DES MOINES, Iowa – Iowa Senate Republicans released their education funding proposal for FY 2021 on Wednesday afternoon.
Iowa Senate Republicans propose $91.7 million in new funding for K -12 education representing a total increase of more than $300 million since FY 2017 by the Republican-led Iowa Legislature.
Senate Majority Leader Jack Whitver, R-Ankeny, said the Iowa Senate Republicans’ record stands “in stark contrast to the days of overpromising and underdelivering during Democrat control of state government.”
“They promised hundreds of millions of dollars in new spending only to cut K-12 funding by $65 million. Senate Republicans have fully funded every K-12 education funding promise we have made each year in the majority,” he stated.
Iowa Senate Education Chair Amy Sinclair, R-Allerton, said the this year’s proposed funding completes Iowa Senate Republicans’ promise to eliminate the disparity in education funding for school districts who have transportation costs that are higher than the statewide average.
“We began this process in the first year of the majority and we have kept our word to rural districts to get them on equal footing with those districts with lower transportation costs. It also addresses one of the most pressing issues in K-12 education by addressing violent student behavior in the classroom,” she noted.
Iowa Senate Republicans state that the amount of funding proposed is responsible, sustainable, and demonstrates that education is a top priority. Their proposal provides a $75.7 million increase in supplemental state aid, $7.7 million in new funding for transportation inequity, $5.8 million to address per pupil inequity, and $2.5 million to address violent student behavior (SSB 3080) for a total of $91.7 million.
Iowa Senate Republicans state predictable, responsible, sustainable funding for Iowa schools has yielded results pointing out that currently Iowa students are #1 in high school graduation rate, #1 in concurrent enrollment and #1 in average ACT scores.
