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The Gruenhagen Gazette: $223M more for schools in 2024-25 budget
by Kerry Gruenhagen, Iowa Senate District 4 · Op-Ed · April 03, 2024
Week 12 has come to an end, and we are all headed home to our families to celebrate Easter on Sunday.
The scheduled end of the legislative session is coming quickly with the goal to finish on April 16.
After working through additional legislation this week and discussing appointees by the governor, our focus will soon turn to the budget.
On Thursday, Senate Republicans released the total general fund spending goal for next year.
The general fund target of $8.872 billion is a 3.74 percent increase over FY 2024. It includes the increase of $172 million in funding for public K-12 schools and minimum starting teacher pay approved earlier this week in HF 2612 and $51.25 million in new money for ESAs for a total $223.2 million in new money for K-12 education.
Nearly a quarter of a billion dollars in new money for K-12 schools demonstrates just how absurd Democrats claims of “underfunding education” are and instead demonstrates just how important education is in our state.
As in previous years, Senate Republicans are dedicated to responsible, conservative spending. Even in the face of a difficult national economy, Iowa has continued as a fiscally strong state.
While state revenue continues to grow, we are focused on providing sustainable increases to education, public safety and health care.
Our top concern is for Iowa taxpayers and how we can ensure they keep more of their hard-earned dollars to fight the lingering effects of inflation, which continues to run higher than expected and does so much damage to family budgets.
On Tuesday, House File 2612 passed the Iowa Senate. This bill included K-12 education funding increases for the next school year, as well as salary increases for teachers and more money for the support staff in our school districts. It was signed into law by Governor Reynolds on Wednesday.
Under the bill, the minimum teacher salary in Iowa is raised to $47,500 in the first year.
Next year, the minimum teacher salary will be $50,000. For teachers who have at least 12 years of experience, the minimum salary is $60,000 in the first year, and $62,000 in the following years.
This boost in salaries is the biggest increase for teachers in the history of Iowa and puts our state fifth in the nation for teacher salaries.
It will help support teachers across the state, attract new teachers to Iowa, and aid us in our goal of making Iowa one of the best states for education.
Additionally, this bill set the increase in funding for K-12 education for the school year starting next fall.
This increase is in addition to the funding they get currently. Along with the other education expenses we will have this year, including teacher salaries, money for support staff, transportation equity, and special education, we are looking at over $172 million in additional funding for Iowa public schools next year.
Total spending on education will be approximately $3.8 billion for Iowa public schools.
Senate Republicans have shown dedication to sustainable funding for education.
Since 2017, we have passed hundreds of millions of dollars in increases to education, along with a number of reforms to improve our system and work to make it one of the best in the country.
As we get closer to the end of session, we are going to be focusing on some of the bigger issues that remain.
If you have questions about a bill previously debated, yet to be addressed, or anything else happening at the Capitol, please feel free to reach out.
It is an honor to serve you at the Capitol and represent our district in the Iowa Senate.
Wednesday was a special day in the Iowa Senate as we watched one of our colleagues receive the Herbert Hoover Uncommon Public Service Award.
Each year, the public nominates legislators who “exemplify Herbert Hoover’s ideals of honesty, integrity, and uncommon public service.”
The award, created by the Hoover Presidential Foundation, honors “those public servants who demonstrate uncommon service to the people of Iowa above and beyond their legislative responsibilities.”
This year, Senator Dan Dawson from Council Bluffs received this award, joining a number of Senate Republicans who have received it over the last several years, including Senate President Amy Sinclair, Senator Ken Rozenboom, and Senator Brad Zaun.
Running and get elected to public office requires many sacrifices professionally and personally, and it is an honor to show our colleagues some appreciation for all their hard work and all they do for the state of Iowa.
As we get closer to the end of session, we are going to be focusing on some of the bigger issues that remain.
If you have questions about a bill previously debated, yet to be addressed, or anything else happening at the Capitol, please feel free to reach out.
It is an honor to serve you at the Capitol and represent our district in the Iowa Senate.
To contact Senator Gruenhagen during the week, call the Senate Switchboard at 515-281-3371. E-mail him at kerry.gruenhagen@legis.iowa.gov. Gruenhagen serves on the following committees: Agriculture, Commerce, Education, Technology, Workforce and Government Oversight.
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