Des Moines, Iowa — The Iowa Senate has passed a bill that would let the leaders of Iowa’s community colleges meet every fall to decide how state funding will be distributed among the 15 institutions.
Senator Tim Kraayenbrink, a Republican of Fort Dodge, says the presidents and chancellors asked to get rid of the distribution formula that’s set in state law.
Kraayenbrink says while the legislature this year approved a general level of funding that equals about 35-hundreds of dollars per student, the money is distributed differently due to the formula.
Senator Claire Celsi, a Democrat from Des Moines, was the only senator to oppose the plan.
If the bill becomes law, at least 10 of the 15 community college chief executives would have to agree by October 31st on how state funding in the following academic year would be distributed. If the community college leaders can’t agree, officials in the Iowa Department of Education would make the decision. This plan will have to get House approval and be signed into law by the governor before it could take effect.
