House Study Bill 557 - Introduced HOUSE FILE _____ BY (PROPOSED COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION BILL BY CHAIRPERSON WHEELER) A BILL FOR An Act modifying provisions related to English learner 1 participation in open enrollment and including applicability 2 provisions. 3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 4 TLSB 5484YC (1) 91 jda/jh

H.F. _____ Section 1. Section 282.18, subsection 7, paragraph b, 1 subparagraph (1), Code 2026, is amended to read as follows: 2 (1) The board of directors of the district of residence 3 shall pay to the receiving district the sum of the state cost 4 per pupil for the budget year plus the teacher leadership 5 supplement state cost per pupil, the professional development 6 supplement state cost per pupil, and the early intervention 7 supplement state cost per pupil for the budget year as provided 8 in section 257.9 , plus any moneys that would be due to the 9 school district of residence for the pupil as a result of the 10 non-English speaking additional weighting assigned to English 11 learners under section 280.4, subsection 3 , for the budget year 12 multiplied by the state cost per pupil for the budget year. If 13 the pupil participating in open enrollment is also an eligible 14 pupil under section 261E.6 , the receiving district shall pay 15 the tuition reimbursement amount to an eligible postsecondary 16 institution as provided in section 261E.7 . 17 Sec. 2. Section 282.18, Code 2026, is amended by adding the 18 following new subsection: 19 NEW SUBSECTION . 8A. a. If a request filed under this 20 section is for an English learner, the request to transfer 21 to the other district shall only be granted if all of the 22 following conditions are met: 23 (1) The receiving district maintains a program to provide 24 special instruction to English learners under section 280.4 25 that is appropriate to meet the English learner’s educational 26 needs and the enrollment of the English learner in the 27 receiving district’s special instruction program would not 28 cause the size of the class or caseload in that special 29 instruction program in the receiving district to exceed the 30 maximum class size or caseload established pursuant to rules 31 adopted by the state board of education. 32 (2) If the English learner would be assigned to a general 33 education class, there is sufficient classroom space in the 34 general education class to which the English learner would be 35 -1- LSB 5484YC (1) 91 jda/jh 1/ 3

H.F. _____ assigned. 1 b. (1) If the actual costs the receiving district incurs 2 in providing the English learner with the special instruction 3 described in section 280.4 are greater than the moneys that 4 would be due to the district of residence for the English 5 learner as a result of the additional weighting assigned to 6 English learners under section 280.4, subsection 3, then, in 7 addition to the payments described in subsection 7, paragraph 8 “b” , subparagraph (1), the English learner’s district of 9 residence shall pay to the receiving district an amount equal 10 to the actual costs the receiving district incurs in providing 11 the English learner with the special instruction described 12 in section 280.4 less any moneys that would be due to the 13 district of residence for the English learner as a result of 14 the additional weighting assigned to English learners under 15 section 280.4, subsection 3. 16 (2) If the actual costs the receiving district incurs in 17 providing the English learner with the special instruction 18 described in section 280.4 are less than or equal to the moneys 19 that would be due to the district of residence for the English 20 learner as a result of the additional weighting assigned to 21 English learners under section 280.4, subsection 3, then the 22 district of residence shall pay the receiving district in 23 accordance with the provisions of subsection 7, paragraph “b” , 24 subparagraph (1). 25 c. For purposes of this subsection, “English learner” means 26 the same as defined in section 280.4. 27 Sec. 3. APPLICABILITY. The following applies to open 28 enrollment applications, requests, and notifications filed by a 29 parent or guardian pursuant to section 282.18 on or after the 30 effective date of this Act: 31 The section of this Act enacting section 282.18, subsection 32 8A. 33 EXPLANATION 34 The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with 35 -2- LSB 5484YC (1) 91 jda/jh 2/ 3

H.F. _____ the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly. 1 This bill modifies provisions related to English learner 2 participation in open enrollment. 3 The bill provides that if a parent or guardian files a 4 request for an English learner to open enroll, the request 5 shall be granted only if the receiving district maintains a 6 program to provide special instruction to English learners that 7 is appropriate to meet the English learner’s educational needs 8 and the enrollment of the English learner in the receiving 9 district’s special instruction program would not cause the size 10 of the class or caseload in that special instruction program 11 in the receiving district to exceed the maximum class size or 12 caseload, and if the English learner would be assigned to a 13 general education class, there is sufficient classroom space in 14 the general education class to which the English learner would 15 be assigned. The bill establishes the amount that the English 16 learner’s district of residence is required to pay to the 17 receiving district. These provisions apply to open enrollment 18 applications, requests, and notifications filed by a parent or 19 guardian on or after the effective date of the bill. 20 The bill makes other nonsubstantive terminology changes 21 to Code section 282.18(7)(b)(1), which describes amounts 22 that districts of residence are required to pay to receiving 23 districts for students who open enroll. 24 -3- LSB 5484YC (1) 91 jda/jh 3/ 3