WE MUST CREATE MORE OPPORTUNITIES FOR K-12 STUDENTS

Ragan Report: Iowa's route to a high-skill, high-wage economy depends on great local schools that prepare students for work and life. Iowans have traditionally placed a high value on quality public schools for our kids.
Unfortunately, the Senate proposal for K-12 funding will reduce opportunities again this year. SF 2164 increases state funding for local schools by only 1 percent for the 2018-19 school year. The bill was approved by the full Senate February 7 on a 29-21 vote.
When you take into account inflation, per-student funding increased by only $33 between 2008 and 2015. In fact, funding has increased only seven-tenths of 1 percent per year for seven years.
Iowa ranks 34th for percent of funds spent on K-12 in FY17, according to a National Association of State Budget Officers report.
Nearly 200 school board members, superintendents and Parents for Great Iowa Schools advocated for our kids' education January 30 at the Statehouse. They said that they need a timely decision on state funding to plan and budget properly, and they wish we'd provide more than what is in the Senate bill so they can address local goals and needs.
They tell me schools increasingly can provide only the bare minimum with the funding they're getting. This can be especially true in our rural areas, where the cost of busing students to the school doors really dips into the money available to educate them.
While this bill begins to address concerns about transportation expenses, it is another round of inadequate funding for our classrooms.
Here is what districts in our area would get in basic school funding under the bill:
SENATE FILE 2164 School District State dollars for 2018-19 school year Change from 2017-18 school year Aplington-Parkersburg 5,315,091 -174,595 Clarksville 2,206,053 -86,610 Central Springs 4,942,691 130,032 Belmond-Klemme 5,011,377 -141,158 Forest City 6,925,232 23,258 AGWSR 3,280,137 108,090 Clear Lake 6,015,664 95,506 Alden 1,630,875 -48,865 Waverly-Shell Rock 13,164,956 601,325 Cal 1,698,106 -16,444 West Fork 3,929,892 31,158 Clarion-Goldfield-Dows 5,373,919 -610,619 North Butler 3,529,648 -117,427 Nashua-Plainfield 3,773,657 5,238 Mason City 24,037,222 -724,411 Iowa Falls 7,309,620 105,753 Hampton-Dumont 8,510,815 -139,335 Garner-Hayfield-Ventura 4,338,711 -4,002 Additional information
This is a legislative update from State Senator Amanda Ragan, representing Franklin, Butler and Cerro Gordo counties. To contact Senator Ragan when the Legislature is in session, call the Senate Switchboard at 515-281-3371. Otherwise she can be reached at 641-424-0874.
Senator Ragan is the Senate Minority Whip and ranking member of the Health & Human Services Budget. She also serves on the Agriculture, Appropriations, Human Resources, Rules & Administration and Veterans Affairs committees.