A bill for an act providing for a waiver of undergraduate tuition and mandatory fees and a stipend at regents institutions for Iowa residents who receive the maximum score on certain standardized tests.(See HF 577.)
Summary
HF 154 would require Iowa’s regents institutions to waive undergraduate tuition and mandatory fees for Iowa residents who earn the maximum possible score on either the ACT college readiness assessment or the College Board college readiness assessment. In addition to the tuition and fee waiver, the bill would provide those students a stipend of $5,000 per semester. The Board of Regents could require proof of the qualifying score and could set standards for continued eligibility.
The benefit would be limited to students who maintain satisfactory academic progress toward graduation, and the board would have authority to define that standard. The bill is framed as an incentive and reward for exceptional standardized test performance, and it applies only to public higher education institutions governed by the Board of Regents.
Impact
The bill would amend Iowa Code section 262.9 to add a new category of mandatory tuition and fee waivers at regents institutions. It would create a new state-funded financial aid entitlement for a narrow group of Iowa residents with perfect scores on specified standardized tests, and it would authorize the Board of Regents to administer documentation and academic-progress requirements. The practical effect would be to reduce tuition revenue for the institutions and increase state or institutional costs associated with the stipend and waived charges.
Sentiment
The available voting history suggests the bill had some support but was not unanimous: the House Committee on Higher Education approved it by an 8-3 vote. No committee transcript is available, so there is no recorded floor debate or detailed discussion to show broader sentiment. Based on the bill’s advancement and committee approval, the measure appears to have been viewed favorably by a majority of committee members, though with notable opposition from a minority.
Contention
The main points of contention likely center on whether a full tuition waiver and $5,000-per-semester stipend is an appropriate use of public funds for a very small number of high-achieving students, and whether standardized test scores should be the basis for such a generous benefit. Opponents may also question fairness, equity, and whether the policy favors test performance over other forms of merit or need. Supporters likely view it as a strong incentive to reward academic excellence and attract top-performing Iowa students to the state’s public universities.
Similar To
A bill for an act providing for a waiver of undergraduate tuition and mandatory fees and a stipend at regents institutions for Iowa residents who receive the maximum score on certain standardized tests.(Formerly HF 154.)
A bill for an act providing for a waiver of undergraduate tuition and mandatory fees and a stipend at regents institutions for Iowa residents who receive the maximum score on certain standardized tests.(Formerly HF 154.)
A bill for an act relating to in-state residency for purposes of undergraduate tuition and mandatory fees at regents institutions and community colleges for certain military personnel and family members.(See HF 175.)
A bill for an act providing for a waiver of tuition and mandatory fees at regents institutions and community colleges for peace officers and their legal dependents and making appropriations.
A bill for an act relating to in-state residency for purposes of undergraduate tuition and mandatory fees at regents institutions and community colleges for certain military personnel and family members. (Formerly HSB 6.)
A bill for an act providing for a waiver of tuition and mandatory fees at regents institutions and community colleges for certain sanitation workers and their children.
A bill for an act providing for a waiver of tuition and mandatory fees at regents institutions for certain veterans with service-connected disabilities.(See HF 2491.)
A bill for an act providing for a waiver of tuition and mandatory fees at regents institutions for certain veterans with service-connected disabilities. (Formerly HF 2132.) Effective date: 07/01/2026.
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