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Read. Follow. Verify.Iowa Department of Education establishes special education and behavioral attendance center pilot program for rural and urban school districts
Last action · March 18, 2026: Fiscal note.Sponsors: Lynn Evans and 1 other
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What This Bill Would Do
The Iowa Department of Education must develop and administer a pilot program requiring one designated rural school district and one urban school district to establish specialized s for students requiring special education and those with behavioral needs, effective for budget years beginning on or after July 1, 2026. The participating districts must direct a portion of their special education support services funding toward the pilot program and submit annual reports to the department by June 1, while the department compiles and submits these reports to the general assembly by June 30. The pilot program is set to be repealed on July 1, 2031.
Participating school districts must redirect at least forty-eight percent of the ninety percent of special education support services funds they receive under Code section 257.10(7) to operate the s, changing how state funds are allocated for eligible students in those districts.
Who It Would Affect
Groups the bill's text would affect if enacted, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.
Department of Education
The department must develop, administer, select participating districts, determine curricula and facilities, and compile annual reports for the general assembly.
Rural and Urban School Districts
Selected districts must establish attendance centers, consult with the department, submit annual reports by June 1, and reallocate a portion of special education funding.
Eligible Students
Students requiring special education or facing behavioral, emotional, or social needs may be enrolled in the new attendance centers.
Key Facts
- The Department of Education must develop and administer a pilot program requiring a rural school district and an urban school district to establish attendance centers for eligible students.
- Eligible students include children requiring special education and students whose emotional, social, or behavioral needs interfere with their ability to be successful in the regular educational environment.
- The department determines which rural and urban school districts must participate in the pilot program.
- The department, in consultation with the participating districts, determines the courses of study, curricula, and instructional facilities used for the pilot program.
Show all 10 facts
- Participating school districts must submit an annual report to the department on or before June 1 of each year detailing enrollment, academic performance, feedback, challenges, and recommendations.
- The department must compile the annual reports and submit the compilation to the general assembly on or before June 30 of each year.
- For budget years beginning on or after July 1, 2026, participating districts must use not less than forty-eight percent of the ninety percent of funds received under Code section 257.10, subsection 7, for the purposes of the pilot program.
- A rural school district is defined as a district in a county with a population between 17,500 and 18,000 containing a city with a population between 5,400 and 5,500 based on the 2020 federal decennial census.
- An urban school district is defined as a school district with a total enrollment of at least 7,000 students.
- The section establishing the pilot program is repealed on July 1, 2031.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which school districts are required to participate in the pilot program?
What funding is reallocated for the pilot program?
When does the pilot program end?
What else do you want to know?
News Coverage
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Votes, people, money & the original sourceWhere This Stands
Currently passed chamber. The next step in the legislative lifecycle is Law.
Procedural history
15 actions- Mar 18, 2026Iowa LegislatureFiscal note.
- Mar 12, 2026HouseIntroducedRead first time, referred to Education. H.J. 639 .
- Mar 11, 2026HouseMessage from Senate. H.J. 635 .
- Mar 10, 2026SenateImmediate message. S.J. 536 .
- Mar 10, 2026SenateFloorPassed Senate , yeas 32, nays 13. S.J. 536 .
- Mar 10, 2026SenateAmendment S-5084 filed, ruled out of order. S.J. 536 .
Show 9 earlier actions
- Mar 10, 2026SenateFloorAmendment S-5095 filed, adopted. S.J. 536 .
- Mar 3, 2026Iowa LegislatureFiscal note.
- Feb 19, 2026SenateCommittee report, approving bill. S.J. 333 .
- Feb 19, 2026SenateIntroducedIntroduced, placed on calendar. S.J. 328 .
- Feb 19, 2026SenateCommittee report approving bill, renumbered as SF 2404 . S.J. 333 .
- Feb 18, 2026Iowa LegislatureSubcommittee recommends passage.
- Feb 12, 2026Iowa LegislatureSubcommittee Meeting: 02/17/2026 12:00PM Room 217 Conference Room.
- Feb 10, 2026SenateSubcommittee: Gruenhagen, Donahue, and Evans. S.J. 243 .
- Feb 3, 2026SenateIntroducedIntroduced, referred to Education. S.J. 187 .
Version history
Only one version on file - nothing to compare yet. As later stages (committee substitute, engrossed, enrolled) are captured, the redline appears here.
View official text →Lobbying Activity
No state lobbying filings in our records match this bill. Federal lobbying reports (LDA) cover Congress, so they are not listed on state bills.
Full breakdown
Who this bill affects and the strongest case for and against it, written only from the bill’s own text.
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Sources
www.legis.iowa.gov
Analysis Score
0–100- Significance50How much this matters to a regular citizen
- Controversy25Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
- Entertainment5Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
- Buzz15Current news / social attention level
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