Education reform package awaiting governor's approval

DES MOINES – Iowa lawmakers approved a sweeping reform package Wednesday which changes the way thousands of teachers across the state will be paid, promoted and evaluated.

The bill – approved unanimously in the House and 40-10 in the Senate – now goes to the governor for his signature.

It also marks the end of a two-year push by Gov. Terry Branstad fundamentally change the state's education system in an effort to raise Iowa students' comparative test scores to a level where they, once again, lead the country.

Unlike last year, the Branstad administration indicated the governor was satisfied with the results.

“This is it,” Branstad spokesman Tim Albrecht said. “This transformational education plan is the kind of comprehensive, multi-year approach the governor has been working toward since taking office over two years ago. The work now begins to implement this new educational system, and to ensure this transformation is applied to as many districts as swiftly as possible in order to ensure accelerated student achievement.”

Others, however, were not as pleased with the end result.

“I came to the House to be a voice for education, I came here to be for those kids and those teachers,” said Rep. Sharon Steckman, D-Mason City, a member of the House/Senate conference committee who felt the bill unfairly targeted the teaching profession. “They need our support. They are not the problem; we are.”

Steckman voted for the bill she, but said it needs to be improved next year.

Key provisions in the bill include:

• A boost in minimum starting teacher pay from $28,000 to $33,500;
• New career ladders for teachers that school districts can adopt in order to receive additional per pupil funding from the state of roughly $300;
• New homeschooling provisions that allow home-school parents to teach driver's education, teach up to four non-related children in their classroom and eliminates a requirement that home school parents report to the local district;
• Creation of a council to study and recommend a new statewide teacher and administrator evaluation system, language saying the final product has to include student test scores as part of the assessment was struck, although the committee “shall consider” assessments of that type;
• Setting per pupil student aid (also called allowable growth) in a 2-2-4 formula for the next two years. That's 2 percent added to the base plus a one-time payment equal to 2 percent for next school year and a 4 percent increase in fiscal year 2015.

In a statement sent shortly after the bill passed the Senate, Iowa State Education Association President Tammy Wawro said, overall, the bill was a good compromise.

“We know there are pieces in the bill that will benefit Iowa's students and public schools tremendously. Allowable Growth is now set for the next two years giving school districts a reliable and stable budget stream to plan for class sizes, course offerings, and school technology,” she said. “While there are disappointing portions of the bill, overall we are pleased with the outcome. At the end of the day, this funds our schools and provides educators a voice in their profession.”

Iowa Department of Education Director Jason Glass, named the superintendent of the Eagle County School District a few hours after the bill passed, hailed the passage of the reform bill.

“I'm very proud of Iowa tonight,” Glass said. “It was a difficult couple of years and I'm proud of the work we did.”

Rep. Ron Jorgensen, R-Sioux City, who led negotiations for the GOP-controlled House, said he was proud lawmakers worked through the stalemates.

“I think the break through when we compromised on the evaluation language and they compromised on the home school language,” he said. “And that's how the process works.”