HF 785 (LSB 1454HV (2) 91)

HOUSE FILE 785

BY  COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION

(SUCCESSOR TO HSB 105)

A BILL FOR

An Act relating to charter schools, including by modifying provisions related to charter school board member requirements and charter school student participation in the district-to-community college sharing or concurrent enrollment program.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:

    Section 1.  Section 256E.7, subsection 11, Code 2025, is amended to read as follows:
   11.  A majority of the membership of each charter school’s governing board shall be residents of the geographic area served by the charter school. Each member of the governing board who is not a resident of the geographic area served by the charter school must be a resident of this state must be a citizen of the United States.  Not more than one member of the governing board may be a resident of another state.
    Sec. 2.  Section 261E.8, subsection 2, paragraph a, Code 2025, is amended to read as follows:
   a.  (1)  Students from accredited nonpublic schools, and students receiving competent private instruction or independent private instruction under chapter 299A, students from charter schools established pursuant to chapter 256E, and students from charter schools or innovation zone schools established pursuant to chapter 256F may access the program through the school district in which the accredited nonpublic school, or private institution, charter school, or innovation zone school is located.
   (2)  Students from charter schools established pursuant to chapter 256E, and students from charter schools or innovation zone schools established pursuant to chapter 256F, that provide educational instruction and course content that is delivered entirely over the internet may access the program through the students’ school district of residence.
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 charter schools, including by modifying provisions related to charter school board member requirements and charter school student participation in the district-to-community college sharing or concurrent enrollment program.
   Current law requires each member of the governing board of a charter school established pursuant to Code chapter 256E who is not a resident of the geographic area served by the charter school to be a resident of this state. The bill strikes this provision. The bill requires each member of the governing board of a charter school to be a citizen of the United States. The bill provides that not more than one member of the governing board of a charter school may be a resident of another state.
   The bill allows students from charter schools established pursuant to Code chapter 256E and students from charter schools or innovation zone schools established pursuant to Code chapter 256F to access the district-to-community college sharing or concurrent enrollment program through the school district in which the charter school or innovation zone school is located. The bill also allows students from online charter schools or innovation zone schools to access the program through the students’ school district of residence.