Board urges Iowa to boost school funding by 5% and phase out ESAs; resolution passes
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Summary
The Cedar Rapids School Board unanimously passed a resolution urging the governor and state legislature to raise annual state supplemental aid by 5% (inflation‑adjusted) and to phase out education savings accounts (ESAs) over five years, linking state policy to the district's local budget pressures.
The Cedar Rapids Community School District Board of Education voted Jan. 12 to send a formal message to state officials: increase annual state supplemental aid (SSA) by 5% adjusted for inflation and phase out education savings accounts over five years.
The resolution, introduced by Director Burns and supported by board members, frames the request as a statewide funding solution to local budget shortfalls. Director Burns noted that the legislative session opened that day and said the resolution highlights how state funding levels and ESAs affect local budgets. "Every difficult decision we face as a board is made harder by state funding choices beyond our control," she said.
Director Garlock and others cited estimates that ESAs will cost roughly $315 million in 2025–26 and noted cumulative voucher spending in the hundreds of millions. Proponents argued the figure is roughly equivalent to a statewide SSA increase that would materially relieve districts struggling with enrollment declines and rising costs.
The board moved and seconded the resolution; a roll‑call vote recorded unanimous support and the resolution passed. The board asked administration and the advocacy committee to share the language with other districts and legislative contacts to build a collective case.
What happens next: the board directed staff to share the resolution externally and to coordinate with statewide advocacy groups. The resolution does not change district policy; it is a formal appeal to state lawmakers and the governor.