Public commenters urge state to raise per-pupil funding and phase out taxpayer-funded ESA vouchers
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Summary
During the Ames Community School District public forum, speakers blamed declining enrollment and falling state funding for local cuts and urged the district to support a resolution calling for a minimum 5% increase in state per-pupil funding and reinstatement of an ESA income cap to phase out taxpayer-funded ESAs within five years.
Public commenters at an Ames Community School District meeting urged the board to press state lawmakers for higher per-student funding and to restrict taxpayer-funded education savings accounts (ESAs).
An unidentified commenter, speaking during the public forum, said cuts that have hit Boone and Cedar Rapids schools — including staff reductions, hiring freezes and potential building consolidations — were driven by "declining enrollment combined with continued decreases in state funding that don't even keep up with inflation." The speaker introduced a resolution calling for "at minimum the State per pupil funding to 5% and to reinstate the ESA income cap with the goal of phasing out taxpayer funded ESA program in 5 years," and said "these private, non accountable, discriminatory, taxpayer funded schools are starving our public schools across." The speaker said several districts, including Alba, Belmont, Lehi, Cedar Falls, Cedar Rapids, Decorah, Keokuk, South Tama and Urbandale, had passed similar resolutions.
Susie Petras, a retired high school educator and Ames resident, urged the board to communicate more proactively with the community about funding impacts. Petras suggested the district publish a monthly op-ed detailing how voucher programs have affected programs and services — for example, classroom programs, busing or food offerings — and said community voices could help influence the legislature.
Bruce Anton, another resident, summarized pending legislation he said could affect funding and oversight of private schools that accept vouchers. He named Senate File 2008, which he said would require private schools using vouchers to meet transparency and reporting requirements similar to public schools, and House File 2265, which he said would cap voucher eligibility at 400% of the federal poverty level. Anton also referenced a separate property-tax funding proposal attributed to "Senator Quumbaugh" intended to roll back ESA-related funding; he directed listeners to a Des Moines Register article for additional detail.
The district took no formal action on the resolution during the meeting. Board members later moved from the public forum into the consent agenda and subsequent business items.
Next steps: the board did not vote on the proposed resolution at this meeting; speakers and petitioners said they would continue outreach to the community and legislators.