Bills › 91st General Assembly
Relating to school districts that share the operational functions of a school resource officer, and including applicability provisions
Sponsored by the House Education Committee, Rep. Taylor R. Collins (R)
Topics:State budgetK–12 educationSchool safety
Same legislation: HF 122
Where it is now
- Done: IntroducedJanuary 27, 2025
- Done: SubcommitteeJanuary 30, 2025
- Done: House committeeFebruary 18, 2025
- Done: Passes the HouseMarch 12, 202595–0
- Stopped: Senate committeeDied when the General Assembly ended
- Next: Passes the Senate
- 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 School districts that share the duties of a school resource officer with local police will receive more state funding. Instead of getting extra money based on two students, the funding amount will now be based on four students. This change affects school districts starting in the 2025 school year.1
Read the official explanation
This bill relates to school districts that share the operational functions of a school resource officer. Current law provides that, through the budget year beginning July 1, 2034, a school district that shares with a political subdivision one or more operational functions in certain specified areas for at least percent of the school year shall be assigned a supplementary weighting for each shared operational function. The purpose of the supplementary weighting is to provide additional funding to increase student opportunities and redirect more resources to student programming for school districts. Under current law, the supplementary weighting associated with a school resource officer is two pupils for the school budget years beginning on or after July 1, 2022, but before July 1, 2035. The bill increases the supplementary weighting associated with a school resource officer to four pupils. The bill applies July 1, 2025, for school budget years beginning on or after that date.
Senate subcommittee
Named March 18, 2025. On March 26, 2025 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
Cost: up to $105,000 Compare with other bills
AI summary This bill increases the amount of supplementary weighting assigned to school districts that share the operational functions of a school resource officer from 2.0 pupils to 4.0 pupils. It is estimated to increase costs for 78 school districts by a total annual amount of $1.2 million beginning in fiscal year 2026 and ending after fiscal year 2035. This increase would be funded by approximately $1.1 million from the state's General Fund and $105,000 from local property taxes.3
Read the fiscal note
Description
House File 515 relates to school districts that share the operational functions of a school resource officer (SRO). Under current law, the supplementary weighting associated with an SRO is 2.0 pupils for the school budget years beginning on or after July 1, 2022 (FY 2023), but before July 1, 2035 (FY 2036). The Bill increases the supplementary weighting associated with a school resource officer to 4.0 pupils.
The Bill applies to school budget years beginning on or after July 1, 2025 (FY 2026).
Background
Pursuant to Iowa Code section 257.11, a school district that shares one or more specified operational functions with another political subdivision is assigned a supplementary weighting for each shared operational function. The maximum additional weighting that a school district may receive in one year is 21.0 additional pupils. Iowa Code section 257.11(5) allows for supplementary weighting for school districts and Area Education Agencies (AEAs) that share Iowa Code-specified job positions for at least 20.0% of the school year. Iowa Code section 257.11(5) sunsets the availability of supplementary weighting following the school budget year beginning July 1, 2034 (FY 2035).
Iowa Code section 257.11(5) establishes a list of eligible operational functions and positions eligible for a supplementary weighting for school districts. Legislation in 2021 established a reduction in the number of pupils assigned for certain functions and positions, and 2023 Iowa Acts, House File 68 (Education Savings Accounts Act), extended the Supplementary Weighting Program until the end of the school budget year beginning July 1, 2034. For school budget years beginning on or after July 1, 2022, until the end of the school budget year beginning July 1, 2034, each operational function assigned a supplementary weighting of 5.0 pupils will be assigned 4.0 pupils and each operational function assigned a supplementary weighting of 3.0 pupils will be assigned 2.0 pupils. Iowa Code section 257.11(5)(d) specifies that college and career transition counselors or coordinators do not count toward this maximum amount. Under current law, an SRO will be assigned 2.0 pupils.
Based on preliminary FY 2026 data, of the 325 school districts, 11 school districts exceed the 21.0-pupil additional weighting maximum and 314 school districts are utilizing 21.0 or fewer additional pupils, including 24 school districts that are not currently participating in operational sharing and 85 school districts that are at the 21.0-pupil additional weighting maximum.
Assumptions
- Funding for eligible school districts will begin in FY 2026 and end after FY 2035.
- If a school district is not utilizing an SRO weighting, it will not utilize the additional weighting authorized by the Bill.
- School districts using additional weighting will utilize all the additional weighting authorized by the Bill for an SRO, subject to the overall cap.
- The State cost per pupil (SCPP) will remain at $7,826.
- Any legislative changes to the SCPP will alter the fiscal impact.
- The FY 2026 SCPP is $7,826, with $6,918 funded from the State General Fund, $223 funded from Property Tax Replacement Payments funded from the State General Fund, and $685 funded from local property tax. The amount by which the district cost per pupil (DCPP) exceeds the SCPP is funded from local property tax.
Fiscal Impact
House File 515 is estimated to increase the operational function sharing supplementary weighting by a total of approximately 156.0 pupils among 78 school districts at a total annual cost of $1.2 million beginning with FY 2026 and ending after FY 2035. The estimated increase will be funded with approximately $1.1 million from the State General Fund and $105,000 from local property tax through the school aid formula.
Sources
- Department of Education, Certified Enrollment and Enrollment Projections File
- Department of Management, School Aid Files
- Iowa Association of School Boards
- LSA analysis and calculations
- Shared Operational Functions, School Resource Officers · February 25, 2025 · $105,000
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91st General Assembly
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