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Board tracks bills on preschool funding, per-pupil increases and start-date flexibility
Summary
District staff briefed the board on legislative priorities including full-day preschool funding, proposed increases to state supplemental assistance, mental-health resources, and a bill that would allow earlier school start dates; board members discussed funding formula concerns and enrollment declines.
Miss Ostrovsky provided a legislative update outlining four board priorities and related bills, and answered board questions about funding formulas and emerging proposals.
On full-day preschool, staff said there are companion bills in the Iowa Senate and House to increase funding; both remained in committee at the time of the update. The governorreferenced early-childhood continuum proposals in the condition-of-the-state address, seeking connections between preschool and childcare to enable wraparound services.
On school funding, staff reported a Senate proposal that moved out of the Senate and to the House would increase state supplementary assistance (SSA) by about 2% from the current level; a House committee approved a related bill with a 2.25% increase. Staff noted the per-pupil funding figure would rise from the current $7,826 to slightly above $8,000 (an increase of roughly $191 per student under the Senate proposal), and that district impacts vary by enrollment and growth. Board members raised concerns about declining birth rates and enrollment statewide, the 1% guarantee in the funding formula, and the additional burden placed on districts with higher percentages of students requiring IEP services or English-learner supports.
On mental health, staff said proposals are moving slowly; some bills would require districts to publish Your Life Iowa resources and others discuss therapeutic classroom resources and training (including a referenced Senate File 102). Funding for mental-health-related supports is expected to appear in later appropriations bills.
On school start dates, staff said Senate File 205 would permit starting on the Monday preceding the last Monday in August (for 2025 that could allow an Aug. 18 start). Board members were told staff will monitor that legislation and return with recalculated calendars if the law changes.
Other topics highlighted: a governor proposal for model policies on student cellphone use; a study bill to provide flexibility on chronic absenteeism notice requirements (which could reduce certified-mail costs); proposals to allow teacher recruitment/retention expenses from the Management Fund; and recurring proposals related to a citizenship test requirement for graduating seniors. Staff reminded the board that the legislative "first funnel" is March 3 and that the district is tracking bills through advocacy partners and local events such as chamber coffees at Wilson Middle School.
Board members urged advocacy around funding adequacy and a broader look at how declining enrollment, ESAs and other programmatic shifts affect district finances.
