Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds said the state is in a “good place” to receive nearly $157 million in federal education funding by block grant rather than through the U.S. Department of Education, arguing that it will help eliminate “bureaucracy.”
Prairie Hill Elementary in the College Community district in Cedar Rapids saw a steep drop in chronic absenteeism after focusing on relationships. This year it was named a Blue Ribbon School.
The College Community elementary school is 1 of 4 to earn the recognition in the former federal program now operated by the state.
Trump filed the lawsuits over a 2024 presidential election poll that showed him trailing Democratic candidate Kamala Harris in Iowa by 4 percentage points.
Following the arrest of former Des Moines superintendent Ian Roberts, State Auditor Rob Sand will review how Iowa licenses educators after receiving a qualifying legislative request from a Des Moines lawmaker.
In her first extended statement since Friday’s arrest of Des Moines Public Schools Superintendent Ian Roberts, Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds on Saturday called the incident “shocking“ and said, ”We must enforce the law every time to protect our families and our future.“
Iowa students have rebounded to pre-COVID performance across multiple subjects, including math, reading and writing, and saw an improvement in rates of chronic absenteeism last year, Gov. Kim Reynolds said Wednesday.
Reynolds and the Iowa Department of Education announced that Iowa was one of six states selected for a 2025 federal Charter Schools Program Grant to State Entities issued by the U.S. Department of Education.
Twelve schools in the Cedar Rapids Community School District improved their rating on the Iowa School Report Card by one to three categories.
Iowa Republican leaders and school officials are condemning reports that a teacher celebrated the assassination of conservative commentator Charlie Kirk, calling the alleged remarks “reprehensible” and demanding swift accountability.
Also in today’s Capitol Notebook, the Iowa Department of Education announced $8 million in a new round of grant funding to recognize and reward teacher excellence.
Iowa schools — particularly those in districts with fewer than 1,000 students — are the “lifeblood” of their communities. But student numbers are declining, and data shows that trend will only intensify in the coming years. Many school leaders are turning to modern facilities, career education and innovation to attract and retain students.
Also in the Capitol Notebook, Iowa is partnering with a nonprofit organization that provides mentoring and STEM education for high-achieving math students in the state.
The task force would make recommendations about adding nuclear energy to Iowa’s energy portfolio.
The move by the Trump administration will withhold $8 million in 21st Century grants from Iowa. The grants fund after-school and summer school programs that serve more than 10,000 Iowa kids. No immediate changes are being made to current grant contracts, but if the funding is not reinstated by next fiscal year, it would be ‘devastating.’
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