Relating to and making appropriations to the education system, including the funding and operation of the department for the blind, department of education, and state board of regents; modifying provisions related to compulsory education, open enrollment, the state board of regents presidential search committee, the Iowa tuition grants program, and the Iowa dyslexia board; establishing restrictions related to diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts of institutions of higher education governed by the state board of regents; providing penalties; and including effective date and applicability provisions

This bill relates to and makes appropriations to the education system. The bill appropriates moneys for FY 2024-2025 from the general fund of the state and other funds to the department for the blind, the department of education, and the state board of regents and its institutions. The bill is organized by divisions. DEPARTMENT FOR THE BLIND. The bill appropriates moneys to the department for the blind for its administration. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION. The bill appropriates moneys to the department of education for purposes of the department’s general administration; career and technical education administration; public broadcasting division; career and technical education reimbursement; school food service; expansion of the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act birth through age three services; early head start projects; the student achievement and teacher quality program; statewide student assessment; statewide clearinghouse to expand work-based learning; postsecondary summer classes for high school students program; jobs for America’s graduates specialists; attendance center performance/general internet site and data system support; successful progression for early readers; an early warning system for literacy; the Iowa reading research center; computer science professional development incentive fund; children’s mental health school-based training and support; for school districts for students with intellectual and developmental disabilities; distribution to the midwestern higher education compact to pay Iowa’s member state annual obligation; community colleges; the Iowa school for the deaf and Iowa educational services for the blind and visually impaired program; the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics collaborative initiative; the therapeutic classroom incentive fund; the payment of claims for reimbursement submitted for therapeutic classroom transportation; the LEAD-K program; division of special education; professional development; and the administration and various programs of the college student aid commission. The bill also appropriates moneys from the Iowa skilled worker and job creation fund to the department of education for various purposes. STATE BOARD OF REGENTS. The bill appropriates moneys to the state board of regents for the board office, universities’ general operating budgets, the western Iowa regents resource center, the state university of Iowa, the Iowa state university of science and technology, and the university of northern Iowa. STANDING APPROPRIATIONS.209.194(2). STATE PROGRAM ALLOCATION.13 establishes how moneys appropriated for purposes of the student achievement and teacher quality program are to be allocated. The bill extends such allocations to FY 2024-2025.11. THERAPEUTIC CLASSROOM TRANSPORTATION CLAIMS REIMBURSEMENT. For FY 2023-2024, the general assembly appropriated $500,000 to the department of education for payment of school district claims for transportation reimbursement submitted in connection with therapeutic classroom services.25, as determined by the department. That fund is used to distribute grants to school districts under the therapeutic classroom incentive grant program. These provisions take effect upon enactment.