SF 286 (LSB 1349SV (2) 91)

SENATE FILE 286

BY  COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION

(SUCCESSOR TO SF 72)

A BILL FOR

An Act relating to education, including by modifying provisions related to the national board certification pilot project and establishing the advanced dyslexia specialist endorsement competitive scholar program within the college student aid commission, and including effective date provisions.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:

    Section 1.  Section 256.44, subsection 1, unnumbered paragraph 1, Code 2025, is amended to read as follows:
   A national board certification pilot project program is established to be administered by the department of education. A teacher, as defined in section 256.145, who registers for or achieves national board for professional teaching standards certification, and who is employed by a school district in Iowa and receiving a salary as a classroom teacher, may be eligible for the following:
    Sec. 2.  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 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 is employed by a school district, accredited nonpublic school, charter school, innovation zone school, or 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 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 commission.
   b.  File a new application and submit information as required by the 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 commission, an affidavit of practice verifying the applicant is teaching in an Iowa school or an area education agency.
   5.  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 the recipient’s total dyslexia specialist endorsement tuition costs. The commission shall determine the number of individuals who receive tuition reimbursement, and the tuition reimbursement amounts provided to each individual, based on the number of individuals who apply for tuition reimbursement under this section and the funding available for tuition reimbursement.
   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 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. 3.  Section 284.13, subsection 1, paragraph a, Code 2025, is amended to read as follows:
   a.  (1)  For the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2024, and ending June 30, 2025, to the department, the amount of five hundred eight thousand two hundred fifty dollars for the issuance of national board certification awards in accordance with section 256.44. Of the amount allocated under this paragraph, not less than eighty-five thousand dollars shall be used to administer the ambassador to education position in accordance with section 256.45.
   (2)  Notwithstanding section 8.33, funds appropriated for purposes of this paragraph which remain unencumbered or unobligated at the close of the fiscal year for which the funds were appropriated shall not revert but shall be transferred to the advanced dyslexia specialist endorsement competitive scholar program fund established pursuant to section 256.220A, if enacted.
    Sec. 4.  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.
    Sec. 5.  EFFECTIVE DATE.  This Act, being deemed of immediate importance, takes effect upon enactment.
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 education, including by modifying provisions related to the national board certification pilot project and establishing the advanced dyslexia specialist endorsement competitive scholar program within the college student aid commission (CSAC).
   Current law establishes a national board certification pilot project, which is administered by the department of education (DE). The project is a certification program that is available to teachers and that provides financial awards to those teachers if the teachers can achieve certification. The bill changes the name of this project to the national board certification program.
   The bill provides that the advanced dyslexia specialist endorsement competitive scholar program will provide 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 is employed by a school district, accredited nonpublic school, charter school, innovation zone school, or an area education agency, and the teacher is working toward obtaining an advanced dyslexia specialist endorsement.
   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 CSAC may provide to a recipient.
   The bill establishes an advanced dyslexia specialist endorsement competitive scholar program fund. The bill also establishes reporting requirements for CSAC related to the program. CSAC is required to adopt rules to administer the program.
   The bill provides that funds appropriated to DE for purposes of the issuance of national board certification awards pursuant to Code section 284.13(1)(a) for fiscal year 2025 that remain unencumbered or unobligated at the close of that fiscal year shall be transferred to the advanced dyslexia specialist endorsement competitive scholar program fund.
   The bill takes effect upon enactment.