Iowa Code § 284.16 — IA Code / Title VII / Chapter 284 / Section 284.16
Instructional coach model.
Status: in_force

(1) The instructional coach and curriculum and professional development leader model shall include, at a minimum, the following levels and requirements:

(1) (a) For the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2024, the beginning teacher shall be paid not less than forty-seven thousand five hundred dollars. For the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2025, and each subsequent fiscal year, the beginning teacher shall be paid not less than fifty thousand dollars. Each beginning teacher shall meet the following requirements:

(1) (a) Has successfully completed an approved practitioner preparation program as defined in section 256.145 or holds an intern teacher license issued under chapter 256, subchapter VII, part 3.

(1) (a) Holds an initial or intern teacher license issued under chapter 256, subchapter VII, part 3.

(1) (a) Completes, during the initial year of teaching, a teacher residency that meets the requirements set forth in section 284.15, subsection 2, paragraph “a”, subparagraph (1).

(1) (b) A career teacher is a teacher who holds a statement of professional recognition issued under chapter 256, subchapter VII, part 3, or who meets the following requirements:

(1) (b) Has successfully completed a comprehensive evaluation.

(1) (b) Is reviewed by the school district as demonstrating the competencies of a career teacher.

(1) (b) Holds a valid license issued under chapter 256, subchapter VII, part 3.

(1) (b) Participates in teacher professional development as set forth in this chapter and demonstrates continuous improvement in teaching.

(1) (c) An instructional coach shall, at a minimum, meet the requirements specified for a career teacher in paragraph “b”, and engage full-time in instructional coaching.

(1) (c) For purposes of this paragraph, “instructional coaching” means additional guidance in one or more aspects of the teaching profession provided to teachers.

(1) (c) Assignment as an instructional coach to an individual teacher shall be based on either a request from a principal or from an individual teacher upon approval of a principal.

(1) (c) Instructional coaching shall include detailed preliminary discussions as to areas in which the teachers being coached desire to improve; formulation of an action plan to bring about such improvement; in-class supervision by the instructional coach; postclass discussion of strengths, weaknesses, and strategies for improvement; and dialogue between the instructional coach and students and school officials regarding the teachers being coached. An instructional coach shall coordinate instructional coaching activities relating to training and professional development with an area education agency where appropriate.

(1) (c) The contract term for an instructional coach shall exceed by ten days the contract term issued to career teachers under section 279.13. An instructional coach shall receive a stipend of not less than five thousand nor more than seven thousand dollars annually in addition to the teacher’s salary as a career teacher.

(1) (d) The contract term for a curriculum and professional development leader shall exceed by fifteen days the contract term issued to model teachers under section 279.13, and the curriculum and professional development leader shall receive a stipend of not less than ten thousand nor more than twelve thousand dollars annually in addition to the teacher’s salary as a career teacher. A curriculum and professional development leader shall do the following:

(1) (d) Provide and demonstrate teaching on an ongoing basis.

(1) (d) Routinely work strategically with teachers in planning, monitoring, reviewing, and implementing best instructional practices.

(1) (d) Observe and coach teachers in effective instructional practices.

(1) (d) Support teacher growth and reflective practices.

(1) (d) Work with and train classroom teachers to provide interventions aligned by subject area.

(1) (d) Support instruction and learning through the use of technology.

(1) (d) Actively participate in collaborative problem solving and reflective practices which include but are not limited to professional study groups, peer observations, grade level planning, and weekly team meetings.

(1) (d) Plan and deliver professional development activities designed to improve instructional strategies.

(1) (d) Engage in the development, adoption, and implementation of curriculum and curricular materials.

(1) (e) A model teacher is a teacher who meets the requirements of paragraph “b”, has met the requirements established by the school district that employs the teacher, is evaluated by the school district as demonstrating the competencies of a model teacher, has participated in a rigorous review process, and has been recommended for a one-year assignment as a model teacher by a site-based review council in the manner provided under section 284.15, subsection 5.

(1) (e) The contract term for a model teacher shall exceed by five days the contract term issued to career teachers under section 279.13, and the five additional contract days shall be used to strengthen instructional leadership. A model teacher shall receive annually a salary supplement of at least two thousand dollars.

(2) (a) For the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2024, a career teacher, instructional coach, curriculum and professional development leader, or model teacher, who has been a teacher for at least twelve years, shall be paid not less than sixty thousand dollars.

(2) (b) For the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2025, and each subsequent fiscal year, a career teacher, instructional coach, curriculum and professional development leader, or model teacher, who has been a teacher for at least twelve years, shall be paid not less than sixty-two thousand dollars.

(2) (b) Notwithstanding subparagraph (1), for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2025, and each subsequent fiscal year, a career teacher, instructional coach, curriculum and professional development leader, or model teacher, who has been a teacher for at least twelve years, who has had a bona fide retirement from employment with a covered employer as provided in section 97B.52A, and who has returned to covered full-time employment with a covered employer pursuant to chapter 97B as a teacher licensed under chapter 256, shall be paid not less than fifty thousand dollars.

(3) Each school district approved under section 284.15 to implement the instructional coach model as specified in this section shall establish the following goals for leadership participation:

(3) (a) Assignment, annually, of at least one instructional coach at each attendance center or at least one instructional coach for every five hundred students enrolled in an attendance center, whichever number is greater.

(3) (b) Assignment of at least ten percent of its teachers annually as model teachers.

(3) (c) As nearly as possible, the total number of hours of coaching and leadership duties performed by instructional coaches and curriculum and professional development leaders shall be equal to the total number of hours of noninstructional, mentoring, and leadership duties for a school district teaching staff of equal size implementing the framework as set forth in section 284.15, subsection 2.

(4) A school district implementing the instructional coach model shall receive funds under section 257.10, subsection 12.

(5) The provisions of section 284.15, subsections 4 through 12, shall apply to school districts implementing the instructional coach model.

2013 Acts, ch 121, §71; 2017 Acts, ch 172, §41, 42; 2023 Acts, ch 19, §2593 – 2595; 2024 Acts, ch 1002, §43, 44; 2025 Acts, ch 142, §11