Keeping our promise to public education

Six graduation ceremonies in five days. Sounds tedious? It’s not when you’re the Superintendent of the Iowa City Community School District (ICCSD). As I looked at the thousands of people who attended our graduations, I was struck by the beautiful community public education creates.

The nation’s founders knew our success depended on a well-educated public, not simply a well-educated few. Since the 18th century, the United States has appropriated tax dollars to ensure everyone invests in public education. Today, public schools remain the home away from home for Iowa’s children, regardless of their religion, ethnicity, affluence, or physical and mental ability.

If there is any doubt about the strength of Iowa’s public schools, consider a few things the ICCSD achieved this year:

• We employed over 2,400 teachers, staff, and paraeducators, who arrived ready to tap into the gifts of 14,440 students.

• We helped support children who are food insecure, have unstable housing, and have survived trauma.

• We collaborated with parents and guardians to address mental health and behavior challenges. And when the ICCSD could not meet these needs on its own, we connected families with other organizations who could.

• We implemented an innovative platform called High Reliability Schools to ensure consistent academic experiences in every building.

• We outpaced the state in reading, math, and science on the Iowa Assessments.

• We outperformed state and national averages on the ACT, and continued a tradition of exceptional graduation rates, with more than 91 percent of our seniors graduating on time.

• We helped our students, teachers, and staff navigate difficult state legislation and renewed our commitment to protect our community’s integrity, health, and safety.

• We welcomed nearly 2,000 English Language Learners, who dramatically improved the education experience for all ICCSD students. For example, at Longfellow Elementary, where English is the second (or third!) language for many students, our team of educators redesigned lessons across the curriculum. As a result, all students gained a better understanding of grade level vocabulary.

I grew up in Traer, Iowa, population 1,500, and graduated from North Tama High School. While my town was small, public education made my world huge. Sending my three children to public schools, where I am superintendent, and my wife, an educator, feels like the American dream. In the Iowa City Community School District, we are committed to creating a bright future for all our students. We welcome all with love, respect, and positive expectations because a commitment to public education shapes Iowa’s future — and we are ready for it.

Matt Degner is superintendent of the Iowa City Community School District.