Iowa Legislature Public Hearings

Paul V. Fitzgerald []

CON

Please help protect our children and our schools. We need adequate funding in a timely matter. We need at a minimum of 2% to come close to our school budget plans. You can not run a business or company/school with the type of funding the legislature has proposed. Paul V. Fitzgerald

Joel Foster [North Butler Community Schools]

CON

An increase of 1.25% and 2.45% is not an adequate increase for our schools. Schools have been significantly underfunded and Iowa needs to catch up. We need to be able to keep up with cost increases.An increase in Aid now with a cut later if it were to become necessary would be better than a low aid percentage that carries on permanently. I believe that it is time that we adequately and properly fund Iowa schools. Governor Branstad and the House Republicans have suggested Supplemental State Aid (SSA) of 1.25% for FY 16, and 2.45% for FY 17. 1.25% for FY 16 would give North Butler Community Schools a total of $96,459, and the 2.45% for FY 17 would be $127,389. I do not believe that those totals would be adequate. As with any other entity, schools are dealing with increased costs of doing business. The amount of SSA that is suggested in these initial proposals will not cover the increased costs of doing business, and will most likely lead to teaching positions being reduced, and programs for our students being reduced, as well as an increase in property taxes. The governor and the legislature have been preaching 'World Class School' for the last several years. How are we to develop 'World Class School' in Iowa when we continue to underfund K-12 education. The state is asking us to provide 'Cadillac' education while funding us at 'Yugo' prices. I have seen data where political rhetoric says that education funding has increased 18% over the past 4 years or so. Where is that funding? Most of it is tied to programs, and can only be used for categorical items, such as the Teacher Leadership and Compensation package. In our district, just to give teachers step and lane on the salary schedule would cost us over $55,000. That is not even a cost of living raise for these people. I believe that our teachers deserve to be compensated fairly for the job that they do. They work hard, put in many extra hours, and spend their own money to ensure that the needs of their students are met. At a time when we should be adding STEM programs, Project Based Learning, and other programs to meet the needs of our students and a changing world, we should be funding our schools adequately. We believe that a 6% increase in SSA for each of the next 2 years would be appropriate. We also believe that school funding and SSA should be set on time as required by law. The SSA for FY 16 should have been set a year ago, and SSA for FY 17 should be set in the next 22 days.

Dr Lew Finch [Urban Education Network of Iowa]

CON

Many proclaim support of education as the future of our state and nation.� Now is the time for the Governor and General Assembly to demonstrate such support. After several years of less than adequate funding, the proposed 1.25% increase will undoubtedly result in more program reductions among an already beleaguered public school system. Iowa continues to fall further behind other states in financial support of our public schools. Boasting that we all support a world class education� for all Iowa students is simply not enough. Now is the time for action to make this happen. Dr. Lew Finch, Executive Director Urban Education Network of Iowa

Anne Marie Kraus [Iowa City Education Association]

CON

To the Legislators of Iowa: Thank you for the opportunity of this public hearing, so that educators can demonstrate the deep needs and losses that have been created by the decrease in Supplemental School Aid in recent years. In seven of the past twelve years, we received between zero and two percent SSA, rather than the customary four percent. While we have heard some legislators state that they are not â??cuttingâ?� education funding, these decreases are, in effect, cuts. You know as well as anyone that almost everything continues to cost more each year, so that four percent SSA amounts to merely keeping up with costs, and not even increasing services to students. This past year, my school district lost teachers and entire programs due to inadequate SSA. We lost teachers in language arts, social studies and math, resulting in increased class size. We lost teachers of library classes, general music, strings, resulting in drastically reduced services to students. We lost athletic programs. How can legislators claim that reduced SSA does not cut� education funding, when these losses are occurring all over the state? Iowa education funding is 35th in the nation, which translates to $1,612 per student below the national average. It used to be that Iowa was proud to support its schools without question. Now we suffer the shame that, not only is our state government support significantly lacking, but since 2008, 37 states did better than Iowa despite that fact that Iowa's economic recovery has been more robust than many other states. Withholding funding from education shortchanges the future of all Iowans, and it is embarrassingly short-sighted. House File 80, setting SSA at 1.25%, is an insult to the students and hard-working educators of Iowa. It is an insult to anyone who cares about our future. Ask yourself: where should the funding goâ??to our students and future leaders, or to corporate subsidies? The money is there; it is up to our highest purpose to put it to work for all of Iowa by investing in our schools.

