Iowa Education Reform Legislation

·                          Implements the largest teacher leadership structure in the United States.

This structure provides top teachers a chance to take on more instructional leadership responsibility alongside school administrators, which will strengthen teaching throughout schools. It also provides more support for new teachers and fosters greater collaboration for all teachers.

The leadership structure is a multi-year commitment, with the first year focused on planning. About $3.5 million in planning grants has been set aside for school districts that join the system. Beyond that, districts will receive more than $300 per student a year.

·                          Pays teachers more.

Between raising the minimum salary to $33,500 and providing extra pay to teachers who accept leadership roles, opportunities now exist to help retain talented people.

·                          Expands Iowa Learning Online, a state-run system that has provided high-quality courses online and through the Iowa Communications Network (ICN) since 2004.

The expansion provides additional learning opportunities for students whose districts don’t offer certain subjects.

·                          Creates pilot programs in competency-based education, an approach that advances students based on their mastery of content rather than age or seat time.

“When a student demonstrates competency in a certain subject, he or she can move along – as opposed to having to sit a number of days in a class that’s already been mastered,” says Mike Cormack, policy liaison for the Iowa Department of Educations. “If a student has mastered Algebra I, for instance, she won’t have to wait for her classmates to catch up before she can start Algebra II.”

·                          Changes the minimum instructional time required in a school year by giving school districts a choice between 1,080 hours or 180 days.

Previously, the school year was measured by a minimum of 180 days. The new flexibility allows schools to make up snow days by gradually adding time to the school day, rather than tacking on extra days at the end of the school year.

·                          Creates college loan programs for teaching candidates.

This program will be available to high-achieving students who want to teach in high-need areas.

·                          Creates a simplified approach to connecting teachers with job openings in schools by establishing a statewide web-based education job posting system that will make the processes for hiring and applying for jobs more efficient.

·                          Increases school funding.

School funding will increase 2 percent next year, with an additional 2 percent, one time, state aid. School funding increases 4 percent in the second year.