House Republicans passed a new version of their plan to reorganize Iowa's local education agencies, sending the bill back to the Senate as both chambers struggle to reach agreement.
The amended version of House File 2612 is the third version of the AEA bill to pass either the House or the Senate this year. Republicans in both chambers are making changes to the proposal as they try to find language they can agree on.
House lawmakers passed the bill 51-43 on Thursday. Nine Republicans broke with their colleagues and joined all Democrats and opposition parties.
What does the latest House AEA bill include?
The bill would send the majority of special education services to the AEA and maintain it as the primary provider of services to schools.
School districts would have jurisdiction over spending on media and general education services currently provided by AEA, and could work with agencies on a “fee-for-service” model or seek private contracts.
The new law also increases the minimum wage for beginning teachers from $33,500 to $50,000 annually. It also includes funding to increase salaries for experienced teachers and increase salaries for unpaid school employees such as paraeducators.
In addition to teacher pay increases, the bill increases the state's per-pupil funding for K-12 schools by 2.5%.
Rep. Schuyler Wheeler (R-Hull), the bill's floor manager, cited a series of “victories” House Republicans secured on the bill.
“Yes, I think you could argue that this will improve outcomes for students with disabilities,” he said. “Yes, I believe this is community control. Yes, I believe this will bring certainty to the AEA. And yes, I believe this will bring certainty to families with students with disabilities.”
Democrats, who have staunchly opposed changes to the AEA, accused Republicans of playing politics by passing legislation the Senate does not agree with.
“We've received thousands of emails from voters, we've received thousands of phone calls, we've been stopped at the grocery store. One of the things Iowans want us to do is protect the AEA. ” House Minority Leader Jennifer Confirst, D-Windsor Heights, told reporters. Thursday. “The people of Iowa don't want this. Republicans are bringing this to the floor today because they're afraid of their governor, and they're playing politics with special needs children in this state.” Because I'm trying to.”
Negotiations over the AEA have dominated much of the 2024 legislative session since Gov. Kim Reynolds announced plans to overhaul the agency in her State of the Nation address in January.
Reynolds' original plan faced widespread opposition from education groups, Democrats, and even many Republicans, leading to large portions of the bill being rewritten.
Reynolds thanked House members in a statement after Thursday's vote, saying the bill “further strengthens Iowa's education system in meaningful ways.”
“By reforming the AEA system, empowering school districts, and increasing oversight and transparency, we are committed to better outcomes and brighter futures for Iowa students with disabilities.” she stated. “They don't deserve anything more.”
Will Senate Republicans pass the latest plan after their previous disagreement with the House?
Republicans in the House and Senate have passed their own bills in recent weeks, but remain at odds over how to proceed.
The Senate passed its own plan to reorganize educational institutions earlier this week. The plan would require districts to determine annual contracts and enter into private agreements for special education, media and general education services.
The vote sent the ball back to the House court, forcing leaders of both chambers to negotiate a compromise. The Senate was in recess Thursday for consideration in the House, but is expected to return to the chamber next week to decide what to do about the latest plan.
Asked if a deal had been reached between House and Senate Republicans during the debate, House Minority Leader Matt Windschitl, R-Missouri Valley, said he could not “decide what happens over there.” , said he hoped Thursday's vote would be the last on the issue.
Asked after the vote if House Republicans' message to the Senate was “take it or leave it,” House Speaker Pat Grassley (R-New Hartford) told reporters: “That's our expectation.” he said.
“Our hope is that we can get a package moving forward that satisfies everyone at the table, and our hope is that it gets to the governor's desk,” he said.
In a statement after Thursday's House vote, Senate Majority Leader Jack Whitver (R-Grimes) did not commit to passing the bill, but said he was hopeful for a “resolution.”
“I'm glad to see progress being made on AEA reform, raising salaries for beginning teachers, increasing education funding, and more,” he said. “I look forward to resolving these issues as Senate Republicans plan to debate new legislation next week.” “There is,” he said.
How will AEA services change under the agreement with Republicans?
One of the biggest debates among Republicans this year is how school districts should pay for the services AEA provides.
AEA is currently funded through a combination of state, federal, and local property taxes. These agencies provide media services and general education services as well as special education services to school districts.
The House bill passed Thursday makes no changes to special education funding for the 2024-25 school year. Starting with the 2025-26 school year, districts will receive state special education funding that currently goes to AEA, but will be required to send 90% of that funding to AEA and keep the remaining 10%.
