District reps respond to tightened budgets, continued student needs

Bob Whittenburg

School district representatives were warned that they'll be facing diminished budgets for the foreseeable future -- and that Gov. Chet Culver will oppose efforts to raise taxes -- during the Iowa Association of School Boards (IASB) annual convention held this week in Des Moines.

One of the first decisions the legislature and Culver will face when lawmakers convene in January is how much they'll allow local school budgets to increase. Lawmakers last session agreed to a 2 percent allowable growth increase for the school year beginning next fall.

Thursday, Culver promised to support legislation forcing local schools to dip into their cash reserve funds before seeking more in property taxes.

Bob Whittenburg, of Spencer, was among the school board members across Iowa who participated in a legislative delegate meeting during the IASB convention. Top among the 36 resolutions approved by delegates was a legislative focus for the year supporting the allowable growth rate being set at a rate "that encourages continuous school improvement and reflects the actual cost increases experienced by school districts."

"Our priority is to increase and maintain the state cost per-pupil, and the spending authority associated with it, to build a strong base for future education resources," Whittenburg explained.

Acknowledging that state residents are aware of the current budget situation, and Culver's ordering of a 10 percent across-the-board cut in state spending, the Spencer school board member added, "The point is that the real cost of educating students continues to rise. We've all been mandated by the legislature to strive for improvement and excellence, and that takes financial support to do. So, we want to make it very clear that we continue to need the spending authority to do that. The legislature last session set (a 2 percent) allowable growth rate for next year. We want them to, at a minimum, not go back and cut that. And, in the future, that they continue to have allowable growth and a revenue stream that funds that allowable growth."

Whittenburg continued, "There's a lot of positive, great things going on in education today, both in Spencer and around the state. We need to let our legislators know that we want to make sure that those things take hold and continue to grow and improve, and that funding is key to that. So, we need to make education a top priority in view of the financial situation that we're all in."

Culver, meanwhile, asked educators to use the state's budget problems as a spur to rethink how they educate students.

"From preschool to college, the old ways of doing things are no longer an option," he said.

While the governor didn't offer specifics about how to change the system, he was adamant that change is coming.

"One thing is for certain: Iowa's school system will not look the same a year from now as it does today," Culver said.

Additional discussion during the IASB legislative delegate session focused on preschool funding and expanding the uses of Physical Plant and Equipment Levy (PPEL) funds.

"We resolved to ask for 4 year olds to be counted as students under the (state's school) funding formula and to have certified public school preschool throughout the state," Whittenburg said. "Now, that probably is not realistic at this point in the economy, but I think it's important, and everybody recognizes how important and how beneficial it is. And, yes, it is an expenditure at first -- but you reap cost savings down the road with better prepared kids and by addressing everybody's individual issues early on."

PPEL funds, which are currently dedicated to financing district infrastructure, transportation, technology and equipment needs, would see their possible designation uses increase if another IASB delegate-sponsored resolution is approved by legislators this upcoming legislative session.

"If we can buy computer equipment (with PPEL funds), shouldn't we be able to buy software to operate those systems with that fund instead of the general fund," Whittenburg asked hypothetically to make his point.

In addition, the recently-elected Spencer school board member said statewide delegates approved asking legislators to "review and reform the various tax credits, TIF funding and various tax incentive programs to ensure that they are being effectively used and are benefiting people."

"I think that's a prudent thing," Whittenburg said.

One topic not approved by school board member delegates during this week's gathering was a resolution to change the compulsory school age from 16 to 18.

"I don't know that that's controversial, but it seemed to divide people just about in half," Whittenburg, who voted in favor of the proposed change, said. " ... The counter argument is that if a kid doesn't want to be there, then they become a detraction from everyone else's education. While I can understand that, I think it just means that we need to have better alternatives. And, again, with funding constraints and the economic times that we live in, it's tough to do those kind of things. But, on that matter of principle, I think that all kids can learn and all kids can be successful given the right circumstances, the right plan and the right resources."

* A review of this week's IASB convention will be presented during the Nov. 24 Spencer school board meeting, which is scheduled to commence at 5:30 p.m. in the board room of the central administrative offices, located at 23 E. Seventh St.