Students read in a classroom. (Photo by Klaus Vedfelt/Getty Images)
Senate Republicans announced Tuesday they plan to support the governor’s proposal of a 2% increase in per-pupil funding for the state’s public school system.
The proposed increase matches the recommendation put forward by Gov. Kim Reynolds earlier in January of a $235 million increase for State Supplemental Aid (SSA), the per-pupil state funding for Iowa’s K-12 schools. It’s a slightly lower SSA rate than previous years — last year, lawmakers passed a 2.5% SSA increase as part of a larger package making changes to the state’s Area Education Agencies and raising teacher pay. But Senate Republicans said the measure provides stable funding for the state’s education system
“Senate Republicans announced a reliable funding level for Iowa students, just as we have every year we have been in the majority,” Senate Majority Leader Jack Whitver said in a news release. “Iowans have continually supported our position of consistent increases in education funding. Today, we will begin again to keep our promise to provide timely increases with the goal of improving student achievement and making Iowa schools the best in the country.”
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The timeliness of school funding was an issue in 2024. While the Legislature has a self-imposed deadline to pass the per-pupil state aid for schools within 30 days of the governor’s budget being released, the funding rate was not finalized until late March during the previous session. Though there is no penalty for lawmakers missing the 30-day deadline, the delay made budgeting difficult for school districts across the state, according to education advocates.
House lawmakers have not yet released an SSA bill. Though the Senate funding bill, Senate Study Bill 1053, is coming within the required timeframe this year, organizations like the Iowa State Education Association said a 2% increase falls short of funding requirements at Iowa’s schools.
ISEA President Joshua Brown said in a statement Tuesday that the organization is recommending a minimum 5% increase in funding.
“Setting funding any less than that jeopardizes growth and opportunity in our public schools for more than 90 percent of the students in our state,” Brown said. “We look forward to working with Iowa legislators on finding the right solution.”
But Republicans like Sen. Lynn Evans, R-Aurelia, said the $235 million increase in spending — and total allocation of $4.2 billion in state funding for K-12 students in the state in fiscal year 2026 — shows “the commitment of Senate Republicans to improving education.”
“It is a sustainable increase, focused on getting more money into the classroom, and it is proposed on time so schools can make informed decisions about their budget for next year,” Evans said.
Senators will meet in a subcommittee meeting Jan. 30 to discuss the funding proposal.
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