K-12 Public Schools in Iowa will receive a 3% funding payment under a bill passed by the Senate

A bill passed by the Senate on Thursday would increase funding for each student by 3%.

The bill (Senate File 192) still has to be passed by the Iowa House of Representatives before Governor Kim Reynolds can sign it. House Republican leaders also proposed a 3% increase, which would be the largest increase in school funding since 2015.

This is equivalent to about $107 million in new government funding.

3% Funding Payment Under Bill

According to an analysis by the Non-Partisan Legislative Services Agency, increased funding would increase government spending on public schools to $3.69 billion, or about $7,635 per student.

• This is sustainable, said Senator Ken Rosenboom, R. Bella, on increasing funding. We have had some conversations this year about broken promises and keeping promises. This is a sustainable and responsible government. Because they are sustainable and reliable, we will keep our promises, as we have always done since the Republicans took over this chamber in 2017.
• Iowa lawmakers began working to increase annual funding for private schools after the creation of a new program that allows each Iowa family to use state funds to pay for private schools in Year 3.

Cost of funding project for K-12 public schools in Iowa

The programme, signed into law by Reynolds in January, is expected to cost $107 million in the first year and $345 million annually when fully implemented.

More: A delighted Kim Reynolds signs the Iowa School Choice Act, which has radical implications. What does it amount to:

• Private school students will have access to the same amount as the State grants to public school areas per student - $7,635 if funding for public schools goes through.
• Democrats unsuccessfully proposed an increase of 5.9%, or $267 million, for public schools. This is how much they think Republicans will spend this year on corporate tax cuts and on the new Private Schools Act.
• Senator Herman Kuermbach, D-Ames, said: "We propose different priorities." "We propose to support general education for many, not special schooling for the privileged few, and not to place the pockets of wealthy companies. We can do more.

Source for some paragraphs of the article: desmoinesregister