Relating to English learners, including by modifying provisions related to open enrollment and the payment of costs incurred in transporting English learners to nonpublic schools, and including applicability provisions

Sponsored by the House Education Committee

Topics:K–12 education

Same legislation: HSB 557

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Official bill page Lobbyist declarations One-pager to print

Where it is now

Done: IntroducedJanuary 14, 2026
Done: SubcommitteeJanuary 14, 2026
Done: House committeeFebruary 4, 2026
Done: Passes the HouseMarch 2, 202689–1
Done: Senate committeeMarch 19, 2026
Stopped: Passes the SenateDied when the General Assembly ended
Next: To the Governor
Next: Signed into law

Died when the session ended The 2026 session adjourned on May 3, 2026, the General Assembly’s last regular session. Bills that didn’t pass both chambers died. What’s a funnel?

What’s in it

AI summary New rules would allow schools to use extra funding to pay for transporting students who are learning English to nonpublic schools. If a parent wants their child to transfer to a different school district, the new district can only accept them if they have enough space and the right programs to help them learn English. The bill also sets the specific amount of money a student's home district must pay to the new school.¹

Read the official explanation

This bill relates to English learners, including by modifying provisions related to open enrollment and the payment of costs incurred in transporting English learners to nonpublic schools. The bill provides that the additional weighting associated with English learners, in addition to paying for the excess costs of instruction, are to be used to pay for the costs of transporting English learners, including transportation to nonpublic schools. The bill provides that if a parent or guardian files a request for an English learner to open enroll, the request shall be granted only if the receiving district maintains a program to provide special instruction to English learners that is appropriate to meet the English learner’s educational needs and the enrollment of the English learner in the receiving district’s special instruction program would not cause the size of the class or caseload in that special instruction program in the receiving district to exceed the maximum class size or caseload, and if the English learner would be assigned to a general education class, there is sufficient classroom space in the general education class to which the English learner would be assigned. The bill establishes the amount that the English learner’s district of residence is required to pay to the receiving district. These provisions apply to open enrollment applications, requests, and notifications filed by a parent or guardian on or after the effective date of the bill.18(7)(b)(1), which describes amounts that districts of residence are required to pay to receiving districts for students who open enroll.

Why it matters. School districts can use specific English learner funding to cover transportation costs, including travel to nonpublic schools. Parents requesting open enrollment for an English learner will only be granted the request if the receiving district has an appropriate program and enough space or staff to accommodate the student without exceeding class size or caseload limits. Any change to the money school districts receive for transportation costs is expected to be minimal.²

Full bill text³

Senate subcommittee

Named March 10, 2026. On March 18, 2026 it recommended passage.

Three legislators hear a bill first and recommend what the committee should do; it’s the best time to weigh in. How to take part

Fiscal note

Minimal Compare with other bills

AI summary This bill allows school districts to use specific funding for English Learner students to pay for their transportation, including trips to nonpublic schools. The bill will have no fiscal impact to the state, and any change to the money school districts receive for transportation costs is expected to be minimal.⁴

Read the fiscal note

Requester – Representative Henry Stone

Description

House File 2363 allows for school districts that receive supplementary weighting for students who are English Learners (EL) to use those funds to pay for the cost of transportation of the student, including transportation to nonpublic schools. The Bill also provides requirements for a receiving district that has received a request to allow an EL student to open enroll into the proposed receiving district.

Background

An EL is a student who is in the process of acquiring English proficiency and has a first language other than English or in addition to English. The EL status remains with the student until the student shows English proficiency. School districts receive supplementary weighting to provide services to EL students, which is based on the level of English language proficiency. Currently, intensive students are eligible for a 0.26 weighted funding and intermediate students are eligible for a 0.21 weighted funding.

Open enrollment allows a parent or guardian residing in an Iowa district to enroll their child(ren) into another Iowa school under the terms and conditions of Iowa Code section 282.18. Any school district with excess EL costs may request a modified supplemental amount (MSA) from the School Budget Review Committee (SBRC) to cover EL costs.

The Transportation School Equity appropriation provides additional funding to school districts for public school transportation costs that exceed the statewide adjusted average cost per student. The individual school district calculations are done each year and are based on the appropriated amount provided for each fiscal year.

Assumptions

The Bill will not substantially change current open enrollment practices for EL students.
Requests to the SBRC for MSAs will remain unchanged.
A limited number of districts transport EL students to another public or nonpublic school.
The total number of EL students may increase by an unknown amount. But any increase in statewide transportation costs is expected to remain small enough to have no impact on the statewide average transportation cost. As a result, the statewide average transportation cost per pupil will remain at $430.85.

Fiscal Impact

House File 2363 will have no fiscal impact to the State. Any change to the allocation school districts receive from the Transportation School Equity appropriation is expected to be minimal.

Sources

Department of Education
Iowa Association of School Boards

Open Enrollment, English-Language Learners · February 24, 2026

Reading a fiscal note⁵

Iowa Code it changes

Amends§280.4 §282.18

How the Code works⁶

Lobbying

1 for · 0 against · 13 undecided · Who →

Family tree

Study bill

HSB 557Renumbered

91st General Assembly

HF 2363Passed a chamberfrom HSB 557

Notes

The summary is written by an AI model from the official explanation. It can miss details; the explanation and the bill are what count. ↩
Written by an AI model from the official explanation and fiscal note only, for bills that passed a chamber, drew heavy lobbying or carry a large cost. It doesn’t weigh whether the bill is a good idea. ↩
The explanation is printed with the bill as introduced and written by the Legislative Services Agency, the Legislature’s nonpartisan staff. Amendments adopted later aren’t reflected in it. ↩
Written by an AI model from the newest fiscal note. It can miss details; the note itself is what counts. ↩
Fiscal notes are nonpartisan cost estimates from the Legislative Services Agency’s Fiscal Services Division. The newest is listed first. ↩
Code sections are read from the bill as introduced. Each links to every bill touching that chapter of the Iowa Code. ↩