in 24 the charter school facilities revolving loan program fund to 25 assist charter schools in purchasing, acquiring, developing, 26 reconstructing, remodeling, or replacing school buildings. 27 2. In addition to the charter school facilities revolving 28 loan program authorized pursuant to subsection 1, the authority 29 is authorized to make or enter into a liquidity or credit 30 enhancement agreement with a charter school established 31 pursuant to chapter 256E to assist the charter school in 32 purchasing, acquiring, developing, reconstructing, remodeling, 33 or replacing school buildings. 34 Sec. 9. CODE EDITOR DIRECTIVE. The Code editor shall 35 -5- LSB 5427HZ (2) 91 jda/jh 5/ 15

H.F. 2754 designate section 16.163, as enacted in this Act, as a 1 new section within chapter 16, subchapter X, part 6, and 2 may redesignate the preexisting part and correct internal 3 references as necessary, including references to part 4 headnotes. 5 DIVISION VI 6 STATEWIDE VOLUNTARY PRESCHOOL PROGRAM FOR FOUR-YEAR-OLD 7 CHILDREN 8 Sec. 10. Section 256C.3, subsection 4, Code 2026, is amended 9 by adding the following new paragraph: 10 NEW PARAGRAPH . e. (1) A school district may enter into 11 a chapter 28E agreement with a community-based provider to 12 allow the community-based provider to provide high-quality 13 instruction as part of the approved local program. 14 (2) Upon the request of a community-based provider, a 15 school district shall enter into a chapter 28E agreement with a 16 community-based provider to allow the community-based provider 17 to provide high-quality instruction as part of the approved 18 local program. 19 (3) A chapter 28E agreement entered into pursuant to this 20 paragraph shall not limit the number of eligible students who 21 may receive high-quality instruction from a community-based 22 provider as part of the approved local program. 23 Sec. 11. NEW SECTION . 256C.7 Limitation of authority. 24 1. This chapter shall not be construed to authorize the 25 state or any political subdivision of the state to exercise 26 authority over any community-based provider or construed to 27 require a community-based provider to modify its academic 28 standards for admission or educational program in order to 29 receive payments from a school district pursuant to section 30 256C.4, subsection 1. 31 2. This chapter shall not be construed to expand the 32 authority of the state or any political subdivision of the 33 state to impose regulations upon any community-based provider 34 that are not necessary to implement this chapter. 35 -6- LSB 5427HZ (2) 91 jda/jh 6/ 15

H.F. 2754 3. A community-based provider that receives payments from a 1 school district pursuant to section 256C.4, subsection 1, is 2 not an agent of this state or of a political subdivision of 3 this state. 4 4. Rules adopted by the department of education to implement 5 this chapter that impose an undue burden on a community-based 6 provider are invalid. 7 5. A community-based provider that receives payments from 8 a school district pursuant to section 256C.4, subsection 1, 9 shall be given the maximum freedom possible to provide for the 10 educational needs of the community-based provider’s students, 11 consistent with state and federal law. 12 DIVISION VII 13 EDUCATION SAVINGS ACCOUNTS 14 Sec. 12. Section 257.11B, subsections 3 and 4, Code 2026, 15 are amended to read as follows: 16 3. a. (1) On or after January 1, but on or before June 17 30, preceding the school year for which the education savings 18 account payment is requested, the parent or guardian of an 19 eligible pupil may request an education savings account payment 20 by submitting an application to the department of education. 21 (2) On or after December 1, but on or before December 20, 22 preceding the semester for which the education savings account 23 payment is requested, the parent or guardian of an eligible 24 pupil may request an education savings account payment by 25 submitting an application to the department of education. 26 b. Within thirty days following submission of an 27 application, the department of education or third-party entity 28 shall notify the parent or guardian of each pupil approved for 29 the following school year or semester and specify the amount of 30 the education savings account payment for the pupil, if known 31 at the time of the notice. As soon as practical following the 32 processing of all applications, the department of education or 33 third-party entity shall determine the number of pupils in each 34 school district approved for the school budget year and provide 35 -7- LSB 5427HZ (2) 91 jda/jh 7/ 15

