JOIN STUDENTS, TEACHERS, BOARD MEMBERS AND COMMUNITY SUPPORTERS
RALLY
FRIDAY AT 5PM
NORTH HIGH SCHOOL – 626 W. 53RD STREET, DAVENPORT
None of Iowa’s children are worth-less
On Monday night, Davenport School Superintendent Art Tate made headlines when he announced he would violate state law and dip into $29 million in cash reserves in order to stave off severe budget cuts caused by the State Legislature’s failure to adequately fund education. The School Board followed this announcement by saying they fully support the Superintendent in his actions, and will stand behind him.
We need you to stand with Superintendent Tate and the School Board members, as well as all Iowa children.
At issue are two separate points:
1. Supplemental State Aid bill is being held up by union busting Republicans. State Legislators are required by law to establish a supplemental state aid bill by February 15th to allow ample time for School Districts to make decisions on local school budgets. The state of Iowa has failed to do this for the past two years. Additionally, since Branstad took office, the supplemental state aid approved by lawmakers (aka “Allowable Growth”) has been inadequate to make up for the cuts put in place when the economy collapsed in 2008. There is now more than enough money in the state’s cash reserves to implement a 6% growth formula – what the majority of school superintendents said were needed in a recent survey. However, Republican lawmakers are holding the funding bill hostage trying to force concessions on binding arbitration.
2. Inequities in the funding formula. Iowa’s school funding formula results in inequities that allow more per pupil spending in property rich districts and less in other districts. Consequently, the ability of districts to meet all their students’ needs is grossly unequal, and is one of the factors that results in a flight from those school districts due to Iowa’s “open enrollment” option.
The QCFL commends the Davenport School District’s actions and asks you to show your support for the district by contacting your state legislator. Ask them to fully fund Supplemental State Aid at 6% (aka “Allowable Growth). Then ask them to support SSB 1254, a bill to amend the state’s funding formula to create equity among school districts.
We do not think any of Iowa’s children are worth-less.
Senate
Rita Hart: rita.hart@legis.iowa.gov 563-374-1368
Roby Smith: roby.smith@legis.iowa.gov 563-386-0179
Joe Seng: joe.seng@legis.iowa.gov 563-940-0671
Chris Brase: chris.brase@legis.iowa.gov 563-260-5416
House
Norlin Mommsen Norlin.mommsen@legis.iowa.gov 515-281-3221
Gary Carlson: gary.carlson@legis.iowa.gov 515-281-3221
Jim Lykam: jim.lykam@legis.iowa.gov 515-281-3221
Phyllis Thede: Phyllis.thede@legis.iowa.gov 515-281-3221
Cindy Winckler: cindy.winckler@legis.iowa.gov 515-281-3221
Ross Paustian: ross.paustian@legis.iowa.gov 515-281-3221
Linda J. Miller: linda.miller@legis.iowa.gov 563-620-9539 or 515-281-3221
Also please write a letter to the editor and send to: OPINIONS@qctimes.com
Story and details here:
qctimes.com/news/opinion/editorial/tate-s-gambit/article_be4931d2-30ea-51a1-bd76-fd3db1873694.html
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