Department of Education Grants Iowa Waiver for ESEA State Flexibility

On Wednesday, the Department of Education (ED) granted Iowa a waiver from a variety of Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) regulations through FY2028. Most notably, the waiver will allow Iowa to consolidate its state activities funds for four K-12 programs and "use the funds for any allowable use in each of the included programs”:   

      •   Title II, Part A of the ESEA (Supporting Effective Instruction) 

      •   Title III, Part A of the ESEA (English Language Acquisition) 

      •   Title IV, Part A of the ESEA (Student Support and Academic Enrichment) 

      •   Title IV, Part B of the ESEA (21st Century Community Learning Centers) 

Most notably for superintendents, Iowa is able to waive—only for FY25—Title IV requirements that districts receiving more than $30,000 annually use 20% of their funds on well-rounded academic programs, 20% on safe and healthy student programs, and at least some funding on education technology. Beyond 2025, the Iowa Department of Education will be able to unilaterally approve this waiver, as well as other waivers from federal ESEA requirements, through its new Ed-Flex Authority.  

The waiver requires Iowa to file an annual report with ED that describes: 

• How the waiver has decreased administrative burden; 

• How IDOE used consolidated State-level activities funds; 

• How IDOE’s use of funds under the approved waiver differed from its uses of funds prior to the waiver being granted; and 

• How use of the waiver has contributed to improving student academic achievement in Iowa. 

This waiver is part of ED’s “Returning Education to the States” initiative and more state waivers are expected to be announced soon. Currently, ED is working with at least five more states on potential waivers within the confines of ESEA. It is important to note that ED is not able to grant any waiver that would change or alter allocations of funding to states or districts.