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."