Week in Iowa

Educators endorse teacher pay boost: Iowa education advocates are largely in support of a House proposal to increase the pay of Iowa's first-year teachers and educational support staff, something educators and lawmakers alike say is overdue.

The bill, part of House Republicans' package of education legislation this year, would increase the starting teacher salary to $50,000 over two years, set a $15 minimum wage for educational support staff and devote $22 million to increase salaries for veteran teachers.

The plan differs from a similar proposal by Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds as part of her plan to reorganize the state's area education agencies, particularly by adding a pay increase for support staff. Educators said they preferred the House approach of passing the teacher pay boost separate from the AEA organization bill.

Meat labeling protections pass Senate: Iowa Senate Republicans passed a bill last week that would prohibit manufacturers of plant-based and lab-grown meat alternatives from labeling their products as “meat” without a qualifier. Republicans said the move would protect agriculture producers and consumers.

State changes special ed program: A program through which special education experts help families navigate services for students with disabilities will no longer be operated by Iowa’s nine Area Education Agencies after the Iowa Department of Education recently announced it will not renew those contracts with the agencies. A spokesperson for Gov. Kim Reynolds said the state is exploring contracting with another party for the service.

House passes AEA proposal: Changes to Iowa's area education agencies passed a milestone last week after House Republicans approved a House bill to overhaul the funding and oversight of the state's special education network. The House bill would keep AEAs as the sole provider of special education support in the state, but the funding would go to the schools first.

House Republicans said the bill protects special education services for thousands of Iowa students who need them while also giving schools flexibility and transparency over how that money is spent. Democrats opposed the bill, saying they wanted to conduct a study before making any major changes to the system.

State unveils job search bus: Iowa Workforce Development unveiled a new “mobile workforce center” on Thursday to take the state's job search office on the road. The 32-foot, custom-built bus, complete with computers and monitors, will take Iowa Workforce staff around the state to career fairs and communities to help people find jobs. The $479,000 bus was paid for with federal grants and federal COVID relief funds.

Conservative curriculum passes House: History curriculum written by a conservative think tank that emphasizes a positive view of U.S. history could be coming to Iowa schools after House Republicans last week passed a bill to require the instruction. The bill includes requirements to teach “the United States' exceptional and praiseworthy history.”

They said …

“One thing was true throughout all of this. Everybody agreed that there were areas to improve and that we could make changes. The AEAs have been included in this conversation more than anybody. … We’ve worked diligently, and I’m proud of the work that we’ve done.” — State Rep. Skyler Wheeler, R-Hull, on the House AEA bill

“There is no reason for the rest of the bill. The task force will do it for us. Then next year, we can make an intelligent decision instead of a rushed one." — State Rep. Sharon Sue Steckman, D-Mason City, on AEA bill

Odds and ends

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Caitlin Clark to WNBA: The Iowa Hawkeyes' breakout star Caitlin Clark announced Thursday she will be turning pro and entering the WNBA draft at the end of this year's season. Clark, the leading scorer in NCAA women's basketball history, had the option to stay another year because of COVID-19 eligibility.

Arming teachers: Iowa House Republicans passed a bill that would create a new permitting process to allow schoolteachers and staff to carry firearms. The bill came in the wake of the Jan. 4 fatal shooting at Perry High School this year. The bill also would require large school districts to have at least one school resource officer in each high school.

Water cooler

Grassley defends document release: U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, last week defended his decision in 2023 to release an FBI document that alleged a bribery scheme involving U.S. President Joe Biden and his son, Hunter. The FBI has since arrested the informant for lying to the FBI about the allegations. Grassley said it was his pressure on the bureau to investigate the claims that ultimately led to the indictment and revelation that they were false.

Foreign land ownership: A bill that will create more requirements for foreign land ownership in Iowa now awaits Gov. Kim Reynolds’ signature. Lawmakers said it will protect Iowa’s farmers and landowners and allow the state to more closely foreign land ownership. The bill requires more reporting requirements for foreign landowners and allows the attorney general to investigate potential violations.

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