Iowa public schools in need of addition may get subtraction

You get what you get, and you don’t throw a fit.

What was once a poetic admonishment to kids who wouldn’t eat their dinner is now education policy under the Golden Dome of Wisdom, still redder than the ink spilled in school district budgets across the state. Lawmakers return for the 2026 session on Monday.

Education leaders, school administrators, teachers and other advocates for public education have been telling lawmakers, repeatedly, that State Supplemental Aid to K-12 public schools must increase by at least 4%. And 5% would be even better.

These districts have the audacity to request enough funding to keep up with inflation and pay educators a decent salary with benefits. Schools with declining enrollments are struggling. Losing kids means losing money but doesn’t eliminate the need to cover rising costs.

Delivering the high-quality education most schools strive to provide isn’t getting any cheaper. Technology hasn’t stopped advancing. The world kids will face isn’t getting less complicated. Transforming public education to prepare them for future challenges requires resources. We used to consider it an investment in the future.

State aid makes up most of the dollars schools can spend. So, it’s kind of a big deal.

But majority Republicans keep giving the same answer.

You get what you get, and you don’t throw a fit.

What will schools get? It’s anyone’s guess. The governor will provide her budget proposal to lawmakers on Tuesday. Maybe our lame duck will surprise us. But probably not.

In the meantime, the prevailing wisdom swirling around Iowa schools is a fear that the SSA increase will be very small. Maybe 1 percent, or less. Maybe even zero.

The subject came up at a Dec. 2 school board forum with Republican state lawmakers at Monticello High School. Reporter Nick Joos from The Observer newspaper in DeWitt was on the scene.

“Personally, I think you should plan for 0% (SSA) because we don’t know what the property tax bill will be,” said GOP Rep. Cindy Golding at the forum, according to Joos, which included school superintendents from several districts

Rep. Steve Bradley of Cascade said he doesn’t expect 0% but told districts to “plan for zero and whatever else comes is a bonus.”

“We don’t print money; it comes from the taxpayers. Our constituents tell us to not raise taxes, that’s what we are hearing. Don’t plan on much,” said Sen. Dan Zumbach from Ryan.

Western Dubuque Superintendent Dan Butler said anything below 3% wouldn’t be enough to cover pay increases.

“If SSA is 0%, that 3% will need to come from somewhere, and we will continue to go to the well. Declining SSA and declining enrollment is a recipe for disaster,” Butler said.

Setting SSA at zero growth is a $24.3 million cut, according to the nonpartisan Legislative Services Agency. Schools with declining enrollment would get less money.

So, prepare for zero. But why?

Well, Republicans cut the hell out of income taxes. You and I now pay the same 3.8% rate as hog barons, carbon pipeline kings or someone who can fly the governor to a bowl game.

Are you basking in all the fairness?

To cover the revenue hole created by those tax cuts, Republicans have been socking away billion-dollar-plus budget surpluses. But that’s getting tougher.

In FY 2026, which ends June 30, a $1.2 billion surplus is projected. But that’s $390 million below what lawmakers expected when the legislative session ended last year. The projected surplus in FY 2027 is $546.2 million, according to LSA.

And that assumes state school aid won’t increase by a nickel.

Republicans have been putting big chunks of those surpluses into the Taxpayer Relief Fund, which contained more than $4 billion in FY 25. In 2027, its balance is projected to be $2.9 billion after $634 million is transferred to cover general fund expenditures.

We’ve also been tapping the state’s built-in reserves.

Amid all the tax cutting, Republicans and the governor created a $340 million entitlement program providing publicly funded scholarships for private school students.

Yes, state public-school aid is nearly $4 billion. It’s 40% of the general fund budget. But school aid has hovered just below or above 40% for two decades. It’s not GOP generosity. School aid increases have averaged 2% for 14 years.

Unlimited scholarships and tax cuts are squeezing public schools in the contest for state dollars. Adequate annual increases in aid are critical to keeping the lights on.

Boosting state school funding by 4 percent would cost $168.5 million. But we can’t do that because of self-inflicted austerity. Tax cuts, socked-away surpluses and dubious decisions have made it impossible to adequately fund a slew of priorities — education, universities, clean water, mental health and on and on.

Declining revenues will make the squeeze worse. This is “fiscally responsible.”

So, sorry public schools. You’re working to educate more than 400,000 Iowa kids, but don’t expect any favors. You’ll balance your budgets somehow. Close some schools, can some teachers and delay innovative programs.

Have you even checked between the couch cushions in the teachers’ lounge?

After all, Republicans claim public schools are just liberal indoctrination centers with porn in their libraries and gender transition during study hall. Why would we invest more in that?

Lawmakers think these tax-eaters are just being dramatic. And imagine what it will be like if the state takes over of all school funding by eliminating local support from property taxes as part of a drive to cut local taxes.

Funding will be entirely up to politicians. What could go wrong?

So, schools will continue to get what they get. But this year, voters should throw a fit.

(319) 398-8262; todd.dorman@thegazette.com