Anonymous [Carroll Education Association]

CON

I have the priviledge of teaching Science at a 1:1 high school. I will not be able to continue to integrate the level of technology that I do, if I don't have the money to fund it. Then, what are we preparing students for. All I hear is the future careers are in the STEM field. I know these jobs involve technology not paper/pencil work. PLEASE reconsider the amount of allowable growth, so that our students can continue to grow.

Dana Phelps [Iowa City Schools]

CON

This year tight budgets have made our school district limit the ammount of teachers they hired. Some classes were not offered (electives) and all of our classes have increased in size. When I get a new student in my ELL classes, I ask the school counselor to put them in an art class or a music class or another class where they can learn by doing, but the classes are too full, and they are turning my students away. They are putting students in study hall, because the classes are already overly full. That is what we are giving our students for saving money. Many are spending one or two hours a day in study hall. That is not a proper education.

Michael Penca [Mason City Community School District]

CON

Thank you for the opportunity to comment publicly on the proposed State Aid increase of 1.25% in FY 2016 and 2.45% in FY 2017. Both of these proposed increases are inadequate as Iowa Schools strive for excellence, yet continue to struggle from the effects of the low funding rates we have experienced in recent years. Our state's per pupil funding ranks 35th in the nation, $1,612 below the national average. Iowa students deserve better. Low funding rates, in addition to declining enrollment, have negatively impacted the class sizes in our district. A working paper recently released from the National Bureau of Economic Research titled 'The Effects of School Spending on Educational and Economic Outcomes: Evidence From School Finance Reforms'� by C. Kirabo Jackson, Rucker C. Johnson, and Claudia Persico details their research findings that increased per-pupil school spending leads to higher graduation rates, greater earnings for students as adults and fewer cases of poverty. While Iowa's economy remains strong, and state reserves are high as compared to other in our nation, let's appropriately invest in a world-class education for every Iowa student.

Cynthia Woodhouse [Iowa City Community Schools]

CON

While an improvement from the proposed 0.8% allowable growth, simply compromising with 1.25 is, in fact, compromising the educational welfare of our students. Public education is often one of the loweat funded areas in a state's budget, but is one of the most important needs our children and communities need met. As a teacher, I need to know that my class sizes won't continue to balloon, making my job of differentiated instruction and meamingful assessment impossible. Ineed to know that I will have access to resources beyond antiquated textbooks and unreliable computer usage. I need to know that my students will be given the tools to succeed by a state which values their potential enough to make up for woefully short-changing them in previous years. Please don't sell our student's futures in the name of compromise. Give the schools of Iowa what we need to make sure that every student has a real shot at being the productive and even superior citizens we hope they become. No less than 4.5% can send that message.

Sandra Sanchez []

CON

I totally oppose such a small increase to our school districts and the fact that it will force an increase on homeowners' taxes. It is unfair to our young population and to homeowners. The state lowered taxes for businesses while actually everyone in Iowa benefits from having an educated population: employers as well as consumers. It is inappropriate that the burden always keeps going to homeowners. Iowa's educational attainments were once at the top of the nation and now we are below the middle. We need an educated next generation to support the growing number of retiring baby boomers. I urge our legislature to use common sense and fair approaches to keep our schools well funded!

Anonymous []

CON

Iowa should not be shortchanging students and should fund schools at a level to be in the top rankings. 1.25% does nothing for supporting student. 6% is needed if Iowa wants to seriously give students what they need and be comparable to the rest of the States.

