Make funding Iowa schools a priority

To the editor:

I believe that Iowans need to starting investing in Iowa's youth. How we need to start investing in our youth is through adequately funding Iowa schools. Iowa's education system has been regarded as one of the best education systems in the nation. However, over the past two decades Iowa education has remained stagnant. Year after year Iowa students are lacking academic improvement and being out preformed in math and reading compared to other states.

One may ask why Iowa is falling behind other states. The answer is that states that are seeing the most improvement are states that make the funding of education a priority. The lack of academic improvement among Iowa's students is under scrutiny. House and Senate Democrats and Republicans are debating the increase in funding for Iowa's educational system. Republicans have proposed an increase of 1.25 percent to the education budget, resulting in roughly an increase of $100 million. Democrats have stated they will not agree to anything less than an increase of 4 percent.

While $100 million seems like an enormous amount of money, this increase will not adequately fund Iowa schools. The proposed 1.25 percent will still result with teacher lay offs, resulting in larger class sizes. Many Iowa schools are struggling with larger class sizes, out of date material, and lack of updated technology. If Iowa wants to increase academic performance we need to start with adequately funding our schools.

Alyssa Whiteaker

Cedar Rapids