Iowa House Bill HF2724

Iowa 2025-2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 2/24/26
• Engrossed: 3/3/26
• Enrolled: 5/6/26

Caption

A bill for an act requiring the board of educational examiners to establish additional endorsements and authorizations. (Formerly HSB 677.) Effective date: 07/01/2026.

Summary

HF 2724 requires the Iowa Board of Educational Examiners to create several new educator credentials. First, it directs the board to adopt rules establishing additional endorsements for instruction in three high-need subject areas: fine arts, mathematics, and science. These endorsements are limited to applicants who hold at least a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university, and the authority to create them is temporary, expiring July 1, 2030. The bill also creates a new kindergarten through grade 12 instructional strategist II endorsement that may be earned without a master’s or doctoral degree, lowering the academic threshold for that credential. In addition, it requires the board to establish an activities administration authorization for school activities administrators, with eligibility requiring a baccalaureate degree or higher in any academic field. The act takes effect July 1, 2026.

Impact

The bill amends Iowa Code section 256.146 by adding new subsections directing the Board of Educational Examiners to expand the state’s licensure and endorsement framework for school personnel. It affects teacher and administrator credentialing rules for public schools serving prekindergarten through grade 12 students, particularly in shortage areas and extracurricular activities administration. The measure may broaden the pool of eligible applicants for certain positions while also setting minimum degree requirements for others, and it sunsets the high-need subject-area endorsement authority in 2030.

Sentiment

The bill appears to have enjoyed broad bipartisan support. It passed the House by a vote of 93-2 and the Senate by 30-13, suggesting general agreement that Iowa should add or adjust educator endorsements to address staffing and credentialing needs. The lack of committee transcript material limits insight into detailed debate, but the vote margins indicate overall favorable sentiment toward the bill’s goals, with some reservations in the Senate.

Contention

The main points of potential contention are the balance between expanding access to educator credentials and maintaining academic standards. The bill lowers the degree requirement for the new instructional strategist II endorsement by allowing applicants without a master’s or doctoral degree, which may have drawn concern from those favoring higher credentialing standards. Conversely, the requirement that high-need subject-area endorsements be limited to bachelor’s-degree holders, and the separate degree requirement for activities administration authorization, reflect an effort to preserve baseline qualifications. The Senate’s 13 nays suggest some disagreement, though the available record does not identify specific objections.