Modifying the duties of the department of education related to electronic systems, and including effective date provisions

Sponsored by the House Education Committee, Rep. Dan Gehlbach (R)

Topics:K–12 education Technology & privacy

Same legislation: HF 2124

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Official bill page Lobbyist declarations One-pager to print

Where it is now

Done: IntroducedJanuary 21, 2026
Done: SubcommitteeJanuary 21, 2026
Done: House committeeFebruary 11, 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 The director of the Department of Education will oversee how school districts and agencies use electronic data systems. This law requires the state to buy a new, modern system that allows different types of schools to easily share information with each other. These updated systems must also help the state send money to schools more quickly and communicate better with other government agencies.¹

Read the official explanation

This bill modifies the duties of the department of education (DE) related to electronic systems. The bill requires the director of DE to approve, coordinate, and supervise the use of electronic data and information processing by school districts, area education agencies, and merged areas, including the procurement of a comprehensive, statewide data collection system that must facilitate data collection between the student information systems of all school districts, accredited nonpublic schools, and area education agencies. The director of the department of education is required to procure the comprehensive, statewide data collection system using a process that requires the issuance of requests for proposal. The bill establishes requirements that the data collection system must satisfy. The bill requires that DE modernize its electronic systems and procedures in order to ensure the proper disbursement of moneys in a timely manner and to ensure that DE’s systems are able to communicate with other state agencies, and with school districts, accredited nonpublic schools, charter schools, and innovation zone schools. The modernization must include the deployment of a portal, on or before July 1, 2027, which satisfies requirements established in the bill.

Why it matters. The Department of Education would be responsible for overseeing electronic data processing and modernizing its systems to improve how it communicates with state agencies and schools. This change would require the department to procure a statewide data collection system that connects school districts, area education agencies, accredited nonpublic schools, charter schools, and innovation zone schools. If a new statewide data collection system must be acquired, the costs cannot be determined at this time.²

Changed since by amendment H-8053; see Amendments.

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

2 written public comments to its subcommittee: March 18, 2026 (1), January 28, 2026 (1) · on the Legislature’s site

Fiscal note

Can’t be estimated Compare with other bills

AI summary This bill requires the Department of Education to oversee electronic data processing and modernize its systems for data collection and funding disbursement. If the department updates its current systems, the fiscal impact is anticipated to be minimal. However, if a new statewide data collection system must be acquired, the costs cannot be determined at this time.⁴

Read the fiscal note

Description

House File 2546 requires the Director of the Iowa Department of Education (DE) to approve, coordinate, and supervise the use of electronic data and information processing by school districts, accredited nonpublic schools, Area Education Agencies (AEAs), postsecondary institutions, and community colleges. The Bill requires the Director to procure a comprehensive, statewide data collection system using a new request for proposal (RFP) process, which is required as soon as possible after the effective date of section 1 of the Bill. Section 1 of the Bill takes effect upon enactment.

The Bill also requires the DE to modernize its electronic systems for funding disbursement and system communication with other State agencies and with school districts, accredited nonpublic schools, charter schools, and innovation zone schools. The modernization of electronic systems must include the deployment of an online portal for information and data submission on or before July 1, 2027.

Background

Current law requires the DE to approve, coordinate, and supervise the use of electronic data processing by school districts, AEAs, and community colleges.

The DE currently maintains infrastructure supporting data collection and reporting. Over 400 school districts, charter schools, and nonpublic schools use the current DE system to collect information required by State and federal statutes.

The New Hampshire Department of Education recently contracted to deploy a new student information system at a total cost of $2.5 million.

Assumptions

It is unknown whether the DE would modernize existing systems or procure a new system.
The DE currently spends an estimated $900,000 annually to maintain its current system.
The new system in New Hampshire is similar to the requirements specified in the Bill and was procured at a cost of approximately $2.5 million. However, pricing for new systems can be driven by enrollment. New Hampshire’s K-12 enrollment is approximately one-third of Iowa’s enrollment.

Fiscal Impact

If current systems are utilized and updated, the fiscal impact for HF 2546 to the DE is anticipated to be minimal.

If the DE is required to acquire a new statewide data collection system, the fiscal impact for HF 2546 to the DE may lead to acquisition costs; however, these costs cannot be determined at this time. Additional costs may include payments to the Department of Management to support system modifications, and administrative costs for the DE to provide technical assistance to school districts, accredited nonpublic schools, AEAs, postsecondary institutions, and community colleges.

Source

Department of Education

Student Data Systems · March 4, 2026
Student Data Systems · March 2, 2026

Reading a fiscal note⁵

Iowa Code it changes

Amends§256.9

How the Code works⁶

Lobbying

3 for · 0 against · 14 undecided · Who →

Family tree

91st General Assembly

HF 2124Renumbered HF 2546Passed a chamberfrom HF 2124

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. ↩
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. ↩