(KIWA Staff Photo)
Statewide Iowa (RI) — A new Iowa law will require school boards to adopt uniform guidelines for screening, identifying, and serving talented and gifted (TAG) students before school starts in 2027.
The policy passed the Iowa House and Senate this spring with strong bipartisan support. Republican Representative Dan Gehlbach of Urbandale says it’s important to have consistent policies for students who perform at higher levels than their peers.
The law encourages schools to assess all K-12 students as prospects for TAG opportunities — including English Language Learners and students in special education.
Schools must also offer classes and services that match a gifted student’s academic strengths and interests. Gehlbach says the goal is to make sure TAG students get opportunities to excel, regardless of their zip code.
Democratic Representative Angela Ramirez of Cedar Rapids was among the 14 lawmakers who opposed the bill. She says the state has a responsibility to ensure TAG students have access to advanced courses, but warns the law may create new costs for districts — forcing schools to hire more teachers, transport more students between buildings, or pay for more college-level classes.
State officials say Iowa school districts have had $23 million in unspent TAG funding over the past seven years. The Iowa Department of Education proposed the new law after finding that many districts lacked procedures for identifying gifted students in early elementary grades.
Last fall, Iowa schools reported more than 41,000 students classified as gifted and talented.
