Some good news coming out of the Iowa Legislature
A legislative update from Dr. Lane Plugge
The 2017 Iowa legislative session should be ending and some major changes have been enacted. While the complete overhaul of Chapter 20 is at the forefront, there is other legislation impacting PK-12 education and AEAs. Here is an overview of some of the changes.
SF 475, which has passed the Senate and the House Education Committee, addresses a number of education issues. SF 475 is expected to pass and be signed into law. This bill includes the formation of a 22-member task force to identify and review the essential functions and services of the AEA system. It is my understanding that there is no hidden agenda in this legislation to “hurt” the AEA system. I am hopeful that the task force process will allow the AEA story to be told. It offers an opportunity for AEAs to share information about the many services and resources we provide to children and schools.
The latest budget work does include some reduction in funds allocated to the AEAs, including:
• Elimination of $1M to provide training to school districts for implementation of TLC. These are flow-through funds that are used to provide trainings such as Diane Sweeney, National Teacher Institute and Jim Knight, among others.
• Elimination of Iowa Core support funding (this amounts to $60,000 for GHAEA).
• Elimination of the New York City Principal Academy training. This was the first year for this program and it provided cohort training and coaching for administrators in the area of TLC.
• Elimination of new teacher mentoring funds.
• Elimination of third grade retention for reading proficiency.
With the elimination of these funds, those trainings will take place only if school districts are willing to finance the training with local PD funds.
There is some good news! As of last evening (April 18), the $3.75 M reduction to AEA funding on the last day of the 2016 legislature has been restored and it appears to be safe this year. GHAEA’s share of that $3.75 M is $325,685.
The 2017 Iowa legislative session should be ending and some major changes have been enacted. While the complete overhaul of Chapter 20 is at the forefront, there is other legislation impacting PK-12 education and AEAs. Here is an overview of some of the changes.
SF 475, which has passed the Senate and the House Education Committee, addresses a number of education issues. SF 475 is expected to pass and be signed into law. This bill includes the formation of a 22-member task force to identify and review the essential functions and services of the AEA system. It is my understanding that there is no hidden agenda in this legislation to “hurt” the AEA system. I am hopeful that the task force process will allow the AEA story to be told. It offers an opportunity for AEAs to share information about the many services and resources we provide to children and schools.
The latest budget work does include some reduction in funds allocated to the AEAs, including:
• Elimination of $1M to provide training to school districts for implementation of TLC. These are flow-through funds that are used to provide trainings such as Diane Sweeney, National Teacher Institute and Jim Knight, among others.
• Elimination of Iowa Core support funding (this amounts to $60,000 for GHAEA).
• Elimination of the New York City Principal Academy training. This was the first year for this program and it provided cohort training and coaching for administrators in the area of TLC.
• Elimination of new teacher mentoring funds.
• Elimination of third grade retention for reading proficiency.
With the elimination of these funds, those trainings will take place only if school districts are willing to finance the training with local PD funds.
There is some good news! As of last evening (April 18), the $3.75 M reduction to AEA funding on the last day of the 2016 legislature has been restored and it appears to be safe this year. GHAEA’s share of that $3.75 M is $325,685.
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