A bill for an act modifying provisions related to open enrollment policies and English-language learners.

2025-2026 Regular Session

HF 900 requires districts to redefine 'insufficient classroom space' for open enrollment to include capacity to teach English learners, shaping who can enroll.

Referred to Education.

#limitedenglishproficiency #openenrollment

Overview

Bill number: HF 900

Title: A bill for an act modifying provisions related to open enrollment policies and English-language learners

Status: Referred to Education

Introduced: March 10, 2025

Legislative actions: Referred to Education on April 3, 2025

HF 900 focuses on changing how open enrollment space is defined, with a new emphasis on a district’s capacity to educate English-language learners (ELLs).

Purpose and Intent

To modify open enrollment policies by requiring school districts to incorporate capacity to provide instruction to English learners into the definition of “insufficient classroom space.”

The bill seeks to ensure that decisions about accepting open-enrollment students consider districts’ ability to serve ELL students, not just physical space constraints.

Key Provisions

Amends Section 282.18, subsection 2, paragraph c, to require each school district to adopt a policy defining the term “insufficient classroom space.”

The district-defined definition must now include standards related to the district’s capacity to provide instruction to English learners.

The bill ties this updated definition to the existing framework for open enrollment, where receiving districts may deny open enrollment if space is insufficient.

Definitions and Cross-References

Current law reference:

Open enrollment: receiving districts may approve timely applications unless there is insufficient classroom space.
District policy on insufficient space: districts must adopt a policy defining this term for open enrollment purposes.
English learner (ELL) definition (unchanged by the text provided): a student whose language background is not English, and whose English proficiency is such that the probability of academic success in an English-only classroom is below that of an academically successful peer with an English-language background (as defined in section 280.4).

Effects and Implications

Districts must explicitly articulate, within their open enrollment policies, criteria and standards related to their capacity to educate ELL students. This adds an instructional-capacity dimension to “insufficient space.”

Potentially broadens or clarifies grounds for denying open enrollment when a district cannot demonstrate adequate ELL instructional capacity.

No funding or cost provisions are specified in the text provided; implementation would depend on district policy development and oversight.

Affected Parties

School districts: required to adopt and publish a policy defining insufficient classroom space that includes ELL instructional capacity.

English learners and families: may be affected in open enrollment decisions if districts cite ELL capacity as a constraint.

Open enrollment applicants: subject to district space definitions that now consider ELL instructional capacity.

Considerations for Stakeholders

How districts will operationalize “capacity to provide instruction to English learners” (e.g., staffing, class size, program availability, teacher qualifications).

How district policies may vary across districts in interpreting and applying the ELL capacity standard.

Potential interaction with existing ELL programs and funding streams.

Bill