Republicans in the Iowa legislature are proposing a 40-million dollar increase in general state spending on public schools for the coming academic year. It’s about half of what Republican Governor Terry Branstad recommended. Republican Representative Walt Rogers of Cedar Falls says estimates indicate the state will collect about 200 million more in taxes during the next budgeting year.
Rogers says a good share of the extra tax dollars coming into state coffers will be used to pay growing Medicaid costs. The G-O-P’s spending increase for SCHOOLS would amount to a roughly one percent increase in state tax dollars for public school districts. Brad Hudson, a lobbyist for the Iowa State Education Association, says schools need an increase four times as large.
Hudson says the 54 percent of Iowa school districts that have been experiencing declining enrollment need more support from the state.
Rogers says Republicans are considering more flexibility in how state funds may be spent in schools, plus there could be a plan to address the “inequity” of lower “per pupil” spending in the state’s property-poor districts.
The G-O-P plan would increase state tax dollar support of schools by 74 dollars per student.
