Branstad drops plans for special session on education issues

DES MOINES (AP) ? Gov. Terry Branstad said Tuesday he has dropped plans to call for a special session of the Legislature to deal with recommendations coming from an education summit meeting later this month.

The governor announced plans for the summit earlier in the year and said at the time he would call a special session to enact the recommendations, but that was before this year?s regular session stretched to June 30, making it the third longest in state history.

?I think realistically this is a huge undertaking, that this is something we can make a top priority in the next session of the Legislature,? Branstad said during his weekly meeting with reporters.

Branstad said he planned to spend the bulk of the year campaigning to reform the state?s education system ?to build the consensus we need.?

The governor said he decided to call the summit because standardized test scores measuring student achievement show Iowa students in the middle of the pack. In the past, Iowa students usually ranked near the top of such rankings.

?Iowa children need a world-class education to compete in this 21st Century knowledge-based economy,? said Branstad.

The governor said other states are moving to reform education and Iowa can?t lag behind, said Branstad, adding that he would seek consensus about needed changes.

?We need to work together to build a broad coalition,? he said.

Branstad said the summit, beginning July 26, would focus on issues related to student performance and wouldn?t be dominated by funding issues.

?The education summit is really going to be focusing on things like teacher preparation and leadership in the schools, student achievement, things like that as opposed to things like compensation and retirement systems,? Branstad said.

The education summit will feature Education Secretary Arne Duncan and former North Carolina Gov. Jim Hunt, who made education a top priority during his tenure in office. It will also feature New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie.

Branstad said the summit will be the beginning of an effort to cross the political divide, which often surfaces on education issues.

?We?re going to be collaborating with teachers and administrators and experts from outside the state as well,? Branstad said.

The governor said his administration focused heavily this year on balancing the state?s budget and overhauling the state?s property tax system, an effort that wasn?t approved this year. The governor said he?ll continue to push on property tax reform, but education will be a top priority.

?That is going to continue to be a priority, but we?re very much going to focus on education reform and improvement,? said Branstad. ?This is a high priority of this administration and I?m confident we can get that accomplished.?