(Des Moines) Iowa legislators are in the second week of the 2024 legislative session. Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds tells KSOM/KS95 News she is excited about her educational package.
Governor Reynolds says AEAs will not end services that people depend on. We are NOT reducing special education funding at all, but instead giving control of the funding to those who work directly with your child daily.
Governor Reynolds is rolling out a literacy reform initiative that gives every elementary teacher training in the science of reading at no cost to the school district.
Governor Reynolds also wants young Iowans to see the teaching profession as one of the highest callings one can have. She asked the legislature to invest $96 million to increase starting pay by 50% to $50,000 and set a minimum salary of $62,000 for teachers with at least 12 years of experience. $10 million will also be allocated to a merit-based grant program to reward teachers who have gone above and beyond to help their students succeed. This would put Iowa in the top five states for starting pay and help recruit better potential teachers.