Candace King [Oelwein Community School]

CON

Dear Members of the Iowa House: I am writing in support of providing adequate additional state funding for K-12 education. As a school board member in the Oelwein Community School District, I saw firsthand what inadequate funding will do to our school district. Oelwein experienced a decline of 81 students the same year the state passed the 10% across the board cuts, which resulted in numerous positions being cut and programs reduced. With salary settlements typically being 3-4% and the increased costs of supplies and benefits, a 1.25% increase will force schools to significantly reduce personnel and raise property taxes through the budget guarantee. Such a low increase will require more than half of Iowa school districts to file budget guarantees which are funded entirely by property taxes. When economic times are tough, education has had to bear a large burden in reductions. Now that the economy is recovering, it is time to give education adequate funding. Please prove that education is still an Iowa priority by supporting 6% additional state aide for schools. A decision needs to be made as soon as possible, as contract negotiations and budget deadlines are coming soon. Thanks for your service to students of Iowa. Sincerely, Candace King Oelwein School Board Member

Anonymous []

CON

As a teacher, I find it discouraging that the governor consistently targets education for minimal growth and restrictive budget proposals. Increased class size alone has an enormously detrimental impact on student learning-- these cuts directly lead to what is arguably the single biggest variable negatively affecting student achievement. There seems to be a misconception among legislators and Governor Branstad himself. We teachers are not "fat cats" living large at the public trough. We are not getting rich, nor are we renting luxury skyboxes at Kinnick or making plans to visit our summer homes in Fiji. We are also not underpaid, in my estimation, because we genuinely love the job we do and value going to work every day. But this administration's annual attempts to turn our state's education into a political football--casting the blame for budgetary woes upon those of us directly serving your children while simultaneously ignoring obvious cases of government largesse with far greater impact on the state's financial health-- is beyond disappointing. Given this political climate, where our elected officials have indicated through word and deed that the work of educators is of little consequence or value, I wonder why any young Iowan would ever aspire to become a teacher.

Stacey Medd [Iowa City Community Schools]

CON

I was born in Iowa. I was educated in Iowa K-12 and then earned, and I do mean earned, my BA and MA from the University of Iowa. I was at the top of my class in high school in college, and I could have taught in any state and many countries because of the gifts my family, my teachers, and my state gave me. I chose to bloom with my family in the place that I knew could sustain deep roots in education-Iowa. I did not only want my child to flourish- I wanted those around him to have the chance to do the same. Allowable growth means just that... it allows our kids to be nourished, to be cultivated, to reach new heights. Without a reasonable increase in funding, so many programs and dreams will die. This is Iowa- we are supposed to be in the business of growth. At least that's the Iowa that I call home.

Candace King [Oelwein Community School]

CON

Dear Members of the Iowa House: I am writing in support of providing adequate additional state funding for K-12 education. As a school board member in the Oelwein Community School District, I saw firsthand what inadequate funding will do to our school district. Oelwein experienced a decline of 81 students the same year the state passed the 10% across the board cuts, which resulted in numerous positions being cut and programs reduced. With salary settlements typically being 3-4% and the increased costs of supplies and benefits, a 1.25% increase will force schools to significantly reduce personnel and raise property taxes through the budget guarantee. Such a low increase will require more than half of Iowa school districts to file budget guarantees which are funded entirely by property taxes. When economic times are tough, education has had to bear a large burden in reductions. Now that the economy is recovering, it is time to give education adequate funding. Please prove that education is still an Iowa priority by supporting 6% additional state aide for schools. A decision needs to be made as soon as possible, as contract negotiations and budget deadlines are coming soon. Thanks for your service to students of Iowa. Sincerely, Candace King Oelwein School Board Member

Anonymous [Iowa City Communtiy School District]

CON

I think it is unjust that Action has begun in the House of Representatives to determine school funding starting July 1, 2015. This bill, House File 80, sets SSA (Supplemental School Aid) at 1.25%, a woefully inadequate amount. As a teacher of 15+ years and an individual who has worked with at-risk students for 35 years I find it inexcusable that our legislative body fails to see the need to support our educators. When I first began working with at-risk students the factors effecting their particular situations were difficult but somewhat more manageable. The students that we are facing now, at-risk and non at-risk students, face extreme situations that directly effect their ability to learn; single parent homes,poverty, homelessness, being a second parent at the age of 10 years because their parent has to work one or two jobs, frequent moves which causes gaps in learning and the over-all inability to know "how to do school" is wide spread. In stead of understanding the educators situation and need for more support services, you are reducing funding which in turn negatively effects our ability to be meet the needs adequately of the students we service.

