HF 96 (LSB 1609HH (2) 91)

HOUSE FILE 96

BY  INGELS

(COMPANION TO LSB 1349SS BY TAYLOR)

A BILL FOR

An Act establishing the advanced dyslexia specialist endorsement competitive scholar program within the college student aid commission and making appropriations.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:

    Section 1.  NEW SECTION.  256.220A  Advanced dyslexia specialist endorsement competitive scholar program.
   1.  As used in this section:
   a.  “Commission” means the college student aid commission.
   b.  “Teacher” means an individual holding a practitioner’s license issued by the board of educational examiners under part 3.
   2.  An advanced dyslexia specialist endorsement competitive scholar program is established to be administered by the college student aid commission. The purpose of the advanced dyslexia specialist endorsement competitive scholar program is to provide tuition reimbursement to teachers to offset the costs associated with obtaining an advanced dyslexia specialist endorsement issued by the board of educational examiners.
   3.  A teacher is eligible for the advanced dyslexia specialist endorsement competitive scholar program if the teacher works in a school in this state, or in an area education agency, and the teacher is working toward obtaining an advanced dyslexia specialist endorsement issued by the board of educational examiners pursuant to section 256.146, subsection 21.
   4.  Each applicant for tuition reimbursement under the advanced dyslexia specialist endorsement competitive scholar program shall, in accordance with the rules adopted by the college student aid commission pursuant to subsection 8, do all of the following:
   a.  Complete and file an application for tuition reimbursement. The applicant shall be responsible for the prompt submission of any information required by the college student aid commission.
   b.  File a new application and submit information as required by the college student aid commission annually on the basis of which the applicant’s eligibility for the renewed tuition reimbursement will be evaluated and determined.
   c.  Complete and return, on a form approved by the college student aid commission, an affidavit of practice verifying the applicant is teaching in an Iowa school or an area education agency.
   5.  a.  An individual shall be eligible for tuition reimbursement under this section for not more than two years. The total amount of tuition reimbursement provided to a recipient under this section shall not exceed seventy-five percent of the recipient’s total dyslexia specialist endorsement tuition costs.
   b.  (1)  The college student aid commission shall make the first payment to the recipient under this section, totaling not more than one-half of the amount payable under paragraph “a”, after the recipient’s first year teaching in an Iowa school or area education agency.
   (2)  The college student aid commission shall make the second payment to the recipient under this section, totaling the remainder of the amount payable under paragraph “a”, after the recipient’s second year teaching in an Iowa school or area education agency.
   6.  An advanced dyslexia specialist endorsement competitive scholar program fund is established in the state treasury. The fund shall be administered by the commission and shall consist of moneys appropriated by the general assembly and other moneys received by the commission for deposit in the fund. The moneys in the fund are appropriated to the commission for the advanced dyslexia specialist endorsement competitive scholar program. Notwithstanding section 8.33, moneys in the fund at the close of the fiscal year shall not revert to the general fund of the state but shall remain available for expenditure for the advanced dyslexia specialist endorsement competitive scholar program for subsequent fiscal years. Notwithstanding section 12C.7, subsection 2, interest or earnings on moneys in the fund shall be credited to the fund.
   7.  The commission shall incorporate into the annual report submitted to the general assembly pursuant to section 256.177, subsection 8, information related to the advanced dyslexia specialist endorsement competitive scholar program, including the number of individuals who received tuition reimbursement pursuant to this section, where the recipients taught, the amount paid to each recipient, and other information identified by the commission as indicators of outcomes of the program.
   8.  The college student aid commission shall adopt rules pursuant to chapter 17A to administer this section, including rules related to tuition reimbursement application materials, eligibility requirements, application evaluation criteria, and award criteria.
    Sec. 2.  DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION —— COLLEGE STUDENT AID COMMISSION —— ADVANCED DYSLEXIA SPECIALIST ENDORSEMENT COMPETITIVE SCHOLAR PROGRAM.  There is appropriated from the general fund of the state to the department of education for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2025, and ending June 30, 2026, the following amount, or so much thereof as is necessary, to be used for the purposes designated:
   For deposit in the advanced dyslexia specialist endorsement competitive scholar program fund established pursuant to section 256.220A, if enacted:
   ...................................................................... $    335,000
    Sec. 3.  CODE EDITOR DIRECTIVE.  The Code editor shall designate section 256.220A, as enacted in this Act, as a new section within chapter 256, subchapter VII, part 4, subpart J, and may redesignate the preexisting subpart and correct internal references as necessary, including references to subpart headnotes.
EXPLANATION
The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with
the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly.
   This bill establishes the advanced dyslexia specialist endorsement competitive scholar program within the college student aid commission for purposes of providing tuition reimbursement to teachers to offset the costs associated with obtaining an advanced dyslexia specialist endorsement issued by the board of educational examiners. A teacher is eligible for the program if the teacher works in a school in this state, or in an area education agency, and the teacher is working toward obtaining an advanced dyslexia specialist endorsement.
   The bill requires applicants for tuition reimbursement under the program to complete and file an application for tuition reimbursement, file a new application and submit information as required by the commission annually, and complete and return an affidavit of practice verifying the applicant is teaching in an Iowa school or an area education agency.
   The bill provides that an individual shall be eligible for tuition reimbursement under the program for not more than two years. The bill establishes the total amount of tuition reimbursement that the commission may provide to a recipient.
   The bill establishes an advanced dyslexia specialist endorsement competitive scholar program fund and appropriates $335,000 to the fund in FY 2025-2026. The bill also establishes reporting requirements for the commission related to the program. The commission is required to adopt rules to administer the program.