Cownie Statehouse Report: Senate’s Demand for 4 Percent Increase in Aid ‘Reasonable’

By Rep. Peter Cownie

Iowa has good schools. They used to be great. When I was growing up Iowa was consistently ranked No. 1 in America for our K-12 educational system. Today we are in the middle of the pack.

It is not that we have gotten worse. It is that other states have gotten better. This is deeply troubling, and is cause for reform. Governor Branstad is leading the charge to do exactly that, and I am behind him 100 percent.

The Iowa House has recently passed House File 215 – our version of an “Education Reform Bill.” The centerpiece of HF 215 is the “Teacher Leadership Pathways” program, which is designed to raise the stature of the teaching profession and create a more attractive career option for college graduates.

Further, HF 215 puts $145 million into the initiative over a three-year period to help districts promote their best teachers for leadership positions. It provides an accountability structure for teachers and administrators undergoing annual evaluations, with student achievement (or lack thereof) being one of the foremost factors for an educator receiving a favorable mark.

The evaluations will focus on teacher development and, in turn, creating a stronger teaching force. And lastly, the bill looks to private schools to better their practices by raising their standards even higher through accrediting agencies that demand results and share in the school’s mission.

The reality at the Statehouse is that there is split control in the Legislature. Republicans control the House. Democrats control the Senate. For these reforms I mention above to become law the Senate wants a 4 percent increase in state aid to our schools. House Republicans agreed to give this request a green light last week as long as our Senate cohorts agree with the aforementioned reforms. This is a good and reasonable compromise.

No matter the legislative makeup, Iowans expect results. We at the Statehouse need to work together, and this plan gives us the opportunity to prove we can. It is a step forward for Iowa’s greatest resource: the children. For the sake of our kids, I can only hope the Senate will agree and stick to its word.