Relating to career education, including by modifying provisions related to career academies, the collective statewide articulation agreement between community colleges and the state board of regents, the district-to-community college sharing or concurrent enrollment program, and individual career and academic plans

Proposed by the Department of Education · all agency proposals

Topics:K–12 education Higher education

Same legislation: SSB 3049, SF 2223, HF 2547

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Official bill page Lobbyist declarations One-pager to print

Where it is now

Done: IntroducedJanuary 15, 2026
Done: SubcommitteeJanuary 15, 2026
Done: House committeeFebruary 11, 2026
Skipped: Passes the HouseContinued as HF 2547
Next: Senate committee
Next: Passes the Senate
Next: To the Governor
Next: Signed into law

Became HF 2547 → Its progress continues under the new number. Go to HF 2547 What’s a funnel?

What’s in it

AI summary New rules would change how career academies work by requiring students to take at least one college-level course. The bill also makes it easier for students to transfer technical and career credits from community colleges to state universities. Additionally, high schoolers could receive funding for summer classes that lead to college credits or specific job training, and eighth graders would discuss these opportunities when making their academic plans.¹

Read the official explanation

This bill relates to career education, including by modifying provisions related to career academies, the collective statewide articulation agreement between community colleges and the state board of regents, the district-to-community college sharing or concurrent enrollment program, and individual career and academic plans. Under current law, a career academy may be established under an agreement between a single school district and a community college, or by multiple school districts and a community college organized into a regional career and technical education planning partnership, and such a career academy is required to be a career-oriented or occupation-oriented program of study that includes a minimum of two years of secondary education. 8 (district-to-community college sharing or concurrent enrollment program). _____ associate of arts or associate of science degree program offered by a community college to a baccalaureate degree program offered by an institution of higher education governed by the state board of regents. The bill modifies this provision to provide that the collective statewide articulation agreement must provide for the seamless transfer of academic credits earned through a completed associate of arts degree program; academic credits earned through a completed associate of science degree program; and career and technical education credits from an associate of arts degree program, an associate of science degree program, an applied associate of arts degree program, or an applied associate of science degree program to a baccalaureate degree program offered by an institution of higher education governed by the state board of regents. Additionally, the collective statewide articulation agreement is required to include program-specific arrangements that favor the transfer of career and technical education credits unless extenuating circumstances prevent such transfer and is prohibited from including a uniform restriction related to the number of career and technical education credits that may be transferred.8(8) provides that, subject to an appropriation of moneys by the general assembly, the department of education is required to establish a program to provide additional funds for resident high school pupils enrolled in grades 9 through 12 to attend a community college for college-level classes or attend a class taught by a community college-employed instructor through a contractual agreement between a community college and a school district, except that the classes eligible for funding under this program are offered during the summer and outside of the regular school year and are aligned with career pathways leading to postsecondary credentials and high-demand jobs designated by the workforce development board or a community college. _____ of education to establish such program regardless of whether the general assembly appropriates moneys. In addition, the bill provides that the classes eligible for funding under the program must be offered during a summer term and must also be aligned with a transfer pathway or a career pathway leading to postsecondary credentials.11(3) (district-to-community college sharing and concurrent enrollment programs). The bill makes conforming changes. Current law provides that individualized career and academic plans developed by schools in cooperation with students enrolled in eighth grade must, among other things, identify the coursework and work-based learning needed in grades 9 through 12 to support the student’s postsecondary education and career options. The bill provides that this is required to include a discussion with the student related to opportunities that are available to the student through the school district to earn college credit and industry-recognized credentials that are aligned to the student’s postsecondary and career interests.

Changed since by amendment H-8014; see Amendments.

