ARC 9390C

ARC 9390C

Proposing rulemaking related to teach Iowa scholar program
and providing an opportunity for public comment

The Administrative Rules Coordinator provided preclearance for the publication of this Notice of Intended Action on March 14, 2025.

A Regulatory Analysis for this rulemaking was published in the Iowa Administrative Bulletin on February 19, 2025. A public hearing was held on the following date(s):

●March 11, 2025

No public comments on the Regulatory Analysis were received at the public hearing or in writing.

Any persons who intend to attend a public hearing and have special requirements, such as those related to hearing or mobility impairments, should contact the Commission and advise of specific needs.

ITEM 1.Rescind 283—Chapter 28 and adopt the following new chapter in lieu thereof:

CHAPTER 28

TEACH IOWA SCHOLAR PROGRAM

283—28.1(256) Definitions.

“Eligible applicant” means an individual who meets the criteria in Iowa Code section 256.218(3), agrees to complete the obligation, completes applications on or before the date established by the commission, and does not meet a condition in 283—subrule 10.3(1). The obligation ends after five consecutive years. Progression towards completion of the obligation is verified annually. In addition, the eligible applicant will have graduated in the top 25 percent academically of students completing the teacher preparation program at the institution, as certified by the postsecondary institution offering the teacher preparation program from which the applicant graduates, and must be providing instruction in an eligible teaching field or in a combination of eligible teaching fields at an eligible school or agency and will be teaching on a full-time basis.

“Eligible school or agency” means a public school district, area education agency, charter school, and accredited nonpublic school located in Iowa and recognized and approved by the department of education.

“Eligible student loan” means the same as defined in Iowa Code section 256.218(4). Only the outstanding portion of a federal consolidation loan that was used to repay an eligible student loan qualifies as an eligible student loan.

“Eligible teaching field” means hard-to-staff subjects as identified by the director of the department of education.

“Preparation program” means the programs of practitioner preparation leading to initial licensure of teachers, administrators, and other professional school personnel.

“Teacher” means an individual who holds a practitioner’s license or a statement of professional recognition issued under Iowa Code chapter 272 and who is employed in a nonadministrative position by an eligible school or agency pursuant to a contract issued by a board of directors under Iowa Code section 279.13. “Teacher” also includes a preschool teacher who is licensed by the board of educational examiners under Iowa Code chapter 272 and is employed by an eligible school or agency.

283—28.2(256) Awarding of funds.

28.2(1) Selection criteria. All eligible applicants will be considered for an award.

28.2(2) Extent of award and maximum award. Eligible applicants may receive up to $4,000 per year for a period of five years.

28.2(3) Priority for awards. New awards will be made in the order of the following priority categories if funding is insufficient to award all eligible applicants. An eligible applicant selected for an award under a priority category will continue to meet the provisions of that category to maintain eligibility.

a.Eligible applicants who are Iowa residents.

(1)If all eligible applicants in this category cannot be funded, awards will be made first based on the eligible applicant’s graduation date from the teacher preparation program, grouped by academic year, with the most recent academic year graduates given priority.

(2)If all eligible applicants who graduated within an academic year cannot be funded, awards will be further prioritized based on the annual ranking of eligible teaching fields by the department, with eligible applicants teaching in the highest ranking fields being served first. Eligible applicants who meet the same priority criteria in this category will be further prioritized by application date.

b.Eligible applicants who are not Iowa residents.

(1)If all eligible applicants in this category cannot be funded, awards will be made first based on the eligible applicant’s graduation date from the teacher preparation program, grouped by academic year, with the most recent academic year graduates given priority.

(2)If all eligible applicants who graduated within an academic year cannot be funded, awards will be further prioritized based on the annual ranking of eligible teaching fields by the department, with eligible applicants teaching in the highest ranking fields being served first. Eligible applicants who meet the same priority criteria in this category will be further prioritized by application date.

28.2(4) Awarding process.

a.The commission will provide notice of the eligibility criteria and the application process annually.

b.Eligible applicants will specify whether the award should be paid directly to the eligible applicant or to the holder of the eligible applicant’s eligible student loan.

c.The commission will designate eligible applicants for awards and notify all applicants of their eligibility.

d.The commission will track eligible applicants selected to receive awards through completion of their obligation.

e.The commission will pay the award directly to the eligible applicant or to the holder of the eligible applicant’s eligible student loan after the eligible school or agency verifies that a portion of the obligation has been completed.

283—28.3(256) Grandfather clause. The eligibility of eligible applicants who are selected to receive awards will not be impacted in subsequent years if the eligible teaching field under which they were selected to receive the award is no longer identified by the department.

These rules are intended to implement Iowa Code chapter 256.