Iowans know we can’t keep doing the same things in our schools and expect better results. We must build on our successes. |From Senator Amanda Ragan
Iowans know we can’t keep doing the same things in our schools and expect better results. We must build on our successes.
We recently finished a difficult legislative session, a portion of which centered on demands for deep cuts to education at all levels.
What we need now is a road map to real results. That’s why I’m closely following this month’s Iowa Education Summit.
I’ve listened to local community leaders, parents and educators. Weakening state support for local schools is not their idea of education reform, nor are these anti-education proposals debated in the last session:
1. Abolishing Iowa’s universal preschool program. We should not abandon a successful program that served 67 percent of Iowa’s four-year-olds last year and return to an approach that reached fewer than 20 percent of Iowa kids.
2. No increase in basic state support for K-12 public schools for the next two years. This plan would have increased class sizes, caused good teachers to be fired, and reduced course offerings and opportunities for Iowa students.
3. Sharp cuts in funding for our colleges and universities. The result would have been even more tuition increases that could put higher education out of reach for middle-class families.
Fortunately, Iowans spoke up. Republican and Democratic legislators listened and, in the end, the worst cuts were avoided or softened.
Iowans share the same goals when it comes to improving our schools, so as we go forward, let’s keep the focus on increasing teacher and school administrator effectiveness, raising academic standards and supporting innovation that improves learning.
We’re already working to achieve these goals by:
** Keeping the best teachers in Iowa classrooms.
** Guaranteeing a high school diploma means young people are ready to succeed in the global economy.
** Ensuring that every child starts school ready to do their best.
** Providing workers with innovative job training opportunities.
Despite these steps and the positive results they’ve produced, we can do more to improve our schools and provide opportunities for the next generation of Iowans.
I welcome the chance to discuss real education reforms. Please give me your suggestions on how we can build on Iowa’s tradition of educational excellence.
