Statewide Iowa (RI) — House Republicans are calling for more support of Iowa K-12 students than Governor Reynolds and Senate Republicans have proposed.
Representative Dan Gelbach of Urbandale says the House GOP plan would amount to an extra $180 in state spending per student for the next school year.
The increase also applies to state-funded Education Savings Accounts for private school students, so each student would get nearly $8168 in state support under the House Republican’s plan. The bill passed the House Education Committee Monday with the support of Republicans.
Representative Heather Matson of Ankeny and the other Democrats on the panel opposed it.
Public school advocates say Iowa school districts need far more, suggesting anywhere from a three to five percent boost in state support of public schools facing inflation pressures as well as state law requiring $50,000 salaries for new teachers and a salary of at least $60,000 for educators who’ve been teaching 12 years or more. Governor Reynolds has suggested a two percent increase in state per pupil spending while Senate Republicans proposed 0.25 percent less than that.
KIWA Staff Photo
