Education funding bill debated

Happy Friday Senate District 44! (2-13-26)

Senate File 2252 certainly got the most press this week. As many have heard, the Chicago Bears might be looking for a new home. This bill was filed to attract the Chicago Bears to build their new stadium here in Iowa … how does the Birmingham Bears, the Batavia Bears, the Beacon Bears, or the Packwood Bears sound? This bill would expand a current state economic development program to include football stadiums. Iowa is a GREAT place for families to live, (Illinois is doing the opposite) and Iowa is more than ready for a professional sports team. While I would not go purchase your season tickets just yet, it has been a fun conversation to have.

The main bill we debated was Senate File 2201, the proposal by Senate Republicans for increased K-12 education funding for the next fiscal year. This bill is an increase of $100 million for the next school year and brings total spending on K-12 education by the state to $4.35 billion! Under this bill, the state alone would be spending $8,133 per student in Iowa, some constituents feel this is too much, some feel it's not enough, however that amount is nowhere close to the total amount that is spent each year for each student in public schools. The $8,133 figure does NOT include all of the property tax, local-option sales tax, or federal funding that public schools receive. Also, people who complain this is not enough, always leave out the decrease in students that our state has had to educate in the past 8 years as well.

Since Republicans took the trifecta in 2017, Republicans have INCREASED K-12 education spending $1.23 BILLION with just state aid (again, this does NOT include the massive funding increases public schools have received from property tax increases, local-option sales tax, and federal funding in those 8 years). Below is an example of just the total amount of Iowa funding that has gone to some of the schools in SD44 since 2018:

Since 2018, Fairfield CSD has had an increase on funding of $4,274,875 and is educating 108 fewer students. Mount Pleasant CSD has had an increase on funding of $3,123,717 and is educating 228 fewer students. Oskaloosa CSD has had an increase on funding of $5,373,086 and is educating 164 fewer students.

The $8,133 is amount that the Senate has proposed, the House and the Governor have higher numbers, so I would assume that when all sides work out a final number, it will be higher than $8,133. The proposal passed by the Senate this week clearly shows a dedication to education, fiscal responsibility and the priorities of Iowans. Additionally, this proposal continues the commitment by Senate Republicans to reducing the tax burden on Iowans by increasing the state’s share of the property tax payment for public education.

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