Full bill text²

House subcommittee

Named January 20, 2026. On February 10, 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

AI summary This bill changes the Summer Joint Enrollment Program by modifying how funding is calculated, expanding course options to include liberal arts, and requiring new credit transfer agreements. It is estimated to increase supplementary weighting paid through the school aid formula by $893,000 in fiscal year 2027 and $1.0 million in fiscal year 2028 if students enroll in both career and liberal arts courses. If all students enroll only in career and technical education courses, the increase is estimated at $962,000 in fiscal year 2027 and $1.1 million in fiscal year 2028.³

Read the fiscal note

Description

Senate File 2223 makes the following changes to the Summer Joint Enrollment Program (Program):

Modifies the supplementary weighting paid through the school aid formula to allow for supplementary weighted funding to be generated for students enrolled in the Program.
Removes the Program from the programs subject to the list of high-demand jobs identified by the State Workforce Development Board.
Requires career academies to include a minimum of two units of secondary education, one of which must include a course that meets the requirements of Iowa Code section 261E.8 (district-to-community college sharing or concurrent enrollment program).
Modifies the calculation of the percentage of the day a pupil attends a concurrent enrollment class, counting their attendance during the summer as if they attended during the school year.
Requires collective statewide articulation agreements with the Board of Regents (BOR) to transfer academic credits earned through completion of an associate degree program or career and technical education (CTE) program. The Bill also requires program-specific articulation arrangements that favor the transfer of CTE credits to the greatest possible extent.
Modifies the Program to allow liberal arts and sciences college-level coursework to be offered to students through the Program.
Requires the individualized career and academic planning process to include discussions with students regarding concurrent enrollment and industry-recognized credentials.

Background

The concurrent enrollment program, also known as district-to-community college sharing, provides high school students opportunities to enroll in eligible college-level courses at or through community colleges. Students do not pay tuition, textbook, or concurrent enrollment fees. Through sharing agreements, tuition is charged to school districts with participating students. Enrollment generates supplemental weighting funds from State School Aid that reimburse a portion back to the districts.

The Department of Education has received the Summer Joint Enrollment General Fund appropriation of $600,000 in the annual Education Appropriations Act since FY 2019. The appropriation provides moneys for resident high school pupils enrolled in grades 9 through 12 to attend a community college for college-level classes outside of the regular school year through a contractual agreement between a community college and a school district. The appropriation provides the support required by Iowa Code section 261E.8(8). Since FY 2019, the Program has provided over 7,700 students access to free, college-level CTE coursework. Career academies are career-oriented programs of study that link secondary CTE to a postsecondary education program. They have three main elements:

Concurrent enrollment coursework.
Coursework with a career theme that provides a foundation for entering postsecondary programs.
Strong partnerships among employers, school districts, higher education institutions, and the community.

Recommendations submitted to the General Assembly in July 2025 by the HF 2545 Comprehensive Review Task Force established in 2024 Iowa Acts, chapter 1159 (Iowa Educational Standards Act), outline potential changes to CTE concurrent enrollment and career and academic planning.

The total number of students enrolled in Program courses and CTE programs is as follows for summer 2023 through summer 2025:

Summer 2023 — 1,863 pupils with 35 total CTE programs offered
Summer 2024 — 2,113 pupils with 38 total CTE programs offered
Summer 2025 — 2,416 pupils with 32 total CTE programs offered

Assumptions

The FY 2027 State cost per pupil is $7,988, which is based on current law.
Any legislative changes to the State cost per pupil will alter the fiscal impact.
Assuming a growth rate of 13.0%, which is the average of the last two years for CTE courses, over the next two years, 2,730 pupils are estimated to enroll for summer 2026 and 3,010 are estimated to enroll for summer 2027.
Assumes enrollment based on recent trends for CTE-only enrollment. These calculations only apply if 100.0% of Program students enroll in CTE courses.

Fiscal Impact

Senate File 2223 is estimated to increase supplementary weighting paid through the school aid formula by $962,000 in FY 2027 and $1.1 million in FY 2028 if 100.0% of students are enrolled in CTE courses. However, if 75.0% of students are enrolled in CTE courses and 25.0% of students enrolled in college-level liberal arts and sciences courses, the Bill is estimated to increase supplementary weighting by $893,000 in FY 2027 and $1.0 million in FY 2028.

Currently, the Summer Joint Enrollment Program receives an annual General Fund appropriation of $600,000 in the Education Appropriations Act.

There is no fiscal impact on the Department of Education. Administrative work will be performed by Department staff with similar job responsibilities.