Iowa House Republicans on Thursday pushed through major changes to a plan to overhaul Iowa's nine local education agencies.
The bill includes an overhaul of the AEA, a 2.5% increase in supplemental state aid used to calculate state school funding, and a pay increase for teachers in the House.
The bill, passed by Iowa House Republicans last month, would retain much of what senators removed when they sent it back to the House on Monday.
Overhauling Iowa's local education agencies is a top priority for Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds, who announced a major overhaul of the agencies in her State of the Nation address in January.
The reform has received strong opposition from Iowans, who say the bill would harm Iowa students who receive special education services from the AEA. Some superintendents have called for the reforms, saying they would give schools more flexibility in providing special education funding to better provide the services students need.
Amendments to the bill passed 51-42 on Thursday. In addition to the eight House Republicans who voted against the bill, all 34 House Democrats voted against the bill.
- Eddie Andrews, R-Johnston;
- Mark Cisneros, R-Muscatine.
- Zach Deeken, Republican Granville;
- Tom Genery, Republican Le Mars;
- Brian Roos, Republican Bondurant.
- Gary Mohr, R-Bettendorf;
- Ray Sorensen, R-Greenfield;
- Charlie Thomson, Republican Charles City;
With the House amendments, the bill would retain most of the House bill passed last month. This bill:
- Requires schools to contract with AEA for special education services.
- Provide all special education funding earmarked for Iowa's AEA under current law and have Iowa's public school districts contract for services in return.
- It would require schools to allocate 90 percent of their special education funding to AEA, with 10 percent available for third-party special education services.
- Raise teacher salaries to $50,000 within two years and provide millions of dollars to increase teacher pay and pay increases for paraprofessionals and other education support professionals.
- Increases state aid, or state aid, by 2.5 percent for Iowa's public schools. That's 0.5 percent lower than House Republicans' original proposal and in line with the governor's budget.
House Republicans' original bill would have kept federal special education funding in local education agencies and given all state funding for special education to school districts.
Both proposals would expand the Iowa Department of Education's oversight of the AEA by creating a special education division within the Iowa Department of Education.
The bill also includes the $15 per hour minimum wage for paraeducators and other educational support workers proposed in the original House bill (currently $7.25 or Iowa's standard minimum wage). do not have.
Amendments to the House proposal were posted online at 3:55 p.m. Thursday, just over an hour before debate on the bill began, with House Republicans limiting debate by calling for it to end that same day at 6:30 p.m. He made a move to do so. .
In a news release sent shortly after the bill passed the Iowa House of Representatives Thursday night, Reynolds thanked the House members who passed the bill late Thursday.
“By reforming the AEA system, empowering school districts, and increasing oversight and transparency, we remain committed to better outcomes and brighter futures for Iowa students with disabilities.” Reynolds said in a news release. “They don’t deserve any better than that.”
Senate Majority Leader Jack Whitver, in a news release shortly after the House closed debate, indicated that Senate Republicans were likely to pass the bill and promised to begin consideration of the bill in the Senate early next week. did.
“I'm pleased to see progress on AEA reform, increasing beginning teacher pay, and increasing education funding,” Whitver said in a news release. “Senate Republicans will debate a new version of the bill next week and look forward to solutions on these issues.”
Republican: This bill would not negatively impact special education and would increase flexibility.
said Rep. Schuyler Wheeler (R-Orange City). [the bill] It has a negative impact on special education. ”
Wheeler said she imposed the bill on herself because AEA reform could impact her 5-year-old daughter, who has autism. She insisted she would not push for legislation that could harm the services her daughter receives. Wheeler also said that while she appreciates all the services AEA provides to families, the system needs more flexibility.
“I assigned [the bill to myself] Because we knew if this was about special education,” Wheeler said. “This deals with my daughter's future, but it also deals with so many different families and individuals that I know in the disability community that this is destroying, attacking and confusing them. That's ridiculous in my opinion.” I will never support or promote legislation that I believe will harm that community. ”
Rep. Chad Ingels (R-Randalia) called Democrats' comments “fear-mongering” and said the bill doesn't do what Democrats say.
“March Madness is what I call the type of fear-mongering that we hear today,” Ingels said. “That's overkill. We're not going to dismantle the AEA system. I think there's going to be challenges going forward. As we adapt to some changes in the system. Money isn't going to disappear from that system. . We're just regulating the flow.”
Democrats: Rushing through legislation that would impact the 'most vulnerable' Iowans
The debate was abruptly ended at 6:30 p.m., and Democrats argued that the bill was being submitted in a hurry, as the amendments were made public less than an hour before debate began.
“It's shameful, such nonsense,” Rep. Sharon Sue Steckman, D-Mason City, said during the debate. “This is no way to do business here for something so important to our kids. We're going to rush through this. It's like crazy March Madness.”
U.S. Rep. Ken Kroken, D-Davenport, speculated that the debate over exercise restrictions stemmed from a basketball game in Omaha.
The Iowa State men's basketball team and the Drake men's basketball team will play at CHI Health Center in Omaha on Thursday at 6:35 p.m. and 9:05 p.m.
Rep. Molly Buck (D-Ankeny), a public school teacher, said the bill would harm Iowa's “most vulnerable populations” by disrupting the AEA system that provides special education services to Iowa students. He said it would have an impact.
“We are rushing to pass legislation that impacts Iowans’ most vulnerable children, our most vulnerable people,” Buck said. “People who can't speak up for themselves, people who can't protect themselves. We're hurtling towards a system and I'm afraid there's going to be chaos at the end of this. Unless we're really worried. I’ve never stood up and fought so hard against something.”
