Branstad defends school funding decisions

DES MOINES - Gov. Terry Branstad told hundreds of school administrators Wednesday that he understands they would have preferred more school funding than the state allocated this year.

Branstad also said he thinks the level of funding was appropriate, given Iowa's budgetary and economic constraints.

Branstad, Lt. Gov. Kim Reynolds and new Department of Education Director Ryan Wise spoke Wednesday at the School Administrators of Iowa's annual conference in Des Moines.

During his remarks, Branstad addressed school funding, which has been a prickly subject after a prolonged legislative session produced late and, from many school officials' perspectives, low funding.

'I recognize that schools must have adequate funds to operate day-to-day. I understand (this year's level of state school funding) means making some difficult choices,” Branstad told the hundreds of administrators gathered in a ballroom at the Community Choice Credit Union Convention Center. 'I believe what I signed into law is what Iowa can afford given the financial obligations we have made, the impact of the avian flu and the depressed farm income we are facing today.”

During a legislative session that dragged into June, thanks largely to sluggish budget negotiations, lawmakers and the governor agreed to increase K-12 school funding by 1.25 percent over the previous year. It was the fifth time in the past six years under Branstad that the increase was 2 percent or less.

Lawmakers approved an additional $56 million for schools to spend on one-time projects or resources, but Branstad vetoed that allocation.

School officials also were frustrated by the late arrival of the final figures.

Districts had to certify their budgets in April, but the 1.25 percent increase was not official until early June, and Branstad's veto came a month later.

'I'm very sorry that it came that late, and I'm very sorry that (lawmakers) used one-time money. But my position was very clear from the beginning,” Branstad said. 'We want to assure your schools will receive sustainable, predictable funding and never again face the massive, across-the-board cuts they faced in the past because the state couldn't deliver what it promised.”

The governor stressed his administration's funding of education through other areas, such as:

' $150 million over three years for a program to reward teachers who mentor colleagues.

' $8 million on a program to develop early reading skills among pre-kindergartners.

' More than $5 million for a program to encourage interest and participation in science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

School officials have expressed concern that continued low education spending increases will result in staff layoffs, program cuts and larger class sizes.