The cost of underfunding public education in Iowa

Just a couple weeks’ worth of headlines is all you need to connect the dots of the consequences of the Republican-controlled Legislature’s education policies.

Cedar Rapids Community Schools Superintendent Tawana Grover told an education roundtable in Cedar Rapids that her district is facing a $7.4 million reduction in its budget over the next three school years. That’s due to declining enrollment and inadequate state funding.

“It is definitely going to be a challenge,” Grover said, according to The Gazette’s Grace King.

For instance, summer school and tutoring could be discontinued unless the district finds funding, Grover said.

At the same time, the state’s public universities will raise tuition on Iowa student this fall by 3.5 percent.

“Senate and House Republicans denied the regents universities any increase at all in their general funding,” Sen. Herman Quirmbach, D-Ames said. “Had the Republicans granted the full increase the board requested, it would have been enough to avoid any increase in costs for in-state students. Had the Republicans even gone along with Gov. (Kim) Reynold’s meager $12 million request, tuition increases for in-state undergraduates would have been unnecessary.”

Amid all this bad news for public education comes word that Gov. Kim Reynolds’ plan to provide publicly funding Education Savings Accounts to pay for private school tuition will blow past budget estimates. Non-partisan fiscal analysts estimate that more than 14,000 students would apply for state dollars, costing $107 million in year one. But so far more than 17,000 have applied, adding to the cost of ESAs that will run into the billions over the next decade.

So this is the Republican plan. Underfund the public schools that the vast majority of Iowa Kids attend, shortage state universities, which are economic engines driving growth locally and statewide, while diverting state resources to private, mostly religious, schools.

It’s damaging, shortsighted and misguided policy voters should take note of as the 2024 election approaches. Iowa’s once proud system of public schools and universities has been subjected to disdain and paltry funding by Republican politicians who would rather support educational entities that support their political worldview.

Rather than socking away billion more dollars to cover the budgetary cost of tax cuts primarily benefiting the wealthy, Iowa must return to its fundamental principles in supporting public schools. If Republicans refuse, it’s time to take the battle to the ballot box.

(319) 398-8262; editorial@thegazette.com