Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds' AEA overhaul bill ‘will not move forward,’ House committee chair says

DES MOINES — Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds’ bill to overhaul the state’s area education agencies won’t move forward in the House, the chair of the chamber's Education Committee said this week.

Republican Rep. Skyler Wheeler of Hull, the committee chair, halted the bill’s advancement after a subcommittee meeting on Wednesday, saying he wanted "further conversations" before taking action. In a Facebook post the next day, Wheeler said the bill “will not move forward” in the committee.

The most recent version of Gov. Reynolds' proposed bill would give schools the ability to opt out of the AEAs’ special education services and seek them from another party. She said the change is necessary as the test scores of Iowa students with disabilities have lagged and the state spends a comparatively high amount on those students without seeing top-level results.

"We need to just step back and start to ask some of those questions with the overall objective of making sure that we're doing everything we can to get these kids with disabilities the education that they deserve and hopefully see better outcomes," Reynolds told reporters this week.

Though the House bill has stalled, Wheeler and Republican House Speaker Pat Grassley said they are still interested in working on legislation to address special education in Iowa.

“I have felt compelled to work this issue because this is about our kids, and we have to get it right if we are to make changes,” Wheeler said in the post. “I believe we absolutely have room to improve, and we need to continue to have those discussions. I think it’s vastly important to have all the stakeholders come together, work through this, get consensus, and move forward.”

Wheeler did not immediately respond to a request for further comment on Friday.

Dozens of people, including school administrators and parents of students with disabilities urged lawmakers to slow down on the bill in a pair of meetings Wednesday, warning that the bill could weaken opportunities for special education in the state. A number of superintendents spoke in favor of the bill, saying they want to have control over their special education funding.

The bill, Senate Study Bill 3073, passed out of a Senate subcommittee on Wednesday. The Republicans on the panel, though, said the governor's bill was not sufficient and would likely see changes.

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Grassley told reporters Thursday that the majority party agrees they “need to do something,” but suggested Reynolds’ bill would not be the final product.

“We want to try to put a plan together that we feel best suits our school districts that we all represent,” he said. “We’re obviously going to work with some of the framework that the governor laid out, but we also want to sit down with the stakeholders and see what pieces maybe we can do that fit what we're trying to get to.”

Democrats voted against the proposal in both chambers on Wednesday. House Minority Leader Jennifer Konfrst, D-Windsor Heights, said on Thursday that "Republicans are in disarray" after they failed to agree on the AEA proposal.

"As we watch arguments continue to happen in broad daylight in front of us while they disagree on where to go, we are united and proposing our legislation and fighting for everyday Iowans," Konfrst said.

What would Reynolds' AEA bill do?

Iowa's nine AEAs, which are governmental agencies separate from the Department of Education, provide special education to school districts in their boundaries and assist with classroom equipment and media services, professional development and talented and gifted instruction, among other services.

Under Reynolds’ proposal, federal and state funding for special education would be sent directly to schools, which could then decide whether or not to contract with the AEAs. If they do not, schools would still have the legal obligation to educate students with disabilities, and could obtain that instruction from a third party, like a private company.

AEAs would still be able to provide the other education and media services they now provide, if schools request it and it is approved by the Department of Education. A property tax levy that funds the AEAs’ media services would be cut.

The bill also would centralize much of the oversight and operations of the AEA under the Department of Education. The department’s director would be in charge of appointing AEA chief administrators, combining or dissolving AEAs, and approving AEAs’ budget proposals.

The bill includes a provision to increase the starting salary for teachers to $50,000. Teachers with at least 12 years of experience would be paid at least $62,000.

House GOP leader calls for 'reset'

Grassley said he wants a “reset” in the conversation around the bill but thinks House Republicans can preserve a number of the provisions in Reynolds’ proposal.

He said he supports the provisions around accountability for the AEAs but wants to make sure school districts and parents have certainty around the services they will receive.

Grassley said the “fee for service” model in the governor’s proposal, which would allow schools to contract with the AEAs and opt in or out of different services, could be preserved as Republicans work on a new proposal.

“I think we can do that, but we just want to make sure that there’s certainty over the next several years for school districts, and like I said, more importantly, certainty for parents receiving these services, because right now we feel that’s one piece that’s being lost in the conversation,” he said.

In an appearance on “Iowa Press” on Iowa PBS on Friday, Senate Majority Leader Jack Whitver, R-Grimes said he’s optimistic about finding a compromise on the bill, and the Senate planned to continue working on the governor’s proposal.

“I don't know about starting from scratch because it is a totally different bill now than it was three weeks ago,” he said. “But we're going to have to continue the conversation and make the case why these reforms are necessary if it's going to become law.”

Democrats urge continued activism

Des Moines-area Democratic lawmakers said at a forum on the AEA bill Friday that the emails and activism from people opposed to the bill has been effective in helping slow it down and preventing Republicans from getting behind the proposal.

Democratic Sen. Sarah Trone Garriott of Waukee said opposition from House Republicans is the most likely way the bill will be stopped.

"When you speak up, it's a powerful thing. So don't ever think it's just not enough, or it's too little," said Rep. Mary Madison, D-West Des Moines. "But together, we're a powerhouse. So come to the Capitol, use those public forums and continue your emails.“

Comments: cmccullough@qctimes.com