School funding compromise reached by lawmakers; Democrats fume

DES MOINES – Iowa school boards across the state will know how much state aid they’ll receive for next year’s budgets thanks to funding agreement of 2.25% reached between Democrats and Republicans in Des Moines.

Democrats had sought 4% and Republicans 2% before the compromise was reached.

Iowa Democratic Party Chair Dr. Andy McGuire released the following statement on today’s education funding deal:

“I want to thank Democrats in both the House and Senate for fighting to make public education the legislature’s top priority. Unfortunately, their hard work can only go so far when facing a Republican caucus determined to underfund our schools and leave our students and teachers without the resources they deserve. This is why Iowa Democrats are more determined than ever to elect more Democrats this November, take control of both the Senate and the House, and fully fund our schools once again.”

Meanwhile, Democrat Sharon Wille Steckman of Mason City was not thrilled with the outcome of negotiations between the two parties.

Not a good day for education at the Capitol. Conference committee voted on agreement….far below the needs of schools, 2.25% For the last six years our public schools have received the lowest funding levels in Iowa history and, unfortunately, the deal this week is no different.Delays and stagnant state investment in Iowa public schools have real consequences — higher class sizes, outdated technology, and old textbooks for kids. It also means at least 1/3 of Iowa school districts will be on budget guarantee and will be forced to raise property taxes next year.

Because of the House majority inaction the legislature is still two years behind in setting basic funding for public schools, often called State Supplemental Aid. Public schools have been ignored to make more room for over $750 million in corporate tax cuts the last several years.
The deal pushed today will reduce opportunities for 560,000 kids in Iowa public schools. I believe our public schools should be the top priority of the Iowa Legislature again. Not a good day for education at the Capitol.

The Iowa Association of School Boards also was not keen on the funding level agreement.

Local budget decisions are likely to be very tough ones. From a state perspective, the decision to set supplemental state aid (SSA) at 2.25 percent allocates more than $88 million more in state funding to regular school aid. From a local perspective, this investment comes down to growth of $145 per student, or about 80 cents per child, per day of the school year.
Schools facing enrollment shifts are especially impacted. Seventy-two districts will see no growth or a decline in regular school aid. Another 134 will receive less than 2.25 percent growth in regular school aid funding.

Local school boards see far more need in Iowa schools than this funding will support. It is not enough to ensure a rich, diverse curriculum, attract the highest caliber employees in the classroom, provide instructional aides, nurses and guidance counselors, and ensure low class sizes, textbooks and digital resources.

There is still a considerable amount of work to be done before this session is over, including a decision on FY 2018 state aid, funding for early literacy or a delay until funding is provided, funding for a new state assessment, and addressing the need to extend school infrastructure funding.