Senate Republicans are making their initial offer on state funding of Iowa’s public and private schools. It would be a per pupil increase of one-and-three-quarters of a percent (1.75%) for the next school year. Governor Reynolds has recommended a two percent increase. Senator Lynn Evans, a Republican from Aurelia, is a retired superintendent who says the goal is to make the decision quickly, so school officials can make decisions on next year’s budgets. “What I’ve heard loud and clear when we’re out talking to people in education, especially superintendents and school board members, is they want to know as early as possible,” Evans said. “Having sat in that seat myself, I wanted to know as early as possible, so we’re trying to…get these negotiations started.”
Due to declining enrollment, 90 districts will get less state support next year at that level — just as they’re required by state law to pay beginning and experienced teachers higher salaries.
Under the Senate Republicans’ plan, the increase in state funding for public schools would be 145 dollars per pupil. And each state-funded account to cover a student’s private school expenses would get a deposit of over 81-hundred dollars.
