March 29, 2024

Newton school board maintains legislative priorities for FY23

Funding, mental health, teacher recruitment, dropout prevention included as prime concerns

Members of the Newton Community School District Board of Education discuss legislative priorities during their June 27 meeting at the E.J.H. Beard Administration Center.

Newton school board members are keeping the same legislative priorities going into the 2022-2023 school year.

During the June 27 school board meeting, elected officials voted in favor of maintaining the same top five legislative priorities approved last year: dropout prevention/at-risk funding, mental health, teacher recruitment and licensure, school funding and supplemental state aid.

The purpose of setting legislative priorities is to allow the Iowa Association of School Boards (IASB) to compile information received from its participating school boards. From there, IASB decides what it will then advocate for the strongest to legislators in hopes of meeting those priorities.

Robyn Friedman, president of the Newton Community School District Board of Education, said it is always smart for the board to keep school funding in the top priorities. If school districts don’t have their funding, she said, then “we can’t do the stuff we want to do.” School board members did not object to any changes.

“I’d be really comfortable sticking with the same five that we had,” Friedman said.

Here is a more in-depth look at each legislative priority described in the documents provided by IASB:

DROPOUT/AT-RISK: Newton schools wants the Iowa Legislature to support the inclusion of dropout prevention and funding for at-risk students in the foundation formula and the inclusion of socio-economic status as a factor in determining a student’s at-risk status.

This measure also supports allowing districts to request additional dropout prevention modified supplemental amount up to the 5 percent maximum cap. It also opposes changes to the compulsory age of attendance unless sufficient funds are provided to implement strategies to retain those students.

MENTAL HEALTH: This priority supports efforts to establish comprehensive community mental health systems to offer preventative and treatment services and comprehensive school mental health programs, such as those that increase access for in-school and telehealth services.

Other programs include increased access to mental health professionals via in-person or telehealth visits, creation of a categorial funding stream for mental health professionals serving students and ongoing training for staff, more training to improve awareness and understanding of child emotional/mental health needs.

Further programming would be the integration of suicide prevention and coping skills into existing curriculum, expanding state-funded loan forgiveness programs to mental health professionals who agree to provide services to schools and ongoing mental health resources clearinghouse for school/community providers.

By placing mental health as one of Newton schools’ top priorities, it is advocating for trainings that include a referral plan for continuing action provided by mental health professionals outside of the district.

TEACHER RECRUITMENT & LICENSURE: Supports additional tools to attract people to the teaching professional, especially during shortages. It also supports alternative teacher licensure upon completion of research-based teaching pedagogy training in addition to content knowledge in a curricular area.

It also advocates for pathways for individuals with non-traditional or international educational backgrounds to meet licensure qualifications, reciprocity agreements with other states with high-quality education programs so as to increase diversity among certified teachers and administrators.

Expansion of programs like the Teach Iowa Scholar, Troops to Teachers, Teacher Intern Program and others approved by the Board of Education Examiners are also part of the priority. It also supports programs designed to recruit and retain teachers that match demographic makeup of students.

Funding for loan forgiveness programs, grants and stipends that will make education careers a more attractive and affordable option are also supported.

SCHOOL FUNDING POLICY: Newton wants Iowa to support a school foundation formula that provides sufficient and timely funding, equalizes per pupil funding for all programs, equitably funds all Area Education Agencies and reflects action costs for special education services.

The formula should also include factors based on changes in demographics including socio-economic status, remedial programming and enrollment challenges. And it should incorporate categorical funding in the formula within three years and include a mix of state aid and property taxes.

SUPPLEMENTAL STATE AID: School board members support setting SSA at a rate that sufficiently supports local districts’ efforts to plan, create and sustainschools for FY23 by Jan. 28, 2023, and for FY24 and future budget years at least 14 months prior to the certification of schools’ budgets.

Newton also wants to set SSA within the statutory requirements, allowing districts to make sound financial decisions on programs and staffing levels. If not set within those requirements, then a formula-driven method is needed for establishment SSA growth rate.

By having SSA as a priority, Newton wants to maintain an appropriate balance between the state’s general fund and property tax revenue.

Contact Christopher Braunschweig at 641-792-3121 ext 6560 or at cbraunschweig@newtondailynews.com

Christopher Braunschweig

Christopher Braunschweig

Christopher Braunschweig has a strong passion for community journalism and covers city council, school board, politics and general news in Newton, Iowa and Jasper County.