H.F. 2754 such information to the department of management. 1 c. Education savings account payments shall only be 2 approved for one school year or one semester, as applicable, 3 and applications must be submitted annually for payments in 4 subsequent school years. 5 4. Each education savings account payment shall be equal to 6 the regular program state cost per pupil for the same school 7 budget year ; provided, however, that an education savings 8 account payment shall be equal to fifty percent of the regular 9 program state cost per pupil for the same school budget year if 10 the pupil’s parent or guardian submitted an application under 11 subsection 3, paragraph “a” , subparagraph (2) . 12 Sec. 13. Section 257.11B, subsection 6, paragraph a, Code 13 2026, is amended to read as follows: 14 a. For each pupil approved for an education savings account 15 payment, the department of education or third-party entity 16 shall establish an individual account for that pupil in the 17 education savings account fund. The If the pupil’s parent 18 or guardian submitted an application under subsection 3, 19 paragraph “a” , subparagraph (1), the amount of the pupil’s 20 education savings account payment shall be deposited into 21 the pupil’s individual account on July 15 or thirty days 22 following submission of the application, whichever is later, 23 and such amount shall be immediately available for the payment 24 of qualified educational expenses incurred by the parent or 25 guardian for the pupil during that fiscal year using a payment 26 method authorized under subsection 5 . If the pupil’s parent or 27 guardian submitted an application under subsection 3, paragraph 28 “a” , subparagraph (2), the amount of the pupil’s education 29 savings account payment shall be deposited into the pupil’s 30 individual account within thirty days following submission of 31 the application, and such amount shall be immediately available 32 for the payment of qualified educational expenses incurred by 33 the parent or guardian for the pupil during that fiscal year 34 using a payment method authorized under subsection 5. 35 -8- LSB 5427HZ (2) 91 jda/jh 8/ 15

H.F. 2754 DIVISION VIII 1 INDEPENDENT ACCREDITING AGENCIES 2 Sec. 14. Section 256.11, subsection 16, Code 2026, is 3 amended by adding the following new paragraph: 4 NEW PARAGRAPH . d. (1) This subsection shall not be 5 construed to authorize the state or any political subdivision 6 of the state to exercise authority over any nonpublic school or 7 construed to require a nonpublic school to modify its academic 8 standards for admission or educational program. 9 (2) This section shall not be construed to expand the 10 authority of the state or any political subdivision of the 11 state to impose regulations upon any nonpublic school that are 12 not necessary to implement this section. 13 (3) Rules adopted by the state board of education to 14 implement this section that impose an undue burden on a 15 nonpublic school are invalid. 16 (4) A nonpublic school shall be given the maximum freedom 17 possible to provide for the educational needs of the school’s 18 students, consistent with state and federal law. 19 DIVISION IX 20 SCHEDULE OF TEACHER TRAININGS AND LICENSURE RENEWAL 21 REQUIREMENTS 22 Sec. 15. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION —— SCHEDULE OF REQUIRED 23 TEACHER TRAINING AND LICENSURE RENEWAL REQUIREMENTS. 24 1. The department of education shall convene and provide 25 administrative support to a task force that shall study the 26 training programs in which teachers in this state are required 27 to participate pursuant to state law and the requirements 28 associated with renewing a teaching license. 29 2. Any expense incurred by a member of the task force 30 shall be the responsibility of the individual member or the 31 respective entity represented by the member. 32 3. The task force shall submit its findings and 33 recommendations to the general assembly on or before 34 December 31, 2026. The recommendations must include specific 35 -9- LSB 5427HZ (2) 91 jda/jh 9/ 15

H.F. 2754 recommendations related to how to change current law to create 1 a more manageable training program schedule and licensure 2 renewal requirement schedule for teachers. 3 EXPLANATION 4 The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with 5 the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly. 6 This bill relates to education by modifying provisions 7 related to charter schools, the Iowa public employees’ 8 retirement system, financing programs for charter schools 9 administered by the Iowa finance authority, the statewide 10 voluntary preschool program, education savings accounts, 11 independent accrediting agencies, teacher training and 12 licensure, and makes appropriations. 13 DIVISION I —— CHARTER SCHOOL FUNDING. Currently, each 14 student enrolled in a charter school under Code chapter 256E 15 shall be counted, for state school foundation purposes, in the 16 student’s district of residence. The department of education 17 is then required to pay to the charter school in which the 18 student is enrolled an amount equal to the sum of the regular 19 program state cost per pupil for the budget year plus other 20 additional costs specified in Code section 256E.8(2)(a). This 21 division adds the teacher salary supplement state cost per 22 pupil to the amount required to be paid to the charter school. 23 This provision applies to school budget years beginning on or 24 after July 1, 2026. 25 DIVISION II —— IOWA PUBLIC EMPLOYEES’ RETIREMENT SYSTEM. 26 This division provides that persons employed by charter schools 27 that satisfy all applicable requirements under federal law 28 for participation in the retirement systemare employees for 29 purposes of the provisions of the Iowa public employees’ 30 retirement system (IPERS). Additionally, the division provides 31 that charter schools that satisfy all applicable requirements 32 under federal law for participation in the retirement system 33 are employers for purposes of the provisions of IPERS. 34 The bill provides that in the event of a charter school 35 -10- LSB 5427HZ (2) 91 jda/jh 10/ 15

