Don’t make school budgets LESS predictable, sustainable, stable

“Iowans have to be asking themselves, 'Why in the world is Governor Branstad making funding of Iowa’s community schools less predictable, less sustainable, and less stable, when his message was exactly the opposite just a year ago?' Senator Herman Quirmbach of Ames, chair of the Senate Education Committee (Complete release below)

Don’t Scrap Allowable Growth (Des Moines Register)

Last year, when he was advocating for his two-year budget, he said entities have to have predictability and stability, and so you can figure out what’s going on,” said Chris Bern, president of ISEA, the state’s largest teachers union. “We believe that’s true now with school districts.”

Funding Uncertainty Worries Local Districts The Daily Iowan

“It’ll be a cyclical process of a level of confidence followed by a period of no confidence,” Iowa City School Superintendent Stephen Murley said. “But the way schools are set up on short notice, we don’t have the opportunity to make changes to the budget.”

School Funding Can’t Wait til Next Year Omaha World-Herald

“There is a plan for a major overhaul, but kids are in the classroom right now,” Schoenjahn said. “Who knows where that’s going?”

Governor making budgets of 351 school districts LESS predictable, LESS sustainable, and LESS stable

News Release by Senator Herman Quirmbach, chair of the Senate Education Committee

“Last year, Governor Branstad demanded a two-year state budget. He said a two-year budget was essential to making the process more predictable, sustainable, and stable.  It would allow for better planning.

“That is the practice the legislature has followed for years for the K-12 schools.  By setting ‘allowable growth’ eighteen months before the start of a school year, we tell local school boards how much money they may spend two years in advance.  That allows them to hire teachers, buy textbooks, and plan programs in a stable and sustainable fashion.

“This year, the Governor is abandoning his own principles for every school district in the state.  Not only has he so far failed to recommend an allowable growth number for the 2013-14 school year, but he has advocated abandoning the practice of giving local schools advance notice altogether.

“Unless and until the law is changed, the legislature is legally required to set the allowable growth number for the 2013-14 school year by the end of this week.  On Tuesday, the Senate will fulfill its legal responsibilities and pass an allowable growth bill.  We urge the House and the Governor to follow suit and comply with state law.

“If he refuses to follow the school aid law, Governor Branstad will be sending a horrible message to Iowa’s school boards, superintendents, teachers, and parents–not to mention setting a bad example for our students.

“Iowans have to be asking themselves, ‘Why in the world is Governor Branstad making funding of Iowa’s community schools less predictable, less sustainable, and less stable, when his message was exactly the opposite just a year ago?’ “

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