Capitol Notebook: 2% K-12 school funding increase headed to Iowa Gov. Reynolds’ desk

DES MOINES — State general funding to Iowa’s K-12 schools will increase 2 percent in the next school year under legislation approved Monday by statehouse Republicans and on its way to Gov. Kim Reynolds for her signature.

The legislation — which represents a total K-12 education spending package of nearly $4 billion in general state funding, according to an analysis by the nonpartisan Iowa Legislative Services Agency — is the result of an agreement reached between the Republican governor and majority Republicans in the Iowa Senate and House.

Democrats and critics of the measure argue it is insufficient to support Iowa’s K-12 schools as state funding increases have failed to keep up with inflation. They argue the low state funding levels will lead to school consolidation, staff layoffs and larger class sizes.

“It does not keep pace with inflation. It does not reflect rising costs for transportation, utilities, health insurance, special ed, classroom materials,” Sen. Molly Donahue, D-Cedar Rapids, a special education and at-risk educator, said Monday during debate in the Senate. “It does not meet the reality our districts are living every single day. A 2 percent increase is not maintenance. It is a cut in real dollars.”

Republicans backing the proposal say it represents a responsible and sustainable state budget approach to K-12 school funding.

From the first year under Iowa’s current public school funding formula in 1973 through 2010, general state funding to K-12 public schools increased by an annual average of 5 percent. Since Republicans regained at least partial control of the state lawmaking process in 2011, that annual increase has averaged 2.1 percent. Last year, the funding increased 3 percent.

In addition to the 2 percent per-pupil increase, the legislation deploys $42.2 million in state funding to prevent local property tax increases that could be triggered by the state funding level, $7 million for paraeducator and support staff pay, increases equity funding for districts with outsized transportation costs, and adds a second enrollment count in January to better reflect student attendance.

“Those are good moves. Those are good changes that I don’t think we've spent enough time talking about,” Sen. Lynn Evans, R-Aurelia, a former school superintendent, said during debate. “They’re going to have a positive effect on many of our rural school districts in the state of Iowa — actually, many of our districts in general.”

The proposal passed the Senate, 27-20, with only Republican support and three Republicans — Sens. Charlie McClintock of Alburnett, Mike Pike of Des Moines and Cherielynn Westrich of Ottumwa — joining all Democrats in voting against it.

With the House having approved the proposal Thursday, also with only Republican support and five Republicans joining Democrats in voting against, the bill now goes to Reynolds for her consideration.

Union criticizes Whirlpool layoffs, urges lawmakers to protect workers

Nearly a week after Whirlpool’s plant in Amana laid off 341 employees, union workers rallied Monday at the Iowa Capitol, urging lawmakers to hold the company accountable and prevent job loss in the state.

Todd Wadell, former International Association of Machinists & Aerospace Workers Local 1526 president and IAM union representative, worked at the Whirlpool plant for 36 years, where he saw much of the staff gradually laid off. According to Wadell, 3,500 people worked there five years ago. Today, there are 1,200 workers, not counting those who were recently laid off.

He said the large layoffs, which he attributes to the company moving production to Mexico, are “devastating” for the smaller surrounding communities with businesses reliant on the economic boost the Whirlpool jobs provide.

“They could just as easily be made right here by American workers. The employees affected by this will lose their health insurance on the first day,” Wadell said. “There is no severance package, and currently there's not a lot of employment opportunities in the area.”

Whirlpool laid off 251 workers in July 2025.

Sandy Lorenz is a member of the machinists union who has worked at the Whirlpool plant for 33 years. She has to deal with recently laid-off employees, who she says have no other employment options or insurance.

“Our towns are going to shut down. I live in a small town 10 miles away from Amana. If they do another layoff, it might get me,” Lorenz said. “It's not fair. I've given my life to them, and they give us nothing.”

Iowa House Minority leader Brian Meyer, D-Des Moines, said policies passed by the Legislature in recent years have made it more difficult for workers to get back on their feet after a layoff, including a reduction in unemployment insurance taxes approved by lawmakers in 2025.

FEMA allocates $62M for Iowa disaster aid

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The Federal Emergency Management Agency has allocated more than $62 million in federal disaster recovery grants to Iowa to address flooding in 2024, Iowa U.S. Rep. Randy Feenstra’s office said.

The funds will support critical infrastructure repairs, school recovery efforts, housing restoration and transportation improvements across the state, Feenstra’s office said.

According to his office, among the grant funding awarded are roughly $10 million to the city of Rock Valley and Rock Valley Residential Housing, $8.4 million for the Rock Valley Community School District and Rock Valley Christian School, $4.1 million for the Little Sioux Inter-County Drainage District, $3 million for Osceola County and $2 million each for the Iowa Department of Transportation and the city of Minden, which was struck by a tornado in 2024.

“After the devastating floods that impacted our district in 2024, this federal disaster assistance will help our communities rebuild stronger than before,” Feenstra said in a news release. “From restoring roads and bridges, to repairing schools and homes, these funds will provide critical support to families, farmers, businesses, and local governments who have been diligently working to recover.”

Gazette-Lee Des Moines Bureau

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