Republican school funding claims misleading

The details of the Republican leaders for public school funding are dishonest. Jack Whitver, Senate Majority Leader, is quoted in The Gazette saying “No aspect of the state budget receives more new funding since 2017 than education.” Iowa House Speaker Pat Grassley agrees, “We are spending more money on state aid for education than we ever have in our state.”

Both statements are true but misleading. Schools are faced with at least 4% inflationary costs by just being in the business of transportation, school supplies, food supplies, insurance, employee expenses, etc. The state has historically offered, under Republican leadership, a paltry 0.5-2.5% increase in funding for the past several years. True, it’s more money than the year before and they tout it as historic funding, but it does not meet the needs of public schools.

Schools are left with budget-cutting to cover basic expenses at the expense of school programming.

Let's be honest in the assessment of finances. The Republican leadership makes us believe that they are doing everything financially possible to finance schools. Take another look — “School Choice” — vouchers that will siphon millions from the public schools. Iowa already has a school choice — it’s called open enrollment.

Michael Fritz

Coralville