Maria Lehman [Fort Dodge Community School District]

CON

Our children deserve more than an increase of only 1.25% in education funding. That doesn't even cover the day to day cost of operating a school. School districts will be going deeper in the hole and be forced to make cuts that negatively impact student learning. Schools are suffering from years of being underfunded. Is that the message we want to send the world...to our children? When we look to Iowa's future, how can we not see that it is dependent on today's children? It is our responsibility to provide the tools and knowledge they need to thrive as adults. That is an impossible task without adequately funding our schools. Fort Dodge is making tremendous strides in school improvement. Our staff development efforts are increasing teacher capacity which translates into great gains in student achievement. Without adequate school funding, we will be forced to make cuts in professional development, staff, programs and materials. These will all drastically impact our students! I urge you to help meet the needs of our children, help Iowa flourish and give a 6% increase to our schools that so desperately need it.

Diane Spicknall [Iowa City Community Schools]

CON

Establishing 1.25% is not adequate to serve the needs of our students. Our students are coming to us with many needs; more money is required to adequately address those needs so that each student can learn to his/her full potential. I would invite any legislator to come and teach a day in my classroom to better understand the issues that educators encounter daily in their classrooms.

Anonymous [Public Schools in Iowa]

CON

As a teacher of both challenged and talented students, we need all of the ISEA's recommended 6% increase to meet the needs of all students. Teachers need smaller classes to have more time with students - nothing can replace this. We also need the best resources at our disposal to prepare students.

Jason Lang []

CON

Education is the economic engine of the State of Iowa. To continue to invest minimally in it will lead to a competitive disadvantage. It is time to make up for ground lost during the economic downturn and re-invest in the education of Iowa's children, i.e. our collective future. A 1.25% budget growth in education does not put us on a prosperous future path and it is clear from the response of Iowa's school superintendents that this level of funding could be damaging to schools. Funding should clearly be set at a minimum of a 4% budget growth and likely should be closer to 6% as recommended by many education, not political, experts.

Elizabeth Moritz []

CON

Please vote NO on this bill. A 1.25% increase is UNACCEPTABLE. We need to make our investment in the EDUCATION our children a PRIORITY and not relegate it to the bottom of the list.

Scott Kehrberg [Parent of Student and Teacher in Fort Dodge Schools]

CON

The prosed bill of 1.25% allowable growth for the 2015-16 school year is unacceptable. Iowa schools have had to make reductions that have lead to increased class sizes and continuing to use materials that should be replaced but are not because the school district is not adequately funded. The cost of electricity, heat, water, insurance, etc. continues to rise at a rate that is higher than the 1.25% that this bill proposes. The cost of doing business which is just being able to pay for increases in expenses and not reduce class size or replace old materials is estimated to be 3.5%. It is time to do the right thing. It is time to put Iowa's kids first. It is time to not settle for being 35th in the nation is per student funding. It is time to fund schools at 6% and stop underfunding education.

Gina Scheffler [Audubon Education Association]

CON

The children of Iowa are our future, not just of this state but of the country. Some of them will move away and take their Iowa education with them, representing us in the rest of the nation. Others will stay here and become the next generation of doctors, lawyers and workers. We expect to instill a good work ethic in them wherever they go and whatever they do. But what example do we give them if we do not place a priority on education? If we expect them to carry on with the foundation others have made, then should we not invest in them and put them ahead of other uses for our funding? Iowa was traditionally a leader of the field of education but now we are at the rank of 37 in per-pupil spending and well below the national average. On behalf of students in rural districts and students of less fortunate families across the state, we owe it to them to move forward and put an emphasis on their education. We cannot afford not to and we cannot afford to wait. Please do the right thing for our children.

