Lawmakers clash in school ‘home rule’ discussion

DES MOINES - A bill intended to give local school boards more decision-making authority ran into several challenges Monday, including testy exchanges between subcommittee members.

Freshman Rep. Amy Nielsen, D-North Liberty, accused subcommittee Chairman Greg Forristall, R-Macedonia, of being a 'mean bully” when he questioned whether she understood school funding law.

During her first subcommittee meeting as a House member, Nielsen asked whether House File 26 solved the problems Forristall cited as reasons to give school boards 'home rule” authority similar to that given cities and counties through an amendment to the state Constitution.

The bill calls for school boards to exercise 'any broad or implied power” not inconsistent with state laws. That doesn't extend to levying taxes.

Nielsen wondered about 'unintended consequences” of the change, especially those stemming from the language calling for state laws relating to schools and school boards to be 'liberally construed.”

'Now Democrats are complaining we're too liberal,” Forristall said.

The bill has the support of the Iowa Association of School Boards, School Administrators of Iowa, Professional Educators of Iowa, Area Education Agencies, Rural School Advocates and Urban Education Network.

However, Melissa Peterson of the Iowa State Education Association had the same question as Nielsen. She wondered what problem lawmakers were trying to solve. There are other bills that address specific problems without calling for such a large legislative change.

Margaret Buckton of the Rural Education Advocates and Urban Education Network said the bill goes to the 'overarching philosophy” of who makes decisions about local school operations. Too many times, she said, school districts need to change laws when a 'common-sense decision” would solve their problem.

As long as districts are held accountable and follow state law they should be given more latitude, Emily Piper of the Iowa Association of School Boards told the subcommittee. However, she thought the legislation needed a better definition of 'home rule.”

The bill now goes to the Education Committee.

l Comments: (319) 398-8375; james.lynch@thegazette.com