IOWA (February 15, 2019) — Education is about opportunities. It’s about a better future for Iowans, families, and communities. When the Legislature takes up school funding, I think about how we can create the best opportunities and the brightest future.
That’s why I supported increasing funding by 3 percent for schools next year.
However, the smaller amount approved by the Legislature this week won’t do nearly enough to achieve that goal — especially after many lean years that haven’t kept up with inflation. HF 306 increases funding by 2.06 percent for the 2019-20 school year.
When we don’t help schools keep up with inflation, they can’t afford to pay their utilities, make technology improvements, replace outdated textbooks, or maintain manageable class sizes.
The result: students don’t get the personal attention they may need; teacher job-openings go unfilled because there’s no way to do more with less, year after year; academic, fine arts, and extracurricular programs are eliminated; and school buildings close. In fact, 118 school buildings have closed since Republicans took over the Statehouse.
Iowa is falling behind compared to other states. Iowa K-12 spending was 16.9 percent of total state spending for the 2017-18 school year. The national average was 19.6 percent and even higher in our surrounding Plains States.
We’re competing with these states for a talented workforce and thriving businesses. A bright future depends on the opportunities that a strong investment in education can provide.