Gina Scheffler [Audubon Community School District]

CON

We are con as we oppose the legislation being at 1.25% and 2.45% and a 6% increase will help in our classrooms for school-new curriculum materials or sustaining the computer situation by getting updates. Our children deserve to keep up with the rest of the nation in technology and learning. Don't shortchange them!

Kevin Powell [Starmont School Board / Iowa Association of School Boards]

CON

I would like to speak in opposition to this bill on how limited funding would affect public school districts and the future growth of businesses within Iowa.

Blake Hammond []

CON

I urge you to vote no on HF80. The funding in HF80 will lead to increases in school class size and/or reductions in salary and benefits for school district staff including nearly 100,000 teachers, administrators, and support professionals. We need to look to our past when Iowa was the top state in the nation in academic performance. During the years of high success Iowa also provided adequate levels of SSA. From 1973-2002, SSA was at or above 3.5% in every year except 1985 and 1994. In 14 of the years in this 30 year time frame SSA was over 4% in Iowa. I hear much justification for this year's proposal of SSA under 2% because the state is spending money in education through other appropriations. The problem is that much of this additional funding does not impact class size, it does not provide additional supports for our ELL population, and it does not provide flexibility for local school boards to decide how to best use the funds based on the needs of the local district. As a republican I believe in local control and picking and choosing where money goes in education is not serving Iowa's students and families well. Iowa's public schools need adequate funding and this requires a return to SSA funding levels from the 1980s-1990s. I know that the school I work in will see staff reductions if the funding in HF80 is approved. I know that this will lead to a greater challenge in maintaining or improving student achievement. To be honest, an increase in class size will lead to a decline in student achievement. On behalf of my students, please vote no on HF80 and return funding of SSA to the decades where Iowa was the top performing state in education.

Stephanie Phillips [Iowa City Community School District]

CON

One of the State's best resources is public education. PLEASE invest in Iowa's greatest resource- its children. The best way to grow Iowa is to educate our children.

J Frew []

CON

While I fully support an increase in funding for our schools, I must protest the paltry amount being presented in this bill. We need to INVEST in our schools and our children so that we have the well educated base we need to support new and growing industries in Iowa. We need to set growth at the levels that have been recommended (4% and 6%) that allow for catching up due to underfunding in previous years as well as building for the future. Education is something we should strive to be number one at within the United States and the World, yet we often refuse to pony up for the costs associated with good teachers, facilities, and set the bar too low for our students as a result. Iowans can raise to any occasion, and so can their children, so let's give them, and their Schools, the tools for success instead of setting them up for failure. Please increase the state percent of growth to 4% and 6%. Thank you for your time and consideration.

Margaret Buckon [Education Coalition]

CON

Please see uploaded document which quotes a recent economic study of the return on investment related to education spending. The Education Coalition Fact of the Week for Jan. 26, 2015 is attached. The Coalition includes: AEAs of Iowa, Iowa Association of School Boards, Iowa State Education Association, Rural School Advocates of Iowa, Schools Administrators of Iowa and the Urban Education Network, all united in support of 6% increase in the cost per pupil for FY 2016 and FY 2017.

Peter Licht [SIoux City Community Schools]

CON

I teach high school art. Not only do i have an additional assignment (1 class beyond contract for which i am paid )but i have a number of classes with 35-36 students. This was also the case last year when i actually ran out of some supplies. This year i have been a miser, materials wise and have been searching around town for businesses to donate things we can use. Even when classes are well behaved and hard working, 35-36 students is pretty outrageous. Also....our insurance is reported to go up 15%-20% when the national average, thanks to the ACA, is way below that. there needs to be oversight of insurance companies screwing the insured to pay their stockholders.

Ken Howard [South Hamilton CSD]

CON

I represent the good people of the South Hamilton Community School District. I would truly like state leadership review and reflect upon the short drafted document I have complied that notes my view of the proposed school funding for FY 16 and FY17. Your time, effort and possible consideration of this inforamtion.

