Relating to charter schools and innovation zone schools, including by modifying provisions related to charter school funding and operations, services provided to charter schools by area education agencies, charter school contracts, and charter school student participation in extracurricular activities provided by public schools, striking provisions allowing for the establishment of innovation zone schools, and including applicability provisions

This bill relates to charter schools and innovation zone schools, including by modifying provisions related to charter school funding and operations, services provided to charter schools by area education agencies, charter school contracts, and charter school student participation in extracurricular activities provided by public schools, and striking provisions allowing for the establishment of innovation zone schools. DIVISION I —— CONSOLIDATION OF CHARTER SCHOOL CODE CHAPTERS AND ELIMINATION OF INNOVATION ZONE SCHOOLS. Current Code chapter 256F authorizes school districts to join together to establish an innovation zone school, a public school, administered by a principal, that is designed to encourage diverse approaches to learning and education and that operates pursuant to the terms of a contract entered into between the boards of directors of the school districts establishing the innovation zone school and the state board of education. The division modifies Code chapter 256F to remove all references to innovation zone schools, which eliminates the authorization for school districts to join together to establish an innovation zone school. The division makes conforming changes. Current law provides that the term of a charter school contract entered into between the board of directors of a school district that has established a charter school under Code chapter 256F and the state board of education shall be four years. The division provides that the term of such a contract shall be five years.9 (performance framework). These provisions apply to charter school contracts under Code chapter 256F that are renewed on or after the effective date of the division. The division transfers the Code sections within Code chapter 256F (charter schools and innovation zone schools) to a new subchapter II within Code chapter 256E (charter schools —— school board and founding group models). The division also organizes the current Code sections within Code chapter 256E into a new subchapter I. DIVISION II —— FUNDING AND AREA EDUCATION AGENCY SERVICES. Currently, each student enrolled in a charter school under Code chapter 256E, subchapter I, shall be counted, for state school foundation purposes, in the student’s district of residence.8(2)(a). This division adds the teacher salary supplement state cost per pupil to the amount required to be paid to the Code chapter 256E, subchapter I, charter school. This provision applies to school budget years beginning on or after July 1, 2026. The division requires area education agencies to provide educational services and media services to students enrolled in Code chapter 256E, subchapter I, charter schools. _____ agency: the amount calculated for media services for the school district that is attributable to the number of students enrolled in Code chapter 256E, subchapter I, charter schools within the school district who are provided with media services by an area education agency, and the amount calculated for educational services for the school district that is attributable to the number of students enrolled in Code chapter 256E, subchapter I, charter schools within the school district who are provided with educational services by an area education agency. This provision applies to school budget years beginning on or after July 1, 2026. DIVISION III —— EXTRACURRICULAR INTERSCHOLASTIC ATHLETIC CONTESTS OR COMPETITIONS PROVIDED BY PUBLIC SCHOOLS.13A (sharing interscholastic activities) with another school district, nonpublic school, or charter school that provides for the eligibility of students enrolled in the charter school to participate in the extracurricular interscholastic athletic contest or competition that is being provided by that school.13A with another school district, nonpublic school, or charter school that provides for the eligibility of students enrolled in the charter school to participate in the extracurricular interscholastic athletic contest or competition that is being provided by that school. The division provides that if the board of directors of a school district has established a fee for the cost of a student’s participation in an extracurricular interscholastic athletic contest or competition, a student who is enrolled in a Code chapter 256E, subchapter I, charter school and is participating in a contest or competition at a public school pursuant to the division’s provisions, or the student’s parent or guardian, shall be responsible for the payment of such fee. The division requires a student who is enrolled in a Code chapter 256E, subchapter I, charter school and is participating in a contest or competition at a public school pursuant to the division’s provisions to participate under the same conditions as a student who is enrolled in the school district, including meeting the school district’s student code of conduct requirements.46 (rules for participation in extracurricular activities by certain children). _____ DIVISION IV —— DRIVER EDUCATION. Current law requires every public school district in Iowa to offer or make available to all students residing in the school district, including Iowa students attending a nonpublic school or receiving competent private instruction or independent private instruction, in the district, an approved course in driver education. The division requires Code chapter 256E, subchapter I, charter schools to offer or make available such courses to students attending the charter school. In addition, the division requires every public school district in Iowa to offer or make available to all Iowa students residing in the school district who attend a Code chapter 256E, subchapter I, charter school an approved course in driver education pursuant to policies established by the school district. The charter school is responsible for the payment of all of the school district’s costs associated with providing the approved course in driver education to such students. DIVISION V —— CHARTER SCHOOL OPERATIONS.163 establishes requirements for teacher licensure beyond a temporary initial license or an initial license.163, the requirements for teacher licensure beyond a temporary initial license or an initial license include successful completion of a beginning teacher mentoring and induction program; two years of successful teaching experience in a school district with an approved career paths, leadership roles, and compensation framework; or evidence of not less than three years of successful teaching experience at certain specified schools or programs.163 to add charter schools, established pursuant to Code chapter 256E, subchapter I, to this list of schools or programs, allowing a teacher to attain licensure beyond a temporary initial license or an initial license if the teacher completes not less than three years of successful teaching experience at such a charter school. _____ schools established under Code chapter 256E, subchapter I, is to accelerate student learning to prevent learning loss during the COVID-19 pandemic and other significant disruptions to student learning. The division modifies this provision to provide that one of the purposes of such charter schools is to accelerate student learning to prevent learning loss during significant disruptions to student learning. The division provides that an initial charter school contract shall be granted for a term of five school budget years, commencing the school budget year in which the charter school opens. In addition, the division provides that an approved charter school opens on the first day of the school year that is two school years immediately subsequent to the school year in which the charter school contract is executed; provided, however, that the approved charter school may open on the first day of the school year that is immediately subsequent to the school year in which the charter school contract is executed if the approved charter school demonstrates adequate preparation to the state board. If the charter school requires an opening delay of more than two school years immediately subsequent to the school year in which the charter school contract is executed, the charter school may request an extension from the state board. This provision applies to charter school contracts that are executed on or after the effective date of the division. The division allows students from charter schools established pursuant to Code chapter 256E, subchapters I and II, to access the district-to-community college sharing or concurrent enrollment program through the school district in which the charter school is located. The division also allows students from online charter schools to access the program through the students’ school district of residence.