Cownie Statehouse Report: Education Reform Crucial for Iowa’s Kids

By Rep. Peter Cownie

Reform of Iowa’s K-12 educational system is necessary for our state to reach its full potential. The governor is adamant in his insistence that the system is broken and needs fixed.

I agree. Students in Iowa have to be ready to compete in a global economy and certain reforms are necessary for them to do so ably. Improvement has been long overdue, and the Iowa House has passed a good package to get us headed in the right direction in the form of House File 215, which needs Senate approval to move forward.

Iowa has long been considered a leader when it comes to how we school our children, but the statistics prove otherwise. We are lagging behind other states considerably in areas of study in which we used to lead, and we are falling further and further behind each and every year. We have become complacent.

In 1992 Iowa was Number 1 in the nation on the National Assessment of Education Progress (NAEP), which is considered the “Nation’s Report Card.” We were 11 points and 16 points ahead of the national average on 4th and 8th grade math. Today we are 3 points and 2 points ahead, tied for 20th and 26th respectively. Back then we were 10 points and 7 points ahead on 4th and 8th grade reading.

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Today we are only a single point ahead in both classes, tied for 24th and 29th in the United States. In fact, in the 2011 NAEP report, Iowa was singled out by its chairman, as he stated, “clearly, NAEP shows that some states have moved ahead strongly over the past two decades. Others have gained much less than the nation as a whole, and their relative standing has slipped, which has become a concern of state leaders, particularly Iowa.”

When fully implemented, House File 215 will invest an additional $157 million into our K-12 educational system. The bill increases beginning teacher pay from $28,000 to $32,000, which is vital in attracting strong educators.

And while I do not believe that money solves every problem, and that we need to spend wisely and efficiently, we have to give our children every opportunity to succeed. Over half of our state budget will go toward education this year.

But we have to do more, and House File 215 does, incentivizing teachers to attain leadership positions, mentor other teachers outside and inside of the classroom, increase contract days and further professional development. Should a teacher pursue these goals he or she will be eligible for additional compensation.

House File 215 also expands online learning for Iowa students. This is a key point for rural Iowa students to be able to gain the same skills by taking the same classes often available solely to kids in urban areas. Every student in Iowa deserves the opportunity to gain the same skills regardless of where they live.

The time has come to pass a comprehensive education reform package in Iowa. The excuses and complacency have gone on long enough. I am hopeful the Iowa Senate will give House File 215 careful consideration and the 2013 session will be remembered for moving education forward in Iowa.

Our kids deserve it.

(Rep. Peter Cownie, R-West Des Moines, represents District 42 in the Iowa House of Representatives. Contact him at 515-281-3221 or peter.cownie@legis.iowa.gov.)