SF 194 (LSB 2214XS (2) 91)

SENATE FILE 194

BY  DONAHUE

A BILL FOR

An Act relating to the amount of compensation paid to school district employees, including by establishing an educator supplement for all fund to be administered by the department of education, and modifying the amount of compensation paid to teachers, certain employees with a license, endorsement, certification, authorization, or statement of recognition issued by the board of educational examiners, and teaching assistants, and making appropriations.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:

    Section 1.  NEW SECTION.  256.20  Educator supplement for all fund —— teacher and staff pay —— appropriation.
   1.  a.  An educator supplement for all fund is established in the state treasury. The fund shall be administered by the department and shall consist of moneys appropriated by the general assembly and any other moneys received by the department for deposit in the fund. The moneys in the fund are appropriated and made available to the department to be used for meeting the requirements of this section.
   b.  The department shall distribute moneys from the fund to school districts established pursuant to chapter 274 in amounts necessary to ensure that school districts compensate employees and teachers in accordance with this section.
   c.  For the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2025, and for each succeeding fiscal year, there is appropriated from the general fund of the state to the educator supplement for all fund the amount necessary to make all distributions required under paragraph “b” for the fiscal year.
   2.  a.  (1)  Subject to paragraph “b”, each school district shall pay to each employee with a license, endorsement, certification, authorization, or statement of recognition issued by the board of educational examiners who has been employed by the school district for at least one year, and who has completed all periods of conditional employment with the school district, five thousand dollars each year in addition to the employee’s base salary.
   (2)  Subparagraph (1) shall not require a school district to pay any amounts in addition to an employee’s base salary if the employee holds an administrator license issued by the board of educational examiners and is employed by the school district in an administrative role.
   b.  Each school district shall pay to each employee who serves as a teaching assistant an amount equal to ten percent of the employee’s current annual salary each year in addition to the employee’s base salary.
   c.  If an employee qualifies for a payment from a school district under paragraphs “a” and “b”, the school district shall pay the employee the greater of the amount required under paragraph “a” or “b”, but not both.
   3.  Each school district shall apply to the department for a distribution of moneys pursuant to this section.
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 the amount of compensation paid to school district employees, including by establishing an educator supplement for all fund to be administered by the department of education, and modifying the amount of compensation paid to teachers, certain employees with a license, endorsement, certification, authorization, or statement of recognition issued by the board of educational examiners (BOEE), and teaching assistants.
   The bill requires school districts to pay to each employee with a license, endorsement, certification, authorization, or statement of recognition issued by the BOEE who has been employed by the school district for at least one year, and who has completed all periods of conditional employment with the school district, $5,000 each year in addition to the employee’s base salary. The bill establishes that this provision does not apply to administrators. The bill requires school districts to pay to each employee who serves as a teaching assistant an amount equal to 10 percent of the employee’s current annual salary each year in addition to the employee’s base salary.
   The bill establishes an educator supplement for all fund in the state treasury under the control of the department of education. The bill requires the department to distribute moneys from the fund to school districts in amounts necessary to ensure that school districts compensate employees and teachers in accordance with the bill’s provisions. For the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2025, and for each succeeding fiscal year, the bill appropriates from the general fund of the state to the educator supplement for all fund the amount necessary to make all distributions required under the bill’s provisions.