DES MOINES, Iowa – On Tuesday morning, Iowa House and Senate leaders announced an agreement on a K-12 funding package for the 2020-21 school year. The package will invest nearly $100 million in new funding into Iowa’s schools with additional resources targeted to specific priorities like rural school transportation and per pupil equity. The agreement breaks down as follows:
| Supplemental State Aid | $85.57 million |
| Rural Transportation | $7.65 million |
| Per Pupil Equity | $5.8 million |
| TOTAL | $99.02 million |
“I am pleased to reach this agreement with the House. It provides sustainable, predictable, and reliable funding for school districts across Iowa,” Iowa Senate Majority Leader Jack Whitver, R-Ankeny, said. “Iowa leads the nation in graduation rate, average ACT score, and concurrent enrollment. This continued investment will help schools continue that record of achievement.”
“This agreement continues our historic record of investment in Iowa’s schools,” Iowa House Speaker Pat Grassley, R-New Hartford, said. “Over the last decade, funding for K-12 schools will have grown to an all-time high of almost $3.4 billion. This is nearly one billion dollars more than 10 years earlier.”
“Not only is this a significant investment in K-12 education, this is a funding promise that we know we will be able to follow through on,” he added.
The Iowa Senate intends to amend SF 2142 and pass this agreement through the Senate on Wednesday, March 4, 2020. The Iowa House will take up the funding package following Senate action. Schools will be able to plan their budgets before the April 15 budget certification deadline.
