Senate Journal: Page 4: Monday, January 12, 1998

  we can make progress on education this year.  That would be the best result
  for all
  of
  us.  Make no mistake, however, that we intend to make it clear to the public
  who is
  responsible if this legislature can not get things done.

  I stand ready, with my Democratic colleagues, to support many sound ideas
  for
  improving education which have been proposed by others during the interim.
  We
  Democrats will also present several good ideas for improvements in education
  that
  we
  gathered last fall from statewide hearings on education, and we ask you to
  join with
  us
  in supporting these as well.  There has never been a better time or clearer
  opportunity
  to make improvements in education.  Given the health of the budget and the
  clearly
  identified needs, I simply ask this: 'if not now, when?'

  Specifically, the Democratic caucus members, based on the findings from
  eighteen
  public hearings with Iowans, suggest the following specific steps be taken
  this year.

  First, reduce elementary school class sizes in order to improve student
  learning and
  classroom discipline.  This approach is demonstrated in educational research
  as a
  very
  effective one to aid in learning skills such as reading, where Iowa test
  scores are
  now
  dropping.  It's also a good, common-sense idea whose time has come.

  Repair crumbling school buildings.  The state should do its part to correct
  the
  current situation where many children are attending classes in unsafe
  facilities.
  Let's
  join the 40 other states who help repair and rebuild local schools.  Why
  wait for a
  tragedy to force us to act?

  Raise young children's school readiness.  Early education for preschoolers
  is
  another area where research shows us we should take action.  Our investment
  in
  making sure kids are ready for school can dramatically increase their
  achievement,
  and
  lessen problems in the classroom.

  Require students to act responsibly.  We must, among other things, insure
  that
  alternative classrooms are available for disruptive students in order to
  make sure
  teachers can teach and other students can learn in the traditional school.

  Reward student results and achievements.  We must encourage and reward
  student
  achievements by keeping college accessible and affordable to all qualified
  students.

  These "5R's"-reduce class sizes, repair school buildings, raise school
  readiness,
  require students to act responsibly, and reward student results-must be
  accomplished
  this year or this legislature will have failed.  Our local school boards,
  teachers,
  administrators, citizens, and students are doing their part-it's up to this
  legislature to
  make sure the state is doing its part.  There can be no excuse for failure
  on these
  issues
  of vital importance to our children and Iowa's future.

  This is not just a matter of spending more on the existing programs.  For
  once, I
  may agree with Jim Lightfoot when he says, "If we are going to improve the
  state as
  a
  whole, we must find imaginative ways to finance schools for students." Our
  Democratic
  Senators will present legislation this year to do just that.  I ask for you
  to join us in
  passing these bills in 1998 and truly improve education for our children.
  We can,
  and
  we must, take advantage of this opportunity to build a stronger future for
  our state
  by
  improving education now.

Iowa General Assembly

Index: Senate Journal (77th General Assembly: Session 2)

© 1998 Cornell College and League of Women Voters of Iowa

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