Iowa Senate Bill SF2076

Iowa 2025-2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 1/21/26
• Refer: 1/21/26

Caption

A bill for an act relating to a waiver of tuition and mandatory fees at accredited private institutions and regents institutions for students during student teaching experiences in the state.

Summary

Senate File 2076 requires both Iowa regents institutions and accredited private colleges participating in the Iowa tuition grants program to waive tuition and mandatory fees for students during the semester they are student teaching in Iowa. The bill defines “student teaching” as the supervised, full-time clinical teaching experience in the final year of a teacher preparation program, when the student teacher takes responsibility for planning, instruction, and assessment under a licensed cooperating teacher. The measure applies to two categories of institutions: state-controlled institutions under the Board of Regents and accredited private institutions that receive tuition grant participation. For private institutions, the waiver becomes a condition of participation in the Iowa tuition grants program. For regents institutions, the bill directs the institutions to adopt a policy implementing the waiver. The bill is aimed at reducing the financial burden on teacher candidates during the semester when they are typically unable to work full-time because of student teaching requirements.

Impact

If enacted, the bill would amend Iowa Code sections 256.183 and 262.9 to create a tuition-and-mandatory-fees waiver requirement for student teachers at covered institutions. It would expand the obligations of regents universities and participating private colleges by requiring institutional policies that eliminate those charges for the student-teaching semester, and it would tie private-college compliance to eligibility in the Iowa tuition grants program. The practical effect would be to reduce out-of-pocket costs for teacher preparation students and potentially affect institutional revenue and financial-aid administration.

Sentiment

The available record shows limited formal debate, with no committee transcript excerpts or recorded votes provided. Based on the bill’s structure and purpose, the measure appears generally supportive of teacher preparation and financial relief for prospective educators, with the main policy emphasis on lowering barriers to completing student teaching. The subcommittee assignment suggests the bill was under active legislative review, but the provided materials do not show clear opposition or endorsement from members.

Contention

The most likely points of contention are fiscal and administrative: institutions may object to the loss of tuition and fee revenue, and private institutions may be concerned about the waiver being imposed as a condition of participation in the Iowa tuition grants program. Another possible issue is whether the mandate should apply uniformly to all student teachers or whether institutions should retain flexibility in how they structure clinical placement costs and fee waivers. No specific objections from legislators or stakeholders are included in the provided record.