House Appropriations Committee increases school funding proposal to 2.25%

DES MOINES, Iowa (Gray Media Iowa Capitol Bureau) - The House Appropriations Committee has passed an amendment proposing a 2.25% increase in school funding, which includes $180 more per student for a total state cost per pupil of $8,168.

Iowa lawmakers continued discussions Monday about taxpayer support for public schools, with the House and Senate proposing different funding increases as educators and parents called for higher amounts.

State law required legislators to finalize school funding by last week, though there is no punishment for missing the deadline.

Last week, Senate Republicans passed legislation to increase Supplemental Student Aid funding by 1.75% per student.

Discussions began early Monday morning when a House subcommittee heard from educators and parents who argued the proposed increases should be higher.

Fred Maharry, former superintendent of Alta Community School District, told lawmakers that public schools need adequate funding to remain successful.

“First, Iowa’s community schools are one of our cornerstones and they have made a tremendous difference in our state. They educate more than 90% of our students. And we need them to be strong and effective,” Maharry said. “Second, we must provide them with financial and moral support if we want them to succeed.”

Some school districts have signed a petition asking for a 5% increase to offset previous limited increases. They say that amount would keep up with inflation and prevent cuts to extracurricular and after-school programs.

Ankeny School District said Monday it needs at least a 4% funding increase. Without it, the district could cut $6.1 million from its budget over the next four years.

Jeff Schumacher, an Ankeny Community Schools board member, said insufficient funding could slow the district’s growth.

“We’re not even half of that 4% on what’s likely to come out of the statehouse,” Schumacher said. “So, that just has some immediate repercussions with negotiations, but it has long term repercussions for our ability to do the kind of innovative work that we want to do.”

The House and Senate will need to work out a compromise between their different proposals as school districts wait to learn their funding amounts for the upcoming year.