A House Republican bill that would change how school districts can contract for various educational services was approved by the General Assembly on Thursday, a plan that marks a significant departure from Gov. Kim Reynolds' original proposal to overhaul Iowa's local education agencies. moved forward.
House File 2612 maintains AEA as the sole provider of special education services to school districts in the state. This would allow these districts to seek private contracts by 2025 for media and general education services currently provided by AEA, and would commission a task force to make recommendations regarding the roles and future of each agency. Become.
The bill's passage, after weeks of closed-door meetings, committee discussions and public hearings, comes two months after the governor announced plans to overhaul the agency in his State of the Nation Address. Ta.
“We all agreed there were improvements that could be made and changes could be made,” said Rep. Schuyler Wheeler, R-Hull.
Wheeler and House Republicans' plan departs in several major ways from the governor's proposal, which aimed to narrow the scope of the AEA to focus strictly on special education services and send federal funds directly to school districts. There is.
Senate Republicans have also made their own changes on the issue, creating a bill that differs in several ways from the House and has not yet passed the full chamber.
Reynolds' original proposal proved widely unpopular and died early in the House, but it continued to be criticized by lawmakers, including several Republicans, during Thursday's floor debate.
Rep. Brent Siegrist, Republican of the Bluffs Council and former executive director of the Iowa AEA, said the issue was “not on anyone's agenda heading into the session.” And the bill's sponsors expressed regret at how the issue first came up on Capitol Hill.
“The development was terrible,” Wheeler said. “I wish I could have gone back. Personally, I wish I could have gone back. I think things could have been done differently.”
The new House plan passed on a 52-41 vote, despite nine Republicans joining Democrats in opposing it.
more:Iowa special education advocates say new House plan for AEA is better, but more changes are needed
In a statement on the bill's passage, Reynolds thanked the House for “moving forward” on the issue and claimed the AEA “betrays our teachings.”
“Improving student outcomes is always at the forefront,” Reynolds said. “This system provides transparency and accountability to school districts closest to students, and he must drive consistency across the AEA region to improve services for students with disabilities.
“This is what I have heard from over 100 school districts as I travel across the state, and I look forward to many more conversations as the bill moves forward,” she added.
Democrats remain strongly critical of any changes to the AEA, calling the bill a “good solution” and calling for a delay in the timeline to allow for a more complete assessment of the necessary changes.
“On many levels, this is rushed,” said Rep. Monica Kearse, D-Davenport. “There are too many unanswered questions. Why the rush? And how will this be good for our children?”
Some called for streamlining the proposal to include strictly a task force rather than restructuring services and funding.
“People are concerned about dismantling the AEA,” said Rep. Art Stead, D-Cedar Rapids. “That's what's going on little by little in this bill. Even this amended bill here certainly fits the description of a hostile takeover.”
Mike Beranek, president of the Iowa Education Association, said his union continues to support the AEA and called the House version “less draconian” than Reynolds' bill, but still unnecessary.
“Thousands of Iowans have reached out to their legislators and governors asking for support and praise for their experiences with AEA,” Beranek said. “Their voices are not being heard. Any system can be improved, but those improvements must be sensitively responsive to the input of Iowans.”
more:Iowa ends contract with AEA-run program that helps families access disability services
House Republicans' AEA plan sends federal money to government agencies and allows private contracting for services
Under the House Republican bill, federal special education funding would also flow directly to the agencies, just as Iowa's nine AEAs would remain the sole providers of special education services. That's a change from Reynolds' proposal to send that money directly to school districts.
State aid and property taxes currently paid to government agencies would flow directly to school districts.
Contracts for media services and general education services, currently under the sole jurisdiction of the AEA, will also fall under the jurisdiction of school districts. The board could decide whether to continue paying the AEA under a “fee-for-service” structure or choose to contract with a private provider.
None of the service changes under the House plan would take effect until the 2025-26 school year.
more:Iowa legislators announce changes to AEA. Here's how special education and teacher pay will be affected.
The Iowa Department of Education, which certifies AEA annually, would also take on a more significant oversight role under the bill.
The education director would have authority over government agencies, and existing committees that make governance decisions would be moved to an advisory role. Budget and policy decisions will fall under the authority of the Secretary.
A new department within the Department of Education would then be dedicated to overseeing the AEA, with some of its positions embedded in regional offices.
Under the plan, a task force will be established by the end of 2024 to investigate and make recommendations regarding the AEA's services, assets, oversight, and staffing. Its membership is expected to include several special education teachers, a superintendent, and parents. Heartland AEA Administrator. Nonpublic school leaders. and several members of Congress.
What is a local education agency and why are there efforts to change it?
Iowa's nine regional education agencies (Northwest, Prairie Lakes, Central Rivers, Keystone, Mississippi Bend, Grant Wood, Heartland, Green Hills, and Great Prairie) provide special education and other services to the state's public and accredited private schools. is tasked with providing services.
Iowa established the agency in 1974 to meet the “need for equal access to services” and following federal laws from the 1960s and 1970s that focused on programming for students with disabilities. did.
They offer a wide range of services including behavioral support, occupational therapy, professional development, crisis management, and more.
In his State of the Nation address, Reynolds said the AEA is operating “without meaningful oversight” and has outgrown its original mission of providing special education support to school districts.
Galen Bakarie covers politics for the Register. Contact us at gbacharier@registermedia.com or (573) 219-7440 and follow us on Twitter. @galenbacharier.