H.F. 2754 closure, the assets of the charter school shall be, after 1 payroll obligations but prior to paying creditors, used to 2 satisfy any liabilities due and owing to IPERS. 3 DIVISION III —— EXTRACURRICULAR INTERSCHOLASTIC ATHLETIC 4 CONTESTS OR COMPETITIONS PROVIDED BY PUBLIC SCHOOLS. This 5 division requires the board of directors of a school district 6 to allow a student who resides within the district, and 7 who is enrolled in a charter school, to participate in any 8 extracurricular interscholastic athletic contest or competition 9 that is provided by the school district pursuant to the terms 10 of an agreement between the board of directors of the school 11 district and the governing board of the charter school if the 12 extracurricular interscholastic athletic contest or competition 13 has not been provided by the charter school during the two 14 immediately preceding school years and if the charter school 15 has not entered into an agreement under Code section 280.13A 16 (sharing interscholastic activities) with another school 17 district, nonpublic school, or charter school that provides 18 for the eligibility of students enrolled in the charter school 19 to participate in the extracurricular interscholastic athletic 20 contest or competition that is being provided by that school. 21 The division requires the board of directors of a school 22 district to allow a student who resides within a contiguous 23 school district, and who is enrolled in a charter school, to 24 participate in any extracurricular interscholastic athletic 25 contest or competition that is provided by the school district 26 pursuant to the terms of an agreement between the board of 27 directors of the school district and the governing board of 28 the charter school if the extracurricular interscholastic 29 athletic contest or competition has not been provided by the 30 charter school or by the student’s school district of residence 31 during the two immediately preceding school years and if 32 the charter school has not entered into an agreement under 33 Code section 280.13A with another school district, nonpublic 34 school, or charter school that provides for the eligibility of 35 -11- LSB 5427HZ (2) 91 jda/jh 11/ 15

H.F. 2754 students enrolled in the charter school to participate in the 1 extracurricular interscholastic athletic contest or competition 2 that is being provided by that school. 3 The division provides that if the board of directors of 4 a school district has established a fee for the cost of a 5 student’s participation in an extracurricular interscholastic 6 athletic contest or competition, a student who is enrolled in a 7 charter school and is participating in a contest or competition 8 at a public school pursuant to the division’s provisions, or 9 the student’s parent or guardian, shall be responsible for the 10 payment of such fee. 11 The division requires a student who is enrolled in a charter 12 school and is participating in a contest or competition at 13 a public school pursuant to the division’s provisions to 14 participate under the same conditions as a student who is 15 enrolled in the school district, including meeting the school 16 district’s student code of conduct requirements. 17 The division provides that a student who participates in an 18 extracurricular interscholastic athletic contest or competition 19 pursuant to the division’s provisions is deemed to satisfy the 20 residence requirements for purposes of Code section 256.46 21 (rules for participation in extracurricular activities by 22 certain children). 23 DIVISION IV —— LOCAL EDUCATION AGENCY STATUS. This division 24 provides that the governing board of a charter school that is 25 approved under Code section 256E.5 (founding group-state board 26 model) is a local education agency for the purpose of receiving 27 federal funds for all attendance centers that are under the 28 jurisdiction of the governing board. 29 DIVISION V —— CHARTER SCHOOL FACILITIES REVOLVING LOAN 30 PROGRAM. This division establishes a charter school facilities 31 revolving loan program fund within the Iowa finance authority 32 (IFA) to assist charter schools in acquiring suitable school 33 facilities. The moneys in the fund are appropriated to the IFA 34 for use in the development and operation of a charter school 35 -12- LSB 5427HZ (2) 91 jda/jh 12/ 15

