1. Student Achievement

Providing varied pathways and supporting student plans for success within their PK-12 years, and beyond is essential work in Iowa Public Schools. Examples of areas of need and ongoing support include:

  • Deliver coaching, training, and financial support for any new initiative from the Iowa Department of Education and/or the Legislature.
  • Increase resources to expand work-based learning opportunities in Iowa including expanded funding for additional Career Counselors.
  • Assure that the assessments to which schools are being held accountable align to the expectations in the Iowa Core.

 

2. Teacher Recruitment and Licensure

Candidate pools for teaching positions are dwindling and in many cases applicants do not exist for positions.

Some potential solutions include:

  • Increasing teacher pay
  • Considering other, high-quality pathways to teacher certification
  • Continuing to fund para to teacher apprenticeships
  • Creating pathways for paid student teaching
  • Taking deliberate action to highlight the power of teaching and the importance of the role

 

3. Supplemental State Aid (SSA)

Supplemental State Aid is the lifeblood of public school districts. When inflation was low, the sentiment from the Legislature was that SSA could be low and in line with inflation. There has not been a corresponding increase in tandem with increased inflation.

Recently, the Legislature has provided school districts with additional flexibility to use “siloed” funds. Increased flexibility is not increased funding and, even if access to a fund is available, it is a short-term “fix.”

There is money available to provide 4-6% SSA.

 

4. Mental Health

Student mental health challenges, especially in the wake of the pandemic, have increased significantly. While our local school services have also increased there is still a significant need for statewide investment in, and a set of solutions for, youth mental health.

 

5. Dropout Prevention/At-Risk

Dropout Prevention/At-Risk funding can be up to 5% of the District Cost Per Pupil. Several years ago the Legislature froze every school district at the percentage they were accessing at that time, which for WCSD, is 3.6%.

As our district has increased in enrollment, so have the complexities of the needs of our students. Being able to increase the rate of local tax by 0.5% each year, to a maximum of 5% would lead to an increase of over $1M annually, to be spent in support of our students who are most in need of support.

 

6. Local Accountability and Decision-Making

We believe that the people who are most closely associated with challenges and opportunities in their school, community, or district are best situated to solve them.

 

More Information: