Iowa’s approach to school funding has provided a strong foundation for the success of Iowa’s public schools and students, with the vision that every child is worth the same no matter where they live.
Although Iowa’s approach is fairly equitable compared to other states, the Senate recently voted to improve how we allocate money to schools.
SF 455 is designed to equalize the amount school districts receive by increasing the statewide cost per pupil over 10 years and making up for the differences in transportation costs among districts. The figures below show how much additional money our local schools will get.
Transportation costs can siphon off a lot of dollars that could be going to a student's education in the classroom. SF 455 starts to fix that disparity by offsetting transportation costs so that each Iowa student really does get the same amount for their education once they arrive at the school doors. New funding will be phased in over 10 years.
This bill is now under consideration in the Iowa House. Be sure to contact your State Representative and let them know that this is a good investment that will ensure high-quality educational opportunities for all Iowa students.
Below is the amount each district will receive when fully phased in. Baxter: $100,078; Bondurant-Farrar: $441,848; Carlisle: $552,770; Colfax-Mingo: $236,989; Collins-Maxwell: $138,228; East Marshall: $381,501; Grinnell-Newburg: $401,277; Lynnville-Sully: $233,284; Newton: $796,853; North Polk: $499,540; PCM: $311,672 and Southeast Polk: $1,766,246.
Contact Sen. Chaz Allen
at 641-521-6297
or chaz.allen@legis.iowa.gov