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Iowa House Bill HF2358
Iowa 2025-2026 Regular Session
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Iowa 2025-2026 Regular Session

Iowa House Bill HF2358

Caption

A bill for an act authorizing community-based providers to directly participate in the statewide preschool program for four-year-old children.(Formerly HSB 604.)

Impact

The bill necessitates significant amendments to existing laws regarding preschool funding and program implementation, as it directly reallocates state funding to community-based providers approved to participate in the program. This shift is expected to increase competition among providers and potentially lead to an elevation in educational standards as providers strive to meet high-quality preschool instruction requirements. However, there is concern among critics that such changes may undercut the existing structure of school district-led programs and could result in a disparity in the quality of education provided across different providers.

Summary

House File 2358 is a legislative proposal aimed at expanding the involvement of community-based providers in the statewide preschool program for four-year-old children. Previously, participation in this program was limited to school districts that met certain criteria set by the state board of education, which could only contract with community-based providers. The new bill allows these community-based providers to apply directly to the department of education, thereby granting them the ability to implement preschool programs and receive funding directly from the state. This direct involvement is intended to improve accessibility and potentially enhance the quality of preschool education by involving a wider array of educational institutions.

Contention

While supporters argue that allowing community-based providers to participate directly will foster a more inclusive and varied preschool landscape, detractors worry that such a system could lead to inconsistencies and inequities in educational quality. Issues such as regulatory oversight, quality assurance, and accountability are crucial points of contention, as the state board is tasked with adopting rules that will govern how these providers participate. The concerns have been expressed that without proper oversight, the goals of high-quality education might not be uniformly achieved across the state's providers, undermining the overall effectiveness of the preschool initiative.

Companion Bills

IA HSB604

Related A bill for an act authorizing community-based providers to directly participate in the statewide preschool program for four-year-old children.(See HF 2358.)

Previously Filed As

IA HSB604

A bill for an act authorizing community-based providers to directly participate in the statewide preschool program for four-year-old children.(See HF 2358.)

IA HF2052

A bill for an act relating to community-based providers in the statewide voluntary preschool program for four-year-old children.

IA HSB680

A bill for an act relating to education funding by authorizing community-based providers to directly participate in the statewide preschool program for four-year-old children, modifying the school tuition organization tax credit program, and including applicability provisions.

IA HF422

A bill for an act relating to statewide voluntary preschool program quality standards and renewals.

IA HF275

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

IA HF2652

A bill for an act relating to play-based learning in preschool, prekindergarten, and kindergarten.(Formerly HF 460.)

IA HF623

A bill for an act relating to early childhood education and care, including by modifying provisions related to the statewide preschool program, the child development coordinating council, programs for at-risk children, the responsibilities of the department of education, the early childhood Iowa initiative, and the state child care assistance program, and establishing the child care continuum partnership grants pilot program within the department of health and human services.(Formerly HSB 145.)

IA HF2493

A bill for an act relating to the statewide preschool program by modifying provisions relating to eligibility, funding, and compulsory attendance and including applicability provisions. (Formerly HF 2092.) Effective date: 07/01/2026. Applicability date: 07/01/2027.

IA HF2092

A bill for an act relating to the statewide preschool program by modifying provisions relating to eligibility, funding, and compulsory attendance and including applicability provisions.(See HF 2493.)

IA HF2450

A bill for an act relating to the statewide preschool program by modifying provisions relating to eligibility, funding, and compulsory attendance and including applicability provisions.

Similar Bills

IA HSB604

A bill for an act authorizing community-based providers to directly participate in the statewide preschool program for four-year-old children.(See HF 2358.)

IA HSB680

A bill for an act relating to education funding by authorizing community-based providers to directly participate in the statewide preschool program for four-year-old children, modifying the school tuition organization tax credit program, and including applicability provisions.

NJ S2278

Requires State to reimburse federally unreimbursed costs of snacks provided to children at certain preschools; appropriates $100,000.

NJ A2551

Requires State to reimburse federally unreimbursed costs of snacks provided to children at certain preschools; appropriates $100,000.

IA SF445

A bill for an act relating to early childhood education and care, including by modifying provisions related to the statewide preschool program, the child development coordinating council, programs for at-risk children, the responsibilities of the department of education, the early childhood Iowa initiative, and the state child care assistance program, establishing the child care continuum partnership grants pilot program within the department of health and human services, making appropriations and reducing appropriations, and including effective date provisions. (Formerly SSB 1135.)

IA HF623

A bill for an act relating to early childhood education and care, including by modifying provisions related to the statewide preschool program, the child development coordinating council, programs for at-risk children, the responsibilities of the department of education, the early childhood Iowa initiative, and the state child care assistance program, and establishing the child care continuum partnership grants pilot program within the department of health and human services.(Formerly HSB 145.)

IA SSB1135

A bill for an act relating to early childhood education and care, including by modifying provisions related to the statewide preschool program, the child development coordinating council, programs for at-risk children, the responsibilities of the department of education, the early childhood Iowa initiative, and the state child care assistance program, and establishing the child care continuum partnership grants pilot program within the department of health and human services.(See SF 445.)

IA HSB145

A bill for an act relating to early childhood education and care, including by modifying provisions related to the statewide preschool program, the child development coordinating council, programs for at-risk children, the responsibilities of the department of education, the early childhood Iowa initiative, and the state child care assistance program, and establishing the child care continuum partnership grants pilot program within the department of health and human services.(See HF 623.)