Dr. Paul R. Gausman [Sioux City Community School District]

PRO

Thank you for working on school funding very quickly in this session. We appreciate your efforts to move the bills fast, and support your efforts toward a speedy resolution. We have reached the point of education funding inadequacy in Iowa. Sioux City is uses the Teacher Leadership and Compensation grant to improve instruction and outcomes for students. We support the stateâ??s investment in education reform, but that must accompany regular program investments; not replace them, if the education reform is to work. Please consider the points below: â?¢ During the recession, Iowa schools experienced record low or no increases in the cost per pupil. â?¢ Some funding was lowered (dropout prevention, operational sharing incentives, mentoring funds) and some funding was eliminated (such as the state contribution to Instructional support) â?¢ HF 80 (House Education Committee) and the Governor propose 1.25% SSA increase for FY 16 and 2.45% for FY 17, continuing the trend of very low increases. â?¢ Iowaâ??s percentage change in spending per student, inflation adjusted, from FY 2008 to FY 2014, is down $641 per student. Only 10 states have lowered spending more. (Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, May 20, 2014 http://www.cbpp.org/cms/?fa=view&id=4011) â?¢ The Iowa total education expenditures gap is now $1,612 below the national average per pupil, ranking Iowa 35th in the nation. http://www.nea.org/assets/docs/NEA-Rankings-and-Estimates-2013-2014.pdf â?¢ The annual cost of doing the business of school in Iowa increases 3.5% every year (staff salaries and benefits, transportation, utilities, workersâ?? comp, instructional materials and curriculum, mandated contribution to retirement, technology upgrades, training, etc.) â?¢ 1.25% and 2.45% would result in 6 out of the past 7 years of funding increases below cost recovery. That low amount means fewer staff and programs for students. In Sioux City, weâ??ve added 199 students, so the 1.25% increase results in $2.4 million in additional spending authority, known as â??new moneyâ?�. We need $3.1 million just to keep up with inflation and cost growth, not assuming the growing enrollment requires any new staff or textbooks or materials. That leaves our school district short $733,000 short, meaning another year of staff and/or program reductions. We are already contemplating reductions of several million just to stay even with spending authority trends. Please consider the united request from all the education organizations involved with our Iowa public schools and set the increase per pupil at 6%, both in FY 2016 and FY 2017. We truly want to provide a world class education for our students, and need sufficient state support to insure we can serve our children for their future.

Robert Barry [Sioux City Community Schools]

CON

My issues regarding underfunded school districts deals with class size and materials, essentially. My class sizes range from 28-48 students. In the hierarchy of classroom materials, the arts are considered dead last, and must resort to fundraising efforts to even give our students the most very basic tools we need to teach. Much of the funding comes from the teachers themselves. With new district, state, and federal initiatives being pushed on us one after the other, no finances are left for training, leaving teachers in the classroom overworked, stressed about new requirements, and no training available to assist them.This has been an ongoing problem since the financial crisis of 2008, but with state budget surpluses, I can't understand how/why our funding can't come back to what it once was. Our teaching staff is nearly half as many members as it once was. I urge you to consider funding education in Iowa according to state law. .8 percent does nothing for us.

Scott Stimmel [Iowa City Education Association / Iowa City Community School District]

CON

I'm concerned with the proposed Supplemental School Aid being set at 1.25%. By setting the SSA at only 1.25%, it increases the likelihood of larger class sizes and will make it difficult for teachers to provide the level of instruction, feedback, and support that parents and administrators expect of public school teachers in Iowa. I'm fearful that if this SSA passes as proposed, schools will have to cut programs and layoff teachers who work to serve the communities they are apart of. I urge you to reconsider the proposed 1.25% SSA so schools in our state won't be forced to cut jobs or programs.

