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 March 2026
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Inside this issue:
Department of Education Resources
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Upcoming Deadlines
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Due Date
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What's Due
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March 5
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Proposed Tax Notice Deadline Submission in DOM Budget System - “Propose Tax Notice” Button must be activated
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March 10
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School Budget Review Committee Hearing
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March 31
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Last Day to Submit LEA and AEA Electronic Annual Audit of Prior Year to the Department and Auditor of the State's Office
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April 21
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IDEA PBC (Part C) Application Budget Webinar
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April 23
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IDEA PBC (Part B) Application Claims Webinar
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April 17
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Deadline for School Bus Safety Week Poster Contest Submissions
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April 30
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New Instructional Support Levy (ISL) Resolutions to the Department of Management (DOM)
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April 30
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Board Resolutions for the Budget Guarantee Due to DOM
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April 30
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Copy of Ballot Question or Resolution for New Voter-Approved Physical Plant and Equipment Levy (VPPEL) (that is not 100 percent property tax)
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April 30
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Electronic Budget Certification Date
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Staff Contact Information
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The Department will host a webinar on Thursday, April 23, 2026 at 12:30 pm for all district staff who may be involved in the IDEA Part B claim process. During this webinar, the Department will demonstrate the steps necessary to submit claims for IDEA Part B funds in the application for reimbursement.
The IDEA PBC application is used to monitor the activities of subrecipients who receive federal IDEA Part B and C funds through the Iowa Department of Education as required by the Code of Federal Regulation’s Uniform Administrative Requirements for Federal Awards (34 C.F.R. §§ 300.149, and 300.600 through 300.602).
Budget Update: The IDEA Part B budgets that were submitted by districts in February are currently under review. Districts will receive email notification when the budget is approved or returned by the Department.
Next Step: Submit IDEA Part B claims for reimbursement in the IDEA PBC application. There will be two claims periods available for 2025-26, with the first opening in April.
Meeting information is provided below.
https://IDOE.zoom.us/j/89710526384?pwd=fEL2RKBoEraI5ssbUaPKWuxu5wDn6y.1
Passcode: 344104
The Department will host a webinar on Tuesday, April 21, 2026 at 12:30 pm for all AEA staff who may be involved in the IDEA Part C budget process. During this webinar, the Department will demonstrate the functionality of the application and steps to submit a budget. AEAs will use this application to complete the IDEA Part C budgets and to submit claims against the approved budgets. There will be two claims periods available for 2025-26, with the first opening in May.
The IDEA PBC application is used to monitor the activities of subrecipients who receive federal IDEA Part B and C funds through the Iowa Department of Education as required by the Code of Federal Regulation’s Uniform Administrative Requirements for Federal Awards (34 C.F.R. §§ 300.149, and 300.600 through 300.602).
Meeting information is provided below.
https://IDOE.zoom.us/j/85756857368?pwd=f3HSan6FsWFoI5wQrFyGp68EKthKsb.1
Passcode: 107054
Artistic and creative students of Iowa are encouraged to participate in the first annual Iowa School Bus Safety Week Poster Contest. In addition to showcasing student creativity, the contest also allows students to spread the word about school bus safety throughout Iowa.
The theme for the first annual Iowa School Bus Safety Week Poster Contest is “Safe Rides, Everyday Heroes”. Students will compete in three different age divisions (K-2, 3-5, 6-8), and a Computer-Aided Design (CAD) division. Entries must be received no later than April 17, 2026, and can be submitted by mail or electronically.
Winning artists will receive recognition from the Department and their posters will be shared across the state in time for National School Bus Safety Week (October 19-23, 2026). The winning poster in each division will also advance to the national competition.
Rules and detailed information about the contest can be found on the Department’s Iowa School Bus Safety Week Poster Contest web page.
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Question: Do similar time and effort documentation requirements apply to state funding allocations? If so, is there guidance available with details on which specific state allocations require documentation (for example, TAG, Preschool, special education weightings, at-risk funds, etc.)?
Answer: Recipients of any funding source that has any restrictions on its use are expected to be able to "prove" any cost charged to the source was allowable. Such documentation may be required to be provided to the grantor, the Department, an auditor, board, leadership, or other stakeholders. Ensuring costs are appropriately charged to any funding source should be a foundational business process.
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The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention published the “Prepping for an Emergency” web page. The page discusses building partnerships, assessing needs, creating action plans, and conducting trainings. There are a multitude of resources linked on the page addressing different types of emergencies including natural disasters and weather, chemical or radiation, infectious, and more.
Multiple federal agencies collaborate to create resources published on SchoolSafety.gov: U.S. Departments of Homeland Security (DHS), Education (ED), Justice (DOJ), and Health and Human Services (HHS).
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As we enter the fourth quarter of FY26, this is a good time to review the district’s balances. A review of balances to ensure proper coding, by fund and by funding source, identifying inconsistencies, trends, or unusual fluctuations now will ensure the district is prepared for the year-end reporting process.
Information regarding Iowa’s Students First Education Savings Account (ESA) program can be found on the Department's Students First Education Savings Accounts web page.
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Questions relating to the articles below may be sent to Tom Simpson, State Director for Pupil Transportation, at tom.simpson@iowa.gov or 515-336-3965 or one of the inspectors below.
Iowa Administrative Code r. 281 – 43.26 requires that all students who are transported in a school vehicle are required to be instructed in safe riding practices and must participate in emergency evacuation drills at least twice per school year. This requirement includes all students who are transported any time during the year, which includes those transported during daily bus routes as well as activity trips and field trips. The rule requires the drills to be performed once in the fall and once in the spring. Additionally, documentation of the drills must be maintained at the local level for five years and made available upon request.
Drivers operating a school bus with a capacity of 16 passengers or more, including the driver, are required to have a Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) with the “P” (passenger) and “S” (school bus) endorsements. Drivers operating a vehicle with a capacity of 15 passengers or fewer, including the driver, as a school bus, must have at least a Class D (chauffeur) license with a “3” (passenger) endorsement. Additional information regarding CDL and Class D license requirements can be found on the Iowa Department of Transportation website.
School bus inspections are conducted twice per year on every vehicle used to transport students. The Department sends courtesy reminders to entities of upcoming inspections and School Bus Inspection Schedules are available at any time. Please make sure to review the posted schedule and inform all necessary personnel of the inspection date. Changes to the inspection schedule are coordinated through the region’s bus inspector.
Iowa Administrative Code r. 281 – 43.27 requires school bus drivers to perform a pre-trip inspection prior to and a post-trip inspection after every trip of a school bus. The twice-yearly inspections performed by the Department inspectors reveal that most vehicle deficiencies identified are related to items that should be found during the pre- and post-trip inspections performed by school bus drivers.
Pre-trip and post-trip inspections are a means of finding the day-to-day issues that happen during normal use of the school vehicles to ensure the vehicle is always safe to be used to transport students. Sample pre-trip inspection forms are available on the Department’s Transportation Forms web page. Questions about the proper way to perform daily inspections can be directed to the assigned Department inspector.
The Department’s Transportation Advisory Group (TAG) is an invited focus group that meets quarterly to discuss transportation-related priorities and opportunities. Statewide representation includes both standing and rotating members. Standing members include the Department's transportation team, a representative from the Iowa State Patrol, and a representative from the Iowa Pupil Transportation Association. Rotating members include transportation directors, dispatchers, mechanics, superintendents, contractors, and school bus driver in-service instructors.
The TAG met on Wednesday, March 4, 2026 to engage in the topics below surrounding pupil transportation safety.
- The importance of driver training and the Department’s continued efforts to update training to ensure that it remains relevant and impactful, including suggestions for FY27 annual School Transportation Operator’s Program (S.T.O.P.) training.
- The National Transportation Safety Board’s urgent recommendation related to three-point lap-shoulder belt usage in school buses and how to encourage seatbelt use by student passengers.
- The Department's audit which is geared toward improving district processes for pupil instruction in safe riding practices and participation in emergency evacuation drills.
- Proposed updates to documentation of the Department vehicle inspection results that would create more efficiency and improved accuracy.
- Vinyl graphics or other decorations applied to the windows of district vehicles used for pupil transportation.
Since October 2, 2019, all new school buses purchased by Iowa school districts, nonpublic schools, and contractors must be equipped with three-point lap-shoulder belts for all passengers (Iowa Administrative Code r. 281-44.4(54)). Districts with buses utilizing three-point lap-should belt must adopt a board policy regarding the use of these belts (Iowa Administrative Code r. 281-43.10(6)).
There have been a number of serious crashes in multiple states, including Iowa, validating how critical it is that student transportation professionals reinforce the importance of seatbelts on school buses and prioritize educating students to wear them correctly.
Following the Texas crash, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) published an urgent recommendation regarding school bus passenger seatbelt use. Information on the NTSB’s urgent recommendation can be found in the December 2025 School Business Alert.
Practices in the field: Department school bus inspectors regularly find seatbelt buckles tucked down below the seat bottoms in an alarming number of school buses. Student transportation professionals should be aware of, and practice, the elements of safe transportation listed below.
- Know the district’s policy on seatbelt use in school buses.
- Ensure that seatbelts and related items are in proper working order and available for use.
- Educate students on the importance of seatbelt use. Students should be aware that by not utilizing their seatbelt, they are not only putting themselves at risk, but they may also cause serious injury to other passengers in a crash.
- Enforce the district policy regarding seatbelt use on school buses.
On February 19, 2026, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced its plan to update the Clean School Bus (CSB) program. A Request for Information (RFI) was issued to assist the EPA with the future of alternative fuels and clean technologies in school buses across the country. As the EPA works toward designing the 2026 funding opportunities, it also announced that it is not moving forward with awards under the 2024 CSB Rebate Program.
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It is the policy of the Iowa Department of Education not to discriminate on the basis of race, creed, color, sexual orientation, national origin, sex, disability, religion, age, political party affiliation, or actual or potential parental, family or marital status in its programs, activities, or employment practices as required by the Iowa Code sections 216.9 and 256.10(2), Titles VI and VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (42 U.S.C. § 2000d2000e), the Equal Pay Act of 1973 (29 U.S.C. § 206, et seq.), Title IX (Educational Amendments, 20 U.S.C.§§ 1681 – 1688), Section 504 (Rehabilitation Act of 1973, 29 U.S.C. § 794), and the Americans with Disabilities Act (42 U.S.C. § 12101, et seq.). If you have questions or complaints related to compliance with this policy by the Iowa Department of Education, please contact the legal counsel for the Iowa Department of Education, Grimes State Office Building, 400 E. 14th Street, Des Moines, IA 50319-0146, telephone number: 515-281-5295, or the Director of the Office for Civil Rights, U.S. Department of Education, Cesar E. Chavez Memorial Building, 1244 Speer Boulevard, Suite 310, Denver, CO 80204-3582, telephone number: 303-844-5695, TDD number: 800-877-8339, email: OCR.Denver@ed.gov.
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