HF275 • 2026

A bill for an act modifying provisions related to the enrollment of eligible children in the statewide preschool program.

Children Education Housing

Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor: EHLERT, COOLING, WILSON, B. MEYER, LEVIN, OLSON, WILBURN, AMOS JR., SCHEETZ, R. JOHNSON, CROKEN, WICHTENDAHL, KRESSIG, JAMES, KURTH and BROWN-POWERS
Last action: 2025-02-10
Official status: Introduced, referred to Education. H.J. 273 .
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The bill summary does not provide specific details on how local programs will implement the new priority rule or if there will be additional funding.

Modifying Enrollment Rules for Statewide Preschool Program

This bill modifies provisions related to the enrollment of eligible children in Iowa's statewide preschool program by adding a requirement that local programs prioritize homeless children on waiting lists.

What This Bill Does

Adds a new rule requiring local preschool programs to give priority on their waiting lists to eligible children who meet the federal definition of 'homeless individual'.
Doesn't change other rules about teacher-to-child ratios and learning standards.

Who It Names or Affects

Children who qualify for the statewide preschool program
Local school districts that run preschool programs

Terms To Know

Homeless individual: Someone without a stable home, including those living in shelters or temporary housing.

Limits and Unknowns

The bill does not specify how local programs will implement the new priority rule.
It is unclear if this change will increase funding for preschool programs to accommodate more children.

Bill History

2025-02-10 Iowa Legislature
Introduced, referred to Education. H.J. 273 .

Official Summary Text

A bill for an act modifying provisions related to the enrollment of eligible children in the statewide preschool program.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

House

File

275

-

Introduced

HOUSE

FILE

275

BY

EHLERT

,

COOLING

,

WILSON

,

B.

MEYER

,

LEVIN

,

OLSON

,

WILBURN

,

AMOS

JR.

,

SCHEETZ

,

R.

JOHNSON

,

CROKEN

,

WICHTENDAHL

,

KRESSIG

,

JAMES

,

KURTH

,

and

BROWN-POWERS

A

BILL

FOR

An

Act

modifying

provisions

related

to

the

enrollment

of

1

eligible

children

in

the

statewide

preschool

program.

2

BE

IT

ENACTED

BY

THE

GENERAL

ASSEMBLY

OF

THE

STATE

OF

IOWA:

3

TLSB

2317YH

(4)

91

jda/jh

H.F.

275

Section

1.

Section

256C.3,

subsection

3,

Code

2025,

is

1

amended

by

adding

the

following

new

paragraph:

2

NEW

PARAGRAPH

.

i.

Provision

for

ensuring

that

if

there

3

is

a

waiting

list

for

eligible

children

to

enroll

in

the

4

local

program,

that

the

local

program

gives

priority

on

the

5

waiting

list

to

eligible

children

who

meet

the

definitional

6

requirements

of

the

term

“homeless

individual”

under

42

U.S.C.

7

§11302(a)

and

(c),

consistent

with

the

requirements

established

8

under

paragraph

“a”

.

9

EXPLANATION

10

The

inclusion

of

this

explanation

does

not

constitute

agreement

with

11

the

explanation’s

substance

by

the

members

of

the

general

assembly.

12

This

bill

modifies

provisions

related

to

the

enrollment

13

of

eligible

children

in

the

statewide

preschool

program.

14

Current

law

requires

the

state

board

of

education

to

adopt

15

rules

to

define

certain

specified

requirements

that

are

used

16

to

determine

whether

a

local

preschool

program

provided

by

a

17

school

district

will

be

considered

an

approved

local

program

18

under

the

statewide

preschool

program

established

under

Code

19

chapter

256C,

including

requirements

related

to

maximum

and

20

minimum

teacher-to-child

ratios,

student

learning

standards,

21

and

provisions

for

the

integration

of

children

from

other

22

state

and

federally

funded

preschool

programs.

The

bill

adds

23

to

the

list

of

requirements

the

requirement

that

the

local

24

program

provide

for

ensuring

that

if

there

is

a

waiting

list

25

for

eligible

children

to

enroll

in

the

local

program,

that

the

26

local

program

gives

priority

on

the

waiting

list

to

eligible

27

children

who

meet

the

definitional

requirements

of

the

term

28

“homeless

individual”

under

federal

law.

29

-1-

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