An Act to Strengthen Iowa’s Teacher Recruitment and Retention Pipeline

This bill establishes the Iowa Teacher Recruitment and Retention Program to address persistent school staffing shortages, with priority support for rural and hard-to-staff districts. The program provides competitive tuition assistance or student loan repayment for new teachers who commit to teaching in eligible Iowa public schools for at least three years, creates grants for classroom supply stipends and mentoring for early-career teachers, and directs the Department of Education to partner with Iowa community colleges and educator preparation programs to expand paraprofessional-to-teacher, substitute-to-teacher, and career-changer pathways. Funds shall be awarded through a transparent application process, with annual reporting to the legislature on vacancies, retention rates, and program outcomes.