House Journal: Page 57: Tuesday, January 14, 2003
We cannot and should not abandon those efforts - but more is needed to keep faith
with our values and maximize hope and opportunity.
A transformed Iowa economy requires continuous improvement in education.
If we are to double the number of college experienced workers in the workforce,
more children will have to attend college. To achieve success in school, children must
be ready to learn before they enter school. Bold goals precede and encourage bold
action. Let us work together to challenge ourselves to create an Iowa where virtually
all (over 90%) of our children have access to quality preschool and where virtually all,
at least 90%, of our children complete their formal education with at least 2 years
college experience.
I need not remind the General Assembly that achievement gaps and dropouts carry
a heavy price for failure. Just a generation ago the thought of all day kindergarten for
all of our children seemed an impossible dream. Today, over 90% of our children have
access to all day kindergarten. Our 90/90 goal embodies our values. This is a goal that
can be reached. The goal must be reached. The goal will be reached.
The creation of the Iowa Learns Council, with representatives from all levels of
education and statewide leaders will help to develop strategies and policy
recommendations for accomplishing the 90/90 goal.
The goal needs resources. As investments from the Iowa Values fund are made and
opportunities are expanded and benefits are realized, a portion of new revenues
generated from these investments should be dedicated to achieving the 90/90 goal. In
the meantime, college tuitions continue to go up and some students may be discouraged
from attending. That is why this legislature should restore funding to the important
work-study program to empower students to earn their way through college.
Barriers to reaching our 90/90 goal must also be removed. Today, a disparity exists
in educational opportunity in our state.
Very small school districts with high schools of less than 100 students find it
increasingly difficult to provide the range of opportunities necessary for success. Now,
this barrier can be removed through collaboration or consolidation. The creation of a
Virtual Academy allowing access to students to online courses, and Regional
Academies enabling schools to combine their course opportunities will help reduce the
disparity. For those districts where consolidation provides the only answer, we should
provide financial incentives to encourage school consolidation.
Now some believe that a financial disparity in education exists. For more than a
generation, based on a study of school finances, Iowans operated under the belief that
the school funding formula promoted equity. Much has changed since that study - and
the times call for a new study of school finances. If inequities exist, they must be
addressed. Our values require it. Hope and opportunity will depend on it.
Iowans have a right to expect quality healthcare. We’ve worked hard to extend that
right to all of our children. Today, we protect almost ninety-five percent of our
youngsters by providing access to healthcare through Medicaid; Hawk-I, our children's
health insurance program; or other private insurance. We take pride in knowing
almost ninety percent of adults are also covered.
© 2003 Cornell College and
League of Women Voters of Iowa
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