Senate panel OKs 2 percent raise in school aid

A Senate panel on Monday approved a 2 percent “allowable growth” increase in per-pupil state aid funding for fiscal 2012, after hearing from two school superintendents who said a lower funding level would pinch their educational offerings and likely raise property taxes.

“Our priority should be our education and our children,” said Sen. Mary Jo Wilhelm, D-Cresco, shortly before the Education Committee voted 7-5 in favor of the amount.

The legislation raises by 2 percent both the allowable growth rate for K-12 school districts, and the categorical funding for teacher pay, class-size reduction and other educational initiatives that have been made part of the state's school foundation aid formula.

Republican senators on the panel opposed the

2 percent increase, favoring a position supported by Gov. Terry Branstad and majority GOP representatives to provide no base increase in the per-pupil funding level at K-12 schools but to cover up to $215 million in property tax relief.

“This is all tax dollars,” said Sen. Randy Feenstra, R-Hull. “Every dime of it is citizen taxpayer dollars.”

However, majority Democratic senators said Iowa's financial position has improved, with state tax collections running ahead of projections and the budget in a surplus position.

School superintendents Tim Christiansen of the Jefferson-Scranton district and Brian Horn of the Madrid district told senators they needed a minimum of a 2 percent allowable growth increase.

They also urged lawmakers to keep the voluntary, state-supported preschool system as is; they said it provides an opportunity for 4-year-old students that has proved to be delivering positive, desired results.

Earlier Monday, however, Branstad said during his weekly news conference that the state's budget situation will not allow for any allowable growth increase for the next two school years.

He also said he planned to unveil a plan next week to convert the universal preschool program to a sliding-scale system, which would require parents who can afford to pay some share of the cost of sending a child to preschool to do so.