Bills › 91st General Assembly

SF 485Died when the session ended · March 3, 2025

Establishing requirements related to nonpublic schools that receive tuition payments from parents or guardians whose students are participating in the education savings account program

Sponsored by Sen. Liz Bennett (D), Sen. Tony Bisignano (D), Sen. Matt Blake (D), Sen. Molly Donahue (D), Sen. William A. Dotzler Jr. (D), Sen. Sarah Trone Garriott (D), Sen. Izaah Knox (D), Sen. Janet Petersen (D), Sen. Herman C. Quirmbach (D), Sen. Art Staed (D), Sen. Thomas Townsend (D), Sen. Zach Wahls (D), Sen. Janice Weiner (D), Sen. Cindy Winckler (D), Sen. Mike Zimmer (D)

Topics:K–12 educationVouchers & education savings accounts

Where it is now

  1. Done: IntroducedMarch 3, 2025
  2. Done: SubcommitteeMarch 4, 2025
  3. Stopped: Senate committeeDied when the General Assembly ended
  4. Next: Passes the Senate
  5. Next: House committeeFunnel: by March 20, 2026
  6. Next: Passes the House
  7. Next: To the Governor
  8. 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 Private schools that accept money from the education savings account program would have to follow new rules. These schools would need to meet the same standards as public school districts regarding teacher licensing, accreditation, and reporting data. The bill also removes a rule that prevented the state from requiring these schools to change their educational programs.1

Read the official explanation

This bill establishes requirements related to nonpublic schools that receive tuition payments from parents or guardians whose students are participating in the education savings account program.11B establishes the education savings account program, which allows for payments to be made to parents and guardians for the payment of qualified educational expenses. Current law defines “qualified educational expenses” to include tuition and fees at a nonpublic school. The bill modifies the definition of “qualified educational expenses” for purposes of the education savings account program to provide that the nonpublic school must adhere to all of the following: the accountability and transparency requirements applicable to the boards of directors of school districts, the data reporting requirements applicable to school districts, the accreditation standards applicable to school districts, and the teacher employment and teacher licensing requirements applicable to school districts. 11B that prohibits the Code section from being construed to authorize the state or any political subdivision of the state to require a nonpublic school to modify the nonpublic school’s educational program in order to receive payment from a parent or guardian using funds from a pupil’s account in the education savings account fund.

Full bill text2

Senate subcommittee

Named March 4, 2025. It hasn’t reported yet.

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

Iowa Code it changes

Amends§257.11B

How the Code works3

Lobbying

5 for · 0 against · 0 undecided · Who →