“Special education students remain obligated to continue receiving services from AEA,” Grassley said. “That was the number one priority in that conversation, and we kept it that way and obviously we were successful.”
For the 2024-25 school year, school districts will receive 60% of state funding for media services and general education services, and AEA will receive 40%. Schools can choose to continue contracting with his AEA for these services on a “fee-for-service” model or use private providers.
Starting the following year, school districts received all state funding for media and general education services and could choose whether to utilize AEA or not.
A Des Moines Register/Mediacom Iowa poll conducted in late February found that a majority of Iowans (56%) have a favorable view of the AEA, while 24% have an unfavorable view of the AEA. 20% were not sure.
Previous Republican plans in the House and Senate were divided over how to fund and distribute the services currently provided by the AEA.
Under the plan passed by the Senate earlier this week, school districts would have until Feb. 1 to make an annual decision on whether to contract with AEA for special education, media and general education services. If they refuse, they may look for a private vendor.
The updated plan approved by the House on Thursday also creates a task force to study and make recommendations on the AEA system, the only aspect of the bill supported by Democrats.
Rep. Molly Buck (D-Ankeny) said Republicans should have pursued the creation of the special committee without making other changes to the bill, which she believes would have “disrupted” the system. said.
“We are rushing to pass legislation that impacts Iowa’s most vulnerable children,” she said. “Our most vulnerable people. Those who cannot speak for themselves, those who cannot protect themselves.”
The bill creates a special education division within the Department of Education.
The Iowa Department of Education will have increased oversight of special education services in the state with the creation of a new division of special education.
The bill would authorize the Department of Education to hire 13 new employees in Des Moines and 40 additional employees based within the state's AEA.
Starting salary for teachers rises to $50,000 a year
The bill would raise the minimum wage for new teachers from the current $33,500 to $47,500 next year and $50,000 the following year.
It would set the minimum salary for teachers with at least 12 years of experience at $60,000 next year and increase it to $62,000 the following year.
And the bill includes $22 million for schools to increase pay for experienced teachers and another $14 million for non-salaried school employees such as paraeducators.
Rep. Chad Ingels (R-Randalia), who has two children with Down syndrome, said he and other House Republicans are particularly keen on increasing pay for paraeducators.
“While AEA employees are invaluable, paraeducators are with my children every day, and they are poorly paid,” he said. “They can go to Casey's and make more. They can go to Walmart and make more.”
The bill would also increase the state's per-student aid to schools by 2.5 percent, or about $82.4 million in new funding.
The Senate-passed bill would increase starting salaries for teachers to $46,250 a year, with no minimum for experienced teachers, and additional funding for raises for other school employees. Not yet.
According to an Iowa poll, 76% of Iowans support raising the minimum wage for teachers to $50,000 a year, while 22% oppose the increase and 2% are undecided.
more:Most Iowans support raising the starting salary to $50,000, according to an Iowa poll.
Democrats criticize Republicans' last-minute amendments
Along with their criticism of the AEA restructuring plan, Democrats on Thursday also blasted the Republicans' debate and vote schedule.
The text of the revised bill was posted online until just before 4 p.m. Thursday, and debate began about an hour later. Republicans quickly voted to set a “firm time” to end the debate at 6:30 p.m.
Konfust accused Republicans of “pushing this bill on us” without giving Democrats or the public time to consider it.
“They have submitted a 49-page amendment that addresses the three issues most important to educators and children in this state, and they expect us to vote on it within hours.” he said. “You can't say this is for Iowans. You can't say this is for Iowa kids. This is for the governor. This is for politics and it shows who they are working for. is.”
House Republican spokeswoman Melissa Seitz said Republicans have been working hard for weeks to hear feedback on their proposal.
“As Democrats know, there are no new policies in the proposed amendments to the AEA bill,” he said in a statement. “These are concepts that have been debated on the floor of the House and Senate and in committee processes. Iowans have been able to weigh in on these policies for weeks.”
Stephen Gruber Miller covers the Iowa Legislature and politics for the Register. Contact us by email at sgrubermil@registermedia.com or by phone at 515-284-8169. Follow him on Twitter @sgrubermiller.
Galen Bakarie covers politics for the Register. Please contact gbacharier@registermedia.com. or (573) 219-7440 or follow us on Twitter @galenbacharier.