A great deal of attention across the state of Iowa has been placed on the school start date debate but, there’s a deeper issue that should be receiving more attention. School funding. The school start date has become a distraction away from the school funding issue, and the funding should really be at the top of the priority list.
On the Republican side with Gov. Branstad, the Iowa House approved a 1.25 percent increase in state supplemental aid for the 2015-16 school year. The Democratic Iowa Senate approved a spending packing including a 4 percent increase in state aid for the next two years.
Individual school districts, and the Iowa Association of School Boards have been promoting a 6 percent increase. A 1.25 percent would do a disservice to our students.
What would be the result of a 1.25% in funding?
In Alta, our class sizes, perhaps, would be larger as we would be restricted from adding the staff we may need. In both Alta and Aurelia, as we look at compensation for staff, we know that our insurance is increasing, and just moving across the lane in their salary schedule, already puts us in a negative with 1.25 percent.
We know that cost of materials, utilities, fuel, and supplies increases at an average annual rate around 4%. In both school districts, over the next two years, we will be planning for the added cost of a much needed update in Math and Language Arts textbooks. Four percent barely gets us to where we need to be, that’s why schools are promoting a 6 percent growth.
Both Alta and Aurelia could survive for a short time on 1.25% growth in state supplemental aid, but if that rate continues, both of our districts would have greatly reduce spending. 75% of any districts expenses is in salary and benefits, so any reduction in spending would result in staff reductions, which would adversely affect both school districts' programs.
If this is a topic of concern for you, please contact your local State Representatives and State Senators to voice your opinion. My experience with them has always been very positive and they are interested in listening to their constituents.
