Education

The state department of education is headed by a director, appointed by the governor with the consent of the Senate. The compulsory school attendance law, enacted in 1902, requires all children from age 6 to age 16 to attend school.

The first school in Iowa opened in 1830 in what is now Lee County. By 1838, more than 40 schools were established as subscription (tuition-fee) schools. The present educational system is based on a law passed in 1858 by the state legislature. The Iowa system of public higher education and of schools for the disabled are both governed by the state board of regents, created in 1909. The Smouse Opportunity School, which opened in 1931 at Des Moines, was the nation's first public school for disabled children.

There are three major state universities. The University of Iowa, at Iowa City, was opened in 1855. Iowa State University, at Ames, a land-grant institution, was founded in 1858 and opened in 1868. The University of Northern Iowa, at Cedar Falls, was opened in 1876.