Public education has been the backbone of Iowa, which has long prided itself on excellence in education – K-12, community colleges and its Regents universities. The Republican-run state legislature has underfunded public education. K-12 needs it needs at least a 4% annual increase but has been getting only 1-1.5% per annum in recent years. After years of underfunding, a 5% increase would be appropriate because of additional burdens placed on by the COVID-19 pandemic and the need to compensate teachers and staff adequately.

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Community colleges and our public universities must also be well-funded – the Regents universities particularly, our flagship institutions of higher learning, have been starved of public dollars in recent years. We have the tax dollars – we need look no further than the surplus our governor and Republican legislators have been touting. If we want Iowa to be a place where families come and stay and if we want all children to reach their potential, quality public education is a must.

 

• Adequately fund K-12, community colleges and the Regents universities – at least a 5% hike for K-12 this year.

 

• Support apprenticeship and technical education programs.

 

• Public funds are for public education only.

 

• Restore Chapter 20 collective bargaining rights to entice teachers to help entice come to Iowa and stay.

 

• Focus on providing appropriate education to all levels – that includes literature in which all can see themselves reflected, and it means teaching history unvarnished. It is not the legislature’s business to micro-manage education and education professionals.

 

• Require media/social media literacy education to equip people from an early age to distinguish truth from misinformation/disinformation.

 

• Use our surplus for our kids – expand free pre-K for four-year-olds and provide wrap-around care so all can benefit.