From Rep. Todd Prichard –
The 2016 session opened with a plan to strengthen Iowa’s working families, build a vibrant economy, and adequately fund schools. Key legislation approved this year maintains Iowa’s balanced budget, continues efforts to build a skilled workforce, and keeps Iowans safe.
Unfortunately, the majority party, despite objection from local school leaders and teachers, delayed funding and shortchanged Iowa public schools again this year. Right now, schools across Iowa are being forced to cut teachers, increase class sizes, and raise property taxes.
Other highlights of the 2016 session include: reversing the decline of rural communities; closing the gap in our skilled workforce by revamping our career and job training program starting in high school; working to stop human trafficking; protecting kids from synthetic drugs; passing meaningful sentencing reform; and helping Iowa Veterans by making it easier for them to vote if serving overseas and helping them land a job after serving our country.
The 2016 session also some missed opportunities on key issues that Iowans overwhelmingly support, including wage equity, life-saving medical cannabis, minimum wage, and oversight of the Governor’s Medicaid privatization plan. The legislature also failed to reach an agreement on any new action to improve water quality and stop pollutants in urban and rural areas from reaching our waterways.
Low Education Funding Leads to Higher Tuition, Teacher Lay-Offs
After six years of the lowest funding levels in Iowa history, many schools are being forced to cut teachers, increase class size, and raise property taxes for next year.
While state revenues grew by about 4% last year, basic funding for public schools, called State Supplemental Aid, was finally set at 2.25% for next year. Schools were also forced to scramble this year because lawmakers were supposed to take action on school funding last year. For six years straight, the House majority party leaders have refused to follow state law and set school funding 18 months in advance.
With only a slight increase in state funding next year, tuition at Iowa’s 15 community colleges and three state universities will increase next fall as well. Lack of funding also delayed requirements for summer reading and third grade retention until the 2018-19 school year, and implementation of the Smarter Balanced Assessment is moved back to the 2017-18 school year.
