State budget undermines teacher shortage effort

The Gazette recently ran a front-page article regarding the Republican’s plan to solve the teacher shortage (“House GOP pitches faster teacher licensing,“ Feb. 1). The plan is to make the requirements for certification lower. The union says that’s a good start. If the teachers are OK with it so am I, I guess.

But you missed the most important part, which was buried at the end of the article. Prior to 2011 the average state expenditure for K-12 education in Iowa was increasing about 5 percent per year. Since 2011 when the Republicans gained total control of the State, annual expenditures have increased by an average of about 1.9 percent per year. The Republicans have cut annual public spending increases on K-12 education by about 60 percent.

Couldn’t that be part of the problem? Isn’t it true that you only get what you pay for?

Scott Byram

Iowa City