Gina Ryan [Student Teacher]

CON

I am student teaching in the HS in Jefferson. The Health classroom has only 15 textbooks for 25 students. These 15 books are in 3 different editions, so that when the teacher uses them, she has to figure out which chapters are relevant to the lecture--1 topic, 3 books, 2 different chapters, 3 different page numbers. The books are nowhere close to new, either. The kitchen area for FCS is in need of an upgrade--some of the equipment is 30 years old. They do an amazing job teaching students practical culinary arts as they run a take-out bakery and an in house bistro, and the Child Development class is running a pre-school, but it is cramped and in need of expansion--more than six children make for tight quarters. I did practicum last fall at West Marshall HS. The FCS kitchens there must be at least 40 years old. The some of the cabinet doors appear to be ready to fall off. The textbooks they have are also old, different editions, and too few. FCS teaches students life skills--we do far more than teach cooking, we teach job skills, Personal Finance, Parenting and Child Development, Relationship Skills, Consumer Awareness, Healthy Living, Nutrition, and more. Please help us help our students to obtain the education and skills they need as community members.

Pamela Follon [teacher]

CON

Although I am unable to attend the public hearing, I would like to take this opportunity to express our district's needs regarding education. I currently teach special needs students ranging from level 1 to level 3. Since my placement at NFVCSD Elgin campus, I have experienced a great need for updated curriculum in general education and special education. Currently, our history books are older than 10 years. As education moves into a more rigorous online presence, the district does not have a current reading and language arts program that faculty and staff can utilize on line. As a result, our students are missing out on great opportunities to enhance their abilities to close the gap in many areas of education. I have purchased numerous textbooks out of my own expense to supplement material, so that my students can have great educational opportunities as other students from larger districts. In order for teachers to meet the Iowa Core, educational opportunities need to improve for all students. Funding for education has been a consistent concern of mine as an educator and a parent. I hope my voice will assist in making positive changes to assist in moving our education forward with greater funding and greater opportunities for all students,

Amy Swenson [ISEA-SCEA Sioux City Education Association]

CON

I would like to share my story as a 7th year kindergarten teacher. Before being a kindergarten teacher I taught special education for 11 years. I am having a very tough year in kindergarten this year. My cohort and I have 25 students each with an aide to share, so sometimes I have help in the morning and sometimes in the afternoons. There are so many students that my aide is usually helping me be organized, making copies, getting books ready, preparing materials, corralling students and so on. Of my 25 students, 8 of them have never been to pre-school or left the home for daycare. I have one little boy who doesn't communicate verbally, but grunts and points at things, I have 6 kids needing speech services (2 are getting speech now), I have 2 kids who were in the TK (transitional kindergarten) last year and both have severe behavioral issues. One is very defiant and the other is aggressive towards others, both have special sticker charts and notebooks going home to parents which is very time consuming. Many of my students are very needy and want everything done for them. We have learned a great deal, but socially and emotionally a lot of them struggle. I have at least 17 kids who struggle with paying attention for more than 3 minutes at a time. At least an hour of my day is reteaching behaviors that are not appropriate. This happens at least 3 times a week. I have tried everything up my sleeve to make the kids want the positive attention, praise, and the chance to pick from my prize drawer. Our AEA staff is spread so thin that kids are not being serviced like they should be. Our district thinks we have too many kids in special education and we get told that we can't have kids tested and put in. ELL (English Language Learners) are even harder to get services for because someone believes that it is always their language making them behind, so they don't like to test these kids until 2-3rd grade. This is a dis-service to them and their peers. So many kids come to school not ready to learn and the teachers always get blamed for the test scores! Parents need to be accountable and I think we should look at giving professional development to them, not the teachers. Our professional development as a whole has not been good for at least 8 years. Yes, every once in awhile we get a good day or a good speaker here and there, but weekly it stinks. We need classes sizes to be appropriate at every grade level to ensure we get good test results and everybody becomes proficient. Our district is out of control with class sizes at every level. 40 kids in middle school and high school classes is extremely out of control, anything above 20 in K-2 is where you start to lose kids and 3-5 should not be over 24 kids. We need the State Supplemental Aide to be higher for the future of IA. Ron Jorgenson talks about being a budget person, but he needs to look at the future. Yes, education is the largest pot of money being spent, I understand that, but take away the entity of education and what will we have in our state? A bigger mess than it is. $700 million in reserves and another $500 million that didn't get spent out of the budget last year is a whole lot of money to just keep in the bank. I'm tired of district administrations and the people at the Capital saying they are doing everything for children...the teachers do everything and the bigwigs travel all the time and sit back and take the credit when something good happens. I pay my taxes and I have a child in the public schools and it's about time our state is above 37th in per pupil spending! Thank you!

