Hunter
01/13/26
Iowa educators are once again asking for a five percent increase in funding while state legislative leaders are split on whether the figure is reasonable.
The Gazette reports Melissa Peterson, legislative and policy director for the Iowa State Education Association, says if per pupil state aid is increased by less than 5 percent, more than 200 school districts will not receive enough money to keep up with declining enrollment.
Iowa lawmakers must set the growth rate for State Supplemental Aid in the first 30 days of each legislative session. State Supplemental Aid has increased on average 2 percent each year since 2012.
Peterson says a budget guarantee provision in the Iowa School Finance Formula allows funding shortfalls to be made up through a budget adjustment which is funded through local property taxes. Senate Democratic Leader Janice Weiner of Iowa City said “chronically underfunded” public schools are going to place more pressure on property taxes.
Public schools are being hit by substantial enrollment decreases brought on by competition from private schools and declining birth rates.
House Minority leader Brian Meyer says Republicans have been starving public education for years, while Speaker Pat Grassley says he doesn’t think 5 percent is a reasonable ask.