Senate File 2404 - Reprinted SENATE FILE 2404 BY COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION (SUCCESSOR TO SF 2181) (COMPANION TO HF 2003 BY WILLS) (As Amended and Passed by the Senate March 10, 2026 ) A BILL FOR An Act requiring the department of education to develop and 1 administer a pilot program that requires certain specified 2 school districts to establish attendance centers for 3 students requiring special education and students with 4 behavioral issues. 5 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 6 SF 2404 (2) 91 jda/jh/mb
S.F. 2404 Section 1. NEW SECTION . 256.20 Schools for students 1 requiring special education or students with behavioral issues 2 —— pilot project. 3 1. The department shall develop and administer a pilot 4 program that requires a rural school district and an urban 5 school district to each establish an attendance center to 6 be used to provide educational services, including special 7 education services, to eligible students who are enrolled 8 in the rural school district or urban school district, as 9 applicable. 10 2. The department shall determine the rural school district 11 and urban school district that will be required to participate 12 in the pilot program. A rural school district or an urban 13 school district shall not be required to participate in the 14 pilot program unless any one of the following applies: 15 a. The rural school district or urban school district agrees 16 to participate in the pilot program and provides notice to the 17 department indicating that the rural school district or urban 18 school district has the ability to fully fund the rural school 19 district’s or urban school district’s participation in the 20 pilot program. 21 b. The department fully funds the rural school district’s 22 or urban school district’s participation in the pilot program 23 using moneys appropriated by the general assembly for purposes 24 of this section. 25 3. The department, in consultation with the rural school 26 district and urban school district, shall determine all of the 27 following: 28 a. The courses of study and curricula that the rural school 29 district and urban school district will provide to eligible 30 students as part of the pilot program. 31 b. The instructional facilities that the rural school 32 district and urban school district will use to provide 33 educational services to eligible students as part of the pilot 34 program. 35 -1- SF 2404 (2) 91 jda/jh/mb 1/ 3
S.F. 2404 4. a. Annually, on or before June 1 of each year, the rural 1 school district and urban school district shall submit to the 2 department an annual report that contains all of the following: 3 (1) The number of eligible students who participated in the 4 pilot program during the current school year. 5 (2) Information related to the academic performance of 6 eligible students who participated in the pilot program during 7 the current school year. 8 (3) Feedback from eligible students who participated in the 9 pilot program during the current school year related to the 10 effectiveness of the pilot program. 11 (4) Feedback from the parents or guardians of eligible 12 students who participated in the pilot program during the 13 current school year related to the effectiveness of the pilot 14 program. 15 (5) Feedback from teachers who provided educational 16 services to eligible students who participated in the 17 pilot program during the current school year related to the 18 effectiveness of the pilot program. 19 (6) Challenges associated with operating the pilot program. 20 (7) Recommendations related to how to improve the pilot 21 program. 22 (8) Any other information requested by the department that 23 will allow the department to monitor and assess the pilot 24 program. 25 b. Annually, on or before June 30 of each year, the 26 department shall compile the annual reports submitted to the 27 department pursuant to paragraph “a” and shall submit the 28 compilation to the general assembly. 29 5. As used in this section: 30 a. “Eligible student” means any of the following: 31 (1) Children requiring special education, as defined in 32 section 256B.2. 33 (2) A student whose emotional, social, or behavioral 34 needs interfere with the student’s ability to be successful 35 -2- SF 2404 (2) 91 jda/jh/mb 2/ 3
S.F. 2404 in the regular educational environment, even with the use of 1 supplementary aids and services. 2 b. “Rural school district” means a school district as 3 described in chapter 274 that is located in a county with a 4 population of greater than seventeen thousand five hundred but 5 less than eighteen thousand, and that contains a city with a 6 population of greater than five thousand four hundred, but less 7 than five thousand five hundred, all according to the 2020 8 federal decennial census. 9 c. “Urban school district” means a school district as 10 described in chapter 274 with a total enrollment of at least 11 seven thousand students. 12 6. This section is repealed July 1, 2031. 13 -3- SF 2404 (2) 91 jda/jh/mb 3/ 3