Governor Kim Reynolds has signed a bill into law that raises teacher salaries, increases general state spending for schools AND overhauls Iowa’s Area Education Agencies.
The new law puts local districts in control of some funding that currently flows directly to the AEA’s and gives state officials more authority to oversee special education. Schools will still be required to use the AEA’s special education consultants, but districts will be able to spend 10% of their special education allotment elsewhere, plus districts will have the option of redirecting money that currently pays for other AEA services, like teacher training.
Reynolds held a ceremony in her capitol office and was surrounding by Republican legislators and key staff as she signed the bill into law. Democrats like House Minority Leader Jennifer Konfrst say the new law is universally unpopular and it will be an issue for voters in November.
Other elements of the new law will raise beginning teacher pay to 50-thousand dollars within two years — and veteran teachers must be paid at least 62-thousand dollars a year if they’ve been teaching for at least 12 years.
