(Des Moines, IA) — The Iowa House Republicans have passed a new proposal concerning Area Education Agencies after an intense debate yesterday. The 49-page amendment, released late in the day, drew frustration from House Democrats due to the limited time for discussion. The proposal includes provisions such as maintaining special education funding levels in the first year and directing 90 percent of such funds to AEAs in the second year. Additionally, it offers higher pay raises for experienced teachers.
House District #18 Representative Tom Moore says the AEA bill has once again been revised by the House after the Senate passed their unacceptable revision of the earlier House bill. The Griswold Republican says this bill is the final iteration of this AEA bill and will see no other amending or revision.
Moore says the teacher compensation package is what made him vote for this bill. Moore says the new house bill is supported by the House Republicans, some Democrats, and the Governor. Moore says he was opposed to anything other than a task force initially but he changed his position when the House passed its first version and the AEA’s changed their position from opposed to neutral. Now the work and compromise that has taken place with the Governor has led to a bill that rejects the Senate bill and reinstates at least 90% of the original House bill and has a significant upgrade in the Teacher Compensation package.
Representative Moore says another critical piece to the bill is the $14 million allocated to schools for para educators, and support staff.
Moore says the teacher pay would will move Iowa to one of the tops in the U.S.
Representative Moore says there are still things I have concerns about in the AEA portion but because of the wins in the compensation portion, and for the sake of Iowa’s children and our front-line rural school educators I voted to advance this legislation and put the fire under the Senate to pass this and send it to the Governor.
The bill now awaits review in the Senate.
HF2612 includes the following changes.
- For the task force/study, it remains as the original House language.
- Operational sharing continues on as is, and does not change how it works now.
- The Division of Special Education is reinstated within the Department of Education in Year 1. This includes 13 FTEs in Des Moines, 40 staff within the AEAs, and an additional DE employee embedded that is the Director of Special Education (1 in each AEA region, 9 total). Furthermore, it does not include the previous termination language from the Senate bill.
- In regard to keeping AEAs accountable, there is accreditation language in the House bill with the “all students, including students with disabilities” language, along with quarterly reports from the AEAs and the Senate report.
- AEA chiefs will remain, but salaries can’t exceed 125% of average superintendent’s salary within the region when new contracts are negotiated.
- The taskforce will review and make recommendations for AEA property.
- AEAs will provide only DE approved PD and districts may use an AEA outside of their region if contiguous or if they share superintendents.
- AEA boards become advisory with the ability to sign contracts/purchasing/agreements etc. will now be the power of the AEA chief. The board has hiring authority, including the administrators. 4 board members are superintendents elected by superintendents in the region.
- PD money moves to DE so they can provide all PD for license requirements for free to public and private school teachers.
- For special education funds, in year 1 there is no change (AEAs generate a menu of services and cost). In year 2, money goes to the districts who are mandated to send 90% to AEAs and keep 10% within their district.
- Media and Ed services funds in year 1 has districts receiving 60% and AEAs receiving 40% (nothing precludes schools from using the AEAs for those services). In year 2, 100% funding will go to districts.
Also included in the bill:
SSA: 2.5%
Teacher Compensation
- There will be a two tier salary.
- In year 1, beginning teachers will make $47,500 ($27.4M) and teachers with 12 years experience will make $60,000 ($17.9M).
- In year 2, beginning teachers will make $50,000 ($19.8M) and teachers with 12 years experience will make $62,000 ($8.7M).
- $22.3M TSS money for those who are between the salaries being set to deal with salary schedule/compaction
- $14M for Education Support Personnel as a standing appropriation
- One month sit out period for retired teachers to come back and not impact IPERS
Not included in the bill:
The schools will receive support for School Safety.
School Safety: $10M
The total of SSA, the teacher compensation package, and school safety will equal approximately $187.9M which makes a total package of state funds for school districts at about 5%.
