State Senator Herman Quirmbach (D-Ames) has released the following statement regarding Senate Republicans’ school funding proposal.
“The public school funding number proposed today by Senate Republicans shows that public education is no longer their priority in Iowa,” Sen. Herman Quirmbach (D-Ames) said.
“Like Iowa families, the public schools that educate over 90% of our kids face an affordability crisis,” Quirmbach continued. “Schools can’t afford enough teachers, so class sizes grow and students lose individual attention. Many can’t afford cost-of-living increases to retain experienced personnel. Some districts can’t even interview the best qualified teachers because they just can’t afford them.”
“STEM teachers aren’t replaced. Online instruction is substituted for in-person when schools can’t afford a full-time language teacher.”
“Funding that supported beloved programs and educators is evaporating,” Sen. Quirmbach said. “In Boone, the district has to terminate the school orchestra that has given the community great pride for 100 years. And, they have to cut eight full-time positions beyond that.”
“Legislative Republicans’ severe underfunding of our public schools isn’t new. Ever since Kim Reynolds became governor, Republican funding has fallen farther and farther behind inflation. The shortfall this year alone amounts to over $1,000 per student. More than half a billion total statewide. If we hope for a future where Iowans can compete on the world stage,” Sen Quirmbach said, “our students and our schools need and deserve better.”
Sen. Quirmbach is the Ranking Member of the Senate Education Committee.