Progress Iowa

Tell House Republicans: Fund Iowa Schools!

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    Subject: I took action to fund our schools. Will you?
    I just took action to fund Iowa schools. Will you do the same?

    The Iowa State Senate passed an increase in school funding, but Republican leadership in the House has indicated they won't even bring it up for a vote.

    Click on the following link to send House Leadership a letter asking them to support fully funding our schools: http://act.progressiowa.org/letter/FundOurSchools/?referring_akid=110.4200.d8bACp&source=taf

    Iowa is $1,500 below the national average in per pupil spending. At a time when more and more of our children live in poverty, we must give them every opportunity to succeed, not cut their funding short.

    I hope you take action. Thank you!

    Tell House Republicans: Fund Iowa Schools! 
    (your letter will be delivered to Speaker Kraig Paulsen, Majority Leader Linda Upmeyer, Whip Chris Hagenow, and Speaker Pro Tempore Steven Olson)

    Background Information

    Iowa per pupil spending is $1,500 below the national average. Despite this lagging behind, House Republicans are refusing to even consider additional funding for the 2015-2016 school year, although they are required to do so by state law.

    The Iowa Senate passed a 6% increase to help address the low funding in our schools. Please consider taking action today. Contact House Leadership, and tell them to fund our schools, and that Iowa children are not worth $1,500 less than the national average! 

    CEDAR RAPIDS GAZETTE; 2/6/2014:

    "The Republicans who run your Iowa House say they won’t approve public school funding for the 2015-2016 school year, even though the law requires it."

    DES MOINES REGISTER; 2/5/2014:

    "The Democratic-led Iowa Senate approved a $222 million spending package Wednesday that would increase state aid to public schools by 6 percent for the 2015-2016 school year.

    The three bills now head to the Iowa House, where Republicans who control the chamber have no plans to consider them."

    RADIO IOWA; 2/5/2014:

    "Democrats in the Iowa Senate have voted to provide K-12 schools a six percent increase in general state aid for the school year that starts in the fall of 2015. Senator Herman Quirmbach, a Democrat from Ames, said those students should be the state’s first priority.

    'Thirty-six other states fund their kids’ education better than we do,' Quirmbach said. 'Surely we can do better.'

    Republican leaders in the House say they do not intend to consider the Senate Democrats’ spending plan for schools."