DES MOINES — When Paul Gausman submitted a budget proposal recently for the Sioux City school district he helps oversee as superintendent, he had his staff prepare budgets that took into account multiple financing scenarios because they were missing a key detail: how much administrators can actually spend.
“We know that it’s possible that none of those scenarios that we’ve created will come true, and so we have to then go back in and recreate from whatever the exact number is ... it makes our work very, very challenging for us,” he said.
Gausman is in limbo over funding for the upcoming school year on staffing, programming and expenses like updated textbooks. A similar situation is playing out for school districts across Iowa, as the state Legislature continues to be at an impasse over how much supplemental state aid is available for education funding in the fiscal year that begins on July 1. A difference of about $50 million is holding things up.
The issue has clouded the session as lawmakers are deadlocked, and a deadline Wednesday for school districts to have preliminary approval of their budgets seems to be doing little to prod lawmakers into action.
The state plans to spend at least $2.9 billion on K-12 education for the upcoming fiscal year, according to the bipartisan Legislative Services Agency. Democrats, who originally proposed more than $200 million in additional funding, have lowered their push to about $150 million but say it’s less than ideal spending for education. Republicans, who are seeking an increase of more than $100 million as reflected in Gov. Terry Branstad’s budget proposal, say the state cannot afford to spend more. Both proposals include dollars dedicated to teacher leadership training.
Districts are required by state law to certify their budgets for the upcoming school year by the middle of April every year. Superintendents try to submit budgets in advance to their local school boards, but many say it’s a difficult process because of the state Legislature. State law requires lawmakers to approve the K-12 funding at a much earlier date in the legislative process, though there is no repercussion for missing the deadline. Lawmakers have not approved school funding on time in several years.
That tardiness is frustrating, said Art Tate, superintendent of the public school district in Davenport. It keeps teachers and staff on edge because there’s uncertainty over whether they will have jobs later that year.
“You have to lay those things out there, which is emotionally devastating for a district,” he said. “It’s not the way to do business but that’s the way you have to do it when the Legislature is not willing to make decisions early.”
Branstad, speaking to reporters Monday, said he wants to give school districts “stability and predictability” when it comes to what they can spend. He also wants Democrats and Republicans to come to an agreement soon, and pledged to work with the Legislature to find a solution.
The delay over school funding has halted talks on other parts of the budget proposal, which could affect whether lawmakers finish the session by May 1.
A joint negotiating committee, comprised of members from both parties, has met a handful of times to discuss education funding. House Majority Leader Linda Upmeyer, R-Clear Lake, told lawmakers Monday that she hopes the committee will meet this week.