Susan Deike [Community Member of Mason City - Children are Graduated]

CON

Although the legislature has funded education with additional dollars much of this funding is categorical and does not assist all school districts across the entire state evenly or fairly. We have heard ever since the year the legislature made the 10% cut in funding to schools, how the majority of schools across Iowa have had to cut back and expected to provide quality programming on less and less each year. As a community member, I would like to see the legislature not only reject the 1.25% SSA that is being recommended, but actually go above and beyond the 4% that has been done some years in the past and set the SSA at 6%. Thank you, I know you want what is best for students and want all Iowa students to have the opportunity at a World Class Education.

Anita Micich [Public Education Mason City and Clear Lake School Districts]

CON

Public Education Matters for ALL Iowa Children. Thank you for your consideration.

Stan Rheingans, Superintendent [Dubuque Community Schools / UEN]

CON

I am already signed up to speak, but am uploading my comments here in opposition to the low levels of funding increases in HF 80. Thank you for the opportunity to address the public hearing.

Jean Junis [Iowa City Community School District]

CON

House File 80 sets SSA (Supplemental School Aid) at 1.25%, a woefully inadequate amount! The ISEA has a goal of 6%, for both ordinary needs as well as to help make up for the shortfalls and losses of the past few years. The shortfalls have already caused increased class sizes and cuts in subject areas, such as foreign languages and the arts. Iowa spends $1612 less per student than the national average. It's time to stop accepting less that the best for our schools and students. Please invest in public education for our children! It is far better to invest in schools now, than to build more prisons in the future!

William Stone [Southwest Valley Schools]

CON

Thank you for your time and the important work that you do for Iowa. Last year, you relieved pressure on general fund dollars by expanding the age limit for early retirement taken out of the management funds, which was greatly appreciated. I am writing you today concerning the anticipated under funding of public schools in Iowa. HF 80 calls for 1.25% growth for 2015-2016. People continually talk about having â??World Classâ?� education in Iowa. I would ask that we follow that talk with action and provide the needed funding for public schools. The current funding will cause both districts that make up Southwest Valley to look at cutting teachers/programing that are needed for our educational trends to continue on an upward climb. Thank you for your time on this matter.

Anonymous [None, parent]

CON

Iowa Schools are competing in the 21st century, but this current 1.25% is from the last one. In one of our kindergarten classes we had five languages being spoken. The world is also updating technology at lighting speed. But we don't have the teachers or support to keep up with today's needs. We need to fund our schools if we want Iowa to grow and prosper. As a parent, I am willing to pay higher taxes to ensure my daughter and son can compete in a global marketplace.

Scott D Flynn []

CON

Ladies and Gentlemen, I submit my comments to you this evening realizing that each of you has a difficult job balancing the priorities of the various groups that receive funding and realizing that the schools of Iowa receive a large portion of the state budget on an annual basis. I also come to you as a local elected official and currently serve as President of the Keota Community School District Board. My comments to you are my own, although I am confident that my counterparts share my concern with state school funding that is failing to keep up with the needs of Iowa students seeking a first class primary education. Education is one of the fundamental functions of our government. Having sat on a school board trying to make ends meet and provide a quality education for our children, I know that education funding is lacking in the State of Iowa. Our legislators have repeatedly stated that education is a priority. I ask you this evening to demonstrate that priority through action and encourage you to increase the level of funding provided by the State of Iowa for education our students. Our students are competing in a global environment. Business leaders have repeatedly stressed that they are concerned with the level of education provided to our students, which affects the crop of future employees for their businesses. In order to continue to provide a quality workforce, education is fundamental. Local school leaders need adequate funding to prepare these future leaders for the State of Iowa and this great nation. Thank you for your consideration this evening and your work in leading our state.