(Ankeny) Member school districts of the Rural School Advocates of Iowa convened their Annual Meeting on October 17th at the FFA Enrichment Center in Ankeny.
RSAI advocates on behalf of the students, parents and communities in rural Iowa to ensure all students have access to a great Iowa education, regardless of where they live. RSAI members include 187 Iowa school districts, several of which are among the largest geographic school districts in the state. All nine area education agencies, Iowa’s three Regents’ Universities and Des Moines Area Community College are affiliate members of RSAI.
Riverside School Superintendent Dr. Stephanie Anderson said State Supplemental Assistance was a top priority for RSAI members.
Last month, Gov. Reynolds announced Iowa’s Fiscal Year 2023 surplus of $1.83 billion in the General Fund, plus $902 million in reserve funds and $2.74 billion in the Taxpayer Relief Fund. Attendees discussed the impact on rural schools if additional tax cuts are made rather than directing a portion of the State’s combined coffers totaling over $4.6 Billion to public schools. Despite the state’s fiscal strength and high inflation, the Legislature set a modest increase of 3.0% per student last year. The state’s increases in revenues per student have lagged rural school costs of educating students in 13 of the last 14 years.
Dr. Anderson said staff shortages is also high on the list of priorities for rural schools.
Dr. Anderson said the more people in our communities that can reach out to our legislators and let them know the needs we have, the better.
RSAI members also affirmed the following issues as priorities for the 2024 Legislative Session:
-Oppose expansion of Education Savings Accounts (ESAs) to homeschool and support: 1) a level playing field, 2) oversight of ESA, and 3) funding to follow students to public school who withdraw from private school.
-Opportunity Equity, Increased Student Needs and Mental Health resources.
-Quality Preschool including 1.0 weighting for full-day programs.
-Extension of Whole Grade Sharing, Reorganization and Operational Sharing Incentives.
-Local School Board Authority rather than state-directed mandates.
-School Foundation Formula Equity to close the per pupil funding gap within 10 years.
-Bond Issue Elections limited to November (Oppose) and Simple Majority vote (support).
-Supported Area Education Agencies (AEAs) and the services they provide to rural schools.
