Republicans in the Iowa House AND the Iowa Senate are preparing to send a one percent increase in per pupil state spending to Iowa’s public schools. Republican Senator Amy Sinclair of Allerton says it amounts to an extra 32 million dollars in general state support for the next academic year.

 

The proposal cleared the HOUSE Education Committee and the SENATE Education Committee this week.

Democrats say Republicans are “shortchanging” the state’s public schools. Senator Rob Hogg, a Democrat from Cedar Rapids, says one percent doesn’t keep pace with inflation.

 

There are discussions in the legislature about other education funding proposals. One would provide money to help sprawling rural schools deal with the costs of busing students. The other would extend the statewide sales tax that’s used to pay for school infrastructure. That tax is scheduled to expire in 2029.