H.F. 2754 facilities revolving loan program in purchasing, acquiring, 1 developing, reconstructing, remodeling, or replacing school 2 buildings. The division also allows the IFA to make or enter 3 into a liquidity or credit enhancement agreement with a charter 4 school in purchasing, acquiring, developing, reconstructing, 5 remodeling, or replacing school buildings. 6 DIVISION VI —— STATEWIDE VOLUNTARY PRESCHOOL PROGRAM FOR 7 FOUR-YEAR-OLD CHILDREN. This division authorizes school 8 districts to enter into a Code chapter 28E agreement with a 9 community-based provider allowing the community-based provider 10 to provide instruction as part of the approved local program, 11 and the division requires school districts to enter into such 12 an agreement upon the request of a community-based provider. 13 Additionally, the division prohibits such Code chapter 28E 14 agreements from limiting the number of eligible students who 15 may receive instruction from a community-based provider as part 16 of the approved local program. 17 The division prohibits Code chapter 256C (statewide 18 voluntary preschool program for four-year-old children) 19 from being construed to authorize the state or any political 20 subdivision of the state to exercise authority over 21 any community-based provider or construed to require a 22 community-based provider to modify its academic standards 23 for admission or educational program in order to receive 24 payments from a school district under the statewide voluntary 25 preschool program (SWVPP). The division also prohibits Code 26 chapter 256C from being construed to expand the authority of 27 the state or any political subdivision of the state to impose 28 regulations upon any community-based provider that are not 29 necessary to implement this section. The division provides 30 that a community-based provider that receives payments from a 31 school district under the SWVPP is not an agent of this state 32 or of a political subdivision of this state. Rules adopted by 33 the department of education to implement the SWVPP that impose 34 an undue burden on a community-based provider are invalid. The 35 -13- LSB 5427HZ (2) 91 jda/jh 13/ 15

H.F. 2754 division requires that a community-based provider that receives 1 payments from a school district under the SWVPP be given the 2 maximum freedom possible to provide for the educational needs 3 of the community-based provider’s students, consistent with 4 state and federal law. 5 DIVISION VII —— EDUCATION SAVINGS ACCOUNTS. The education 6 savings account program is a program that provides funds to 7 pupils who attend nonpublic schools to pay for qualified 8 educational expenses, including but not limited to tuition, 9 tutoring or cognitive skill training fees, educational therapy 10 costs, software expenses, and expenses related to course 11 materials. Under current law, the parent or guardian of a 12 pupil is required to submit an application for payment under 13 the education savings account program to the department of 14 education on or after January 1, but on or before June 30, 15 preceding the school year for which the education savings 16 account payment is requested. This division allows the parent 17 or guardian of a pupil to submit such an application on or 18 after December 1, but on or before December 20, preceding the 19 semester for which the education savings account payment is 20 requested. Additionally, under current law each education 21 savings account payment is equal to the regular program state 22 cost per pupil for the same school budget year. The division 23 provides that, if the parent or guardian of a pupil submitted 24 such an application on or after December 1, but on or before 25 December 20, preceding the semester for which the education 26 savings account payment is requested, the education savings 27 account payment for such pupil is equal to 50 percent of the 28 regular program state cost per pupil for the same school budget 29 year. The division makes conforming changes. 30 DIVISION VIII —— INDEPENDENT ACCREDITING AGENCIES. Current 31 law authorizes a nonpublic school to be accredited by an 32 approved independent accrediting agency instead of by the 33 state board of education if the nonpublic school is accredited 34 by an independent accrediting agency that is on a list of 35 -14- LSB 5427HZ (2) 91 jda/jh 14/ 15

H.F. 2754 approved independent accrediting agencies maintained by the 1 state board of education. This division provides that these 2 provisions shall not be construed to authorize the state or any 3 political subdivision of the state to exercise authority over 4 any nonpublic school or construed to require a nonpublic school 5 to modify its academic standards for admission or educational 6 program. The division also provides that these provisions 7 shall not be construed to expand the authority of the state or 8 any political subdivision of the state to impose regulations 9 upon any nonpublic school that are not necessary to implement 10 the state’s educational standards. The division provides that 11 rules adopted by the state board of education to implement 12 these provisions that impose an undue burden on a nonpublic 13 school are invalid. The division requires that a nonpublic 14 school shall be given the maximum freedom possible to provide 15 for the educational needs of the school’s students, consistent 16 with state and federal law. 17 DIVISION IX —— SCHEDULE OF TEACHER TRAININGS AND LICENSURE 18 RENEWAL REQUIREMENTS. This division requires the department 19 of education to convene a task force to study the training 20 programs in which teachers in this state are required to 21 participate pursuant to state law and the requirements 22 associated with renewing a teaching license. The task force 23 is required to submit its findings and recommendations to 24 the general assembly on or before December 31, 2026. The 25 recommendations must include specific recommendations related 26 to how to change current law to create a more manageable 27 training program schedule and licensure renewal requirement 28 schedule for teachers. 29 -15- LSB 5427HZ (2) 91 jda/jh 15/ 15