I understand the governor wants reforms. Good for him. But I doubt a stalemate will be good for schools.
Those are the kinds of budget decisions school boards in Iowa will be in the next 8 weeks if state funding for next school year remains a question mark. So its possible that delaying a funding decision could actually be bad for innovation and reform. Im not saying that 4 percent is perfect. Better to debate the right percentage than sit on zero for months.
@The HuB
While taping Iowa Press today, Branstad repeated his reform-first
So no matter what happens, or in what order, any school aid approved for this ll will go into the old system.
So our elected leaders in Des Moines are already on the brink of a serious slap fight over education funding. Sheesh, folks, theres still Welcome Back cake in the fridge.
From the standpoint of crafting a political strategy, Branstads position makes sense. Hes using the Democrats desire to increase basic funding as leverage to get his reforms passed. Senators, of course, want money and see reform efforts as leverage. Very typical stuff.
But from a practical standpoint, the governors argument has flaws.
And when a district is uncertain of how it will cover the rising cost of nuts and bolts,children education. officials tend to look for other things to cut. Its possible that innovative programs and localized efforts to transform or reform education in schools around the state could be curtailed in an effort to cover basic expenses. Last year, for example, Cedar RapidSchool funding fight abruptly ends legislative micro-honeymoon education reforms closed an academically successful school to shore up its reserves, in part, Mountainview? Los niños hemangioma due to an uncertain state funding picture. And what innovations will schools decide not to try?
So Branstad is insisting that lawmakers approve that new structure before approving basic school funding for this ll, even though that structure wont have any impact on schools until the ll of 2014, at the earliest.
In Cedar Rapids, for example,education. state aid makes up 54 percent of its general fund revenues. And 85 percent of its general fund is spent on salaries, benefits, supplies and equipment.
January 18, 6:00PM
The centerpiece of his reform effort, the new teacher leadership and compensation structure, or career ladder,February 1 2013. will take more than a year of planning to implement. After that, it would go into effect in roughly one-third of Iowa districts each year for three years. Thats why its full price tag, $160 million annually, isnt budgeted until year five.
So a lot of basic state school aid is spent on the nuts and bolts of running a school district.
(Cedar Rapids schools)
The Snozzberries + John June Year + Dylan Sires & The Neighbors + Bright Giant
Todd Dorman is a columnist for The Gazette. His blog has been bringing smiles to readers ces since November 2007.
