Senate approves FY2026 school funding package raising state cost per pupil to $7,988

The Iowa Senate on April 7, 2025, voted 32–15 to pass Senate File 167, the FY2026 State Supplemental Aid package, setting the state cost per pupil at $7,988 and including categorical increases, property tax replacement payments and transportation equity funding.

Senate File 167 was considered with a House strike-all amendment and later an amended amendment. Senate amendment 30067 (to Senate amendment 30004) set the regular and categorical state percent of growth for FY2026 at 2% and set a 5% categorical percent of growth for the transportation equity fund; the amendment also adjusted shared operational functions weighting to a 25‑pupil cap and added a one‑time $22,591,274 distribution to districts based on enrollment. The amendment was adopted on the floor before final passage of…