DES MOINES, IOWA (November 20, 2019) — More than 200 delegates from the Iowa Association of School Board's (IASB) member school boards and area education agency (AEA) boards gathered at Delegate Assembly on November 20 to conduct the annual meeting, elect the IASB Board President-elect, and set the platform for the 2020 legislative session.
Delegates approved four legislative priorities and elected IASB AEA Representative Elizabeth Brennan as the IASB Board President-elect.
"We are grateful to the Iowa Legislature and Governor Reynolds for extending the state penny sales-tax for school infrastructure last year. Districts can now reliably plan budgets and forecast years ahead knowing this crucial funding stream is extended," said IASB Board President Joan Corbin, "And a hearty thank you to my fellow school-board members who advocated for this extension. Our voices really do matter! Now, we must turn our attention to the priorities that school-board members believe are most critical to address this session."
The approved platform includes these four priorities:
- Focusing on efforts to increase funding and statewide access for mental-health services to all Iowa students;
- Supporting continuation of the school-funding policy that ensures equity, especially in transportation-costs and district cost-per-pupil rates;
- Setting supplemental state-aid rates in a timely way, with sufficient resources to sustain world-class schools; and
- Supporting increased-access to early education.
"The theme that I'm seeing throughout our priorities is how passionate we are about ensuring a well-rounded education for our students. It begins in preschool with the Statewide Voluntary Preschool Program. We support more resources so we can provide all 4-year-olds access to this program. Research shows how important early education is to educational success. Student wellbeing is another piece, which is why school-boards support expanding in-school services, a mental-health workforce focused on working with children and continued funding for training for educators and administrators. Together, working hand-in-hand with legislators and school districts, we can ensure students receive the care they need."
"We can achieve these efforts and ensure our students have a world-class education through equitable school funding and sufficient and timely growth in school funding. We look forward to working with the Legislature again this year," said Corbin.
IASB's Delegate Assembly is a vital link connecting board members and legislative issues. The resolutions' process gives each school board the opportunity to suggest priorities for the platform, then vote on the final platform and priorities. Each board appoints one board member as delegate to represent their board's views.
To see the full list of beliefs, resolutions and legislative priorities for the 2020 legislative session, please visit the IASB website.
IASB is a nonprofit organization representing Iowa's 327 school districts, nine area education agencies and 15 community colleges.
