Members of the Iowa House will unveil their proposal for increasing the state’s per pupil funding for K-12 students on Monday, after Senate Republicans approved a 1.75% increase this week. House Speaker Pat Grassley says it will be at least a 2% increase, which is what the governor proposed in January, while also addressing some other funding issues.
Thursday was the legal deadline for legislators to make this school funding decision. Grassley says pushing negotiations past that deadline is likely to benefit schools.
Advocates for public schools say the general level of state funding of K-12 education must grow far more than Senate Republicans or the governor have proposed. They cite increasing operating costs due to inflation, plus starting July 1st all beginning teachers must be paid a $50,000 salary and veteran teachers with 12 years of experience must be paid $60,000 a year.
