Posts Tagged ‘Education’

Strong Schools Package Clears First Hurdle

A key house committee has already approved a package of education initiatives that will strengthen Iowa k-12 schools and protect local property taxpayers.  On a 12-4 vote, the House Education Committee passed a series of reforms to help Iowa land up to $175 million in Race to the Top funds. (House File 2033)

Iowa property tax payers will benefit from another bill passed to make sure schools spend down their cash reserves before raising property taxes. (House File 2030)  

Requested by schools last fall, two other bills approved by the committee will delay setting the school aid formula schools by one year, instead of setting it two years in advance. (House File 2031 & 2032)

Tags: Education
Category Education |

IPERS Advisory Committee Makes Recommendations

The Benefits Advisory Committee (BAC) of the Iowa Public Employees Retirement System (IPERS) has agreed on recommendations to the Legislature to deal with the long-term funding concerns facing the system.
The committee’s recommendations to the Legislature include the following:
1. Increase the combined employer/employee contribution rate to 13.45% effective July 1, 2011. Under current law, the rate will be 11.45% on July 1, 2011.
2. Allow IPERS to “float” the contribution rate by 1% each year. Current law sets this at 0.5%.
3. Change the vesting requirement from the current four years to seven years.
4. Change the final average salary from the current high three years to five years.
5. Increase the early retirement reduction penalty from the current 3% to an average of 6% per year below age 65 for anyone retiring before they have earned the Rule of 88, or age 62 with 20 years of service or have reached age 65.
6. The benefit multiplier remains unchanged under this proposal. Currently, employees earn 2% per year for up to 30 years of employment resulting in a 60% multiplier. Once the employee has worked from 30 to 35 years, the benefit multiplier is 1% resulting in their final retirement benefit being the average of the highest three years salary times 65%.

Tags: Education, IPERS, Retirement
Category Education, Jobs & Economy |

Bill Summary: Teacher Salary Integration, SF 445

Teacher Salary Integration, SF 445

Tags: Education
Category Bill Summary |

2008 Session Review: Education

A top priority of the Iowa Legislature the last two year is to make sure our kids are prepared for jobs in today’s global economy.  We made great progress during the 2008 legislative session by expanding opportunities,  raising academic standards and keeping higher education affordable for all Iowans.  Some highlight include:  

• Raising Standards – Iowa schools are now required to adopt the Iowa Model Core Curriculum which requires four years of English and three of math, science and social studies. It also includes 21st Century learning skills like health, technology and financial literacy (SF 2216, signed & effective July 1, 2008)
• 4% Allowable Growth & Preschool – Increased per pupil funding by $222 per student for the 2009-2010 school year and includes $33 million to expand preschool (HF 2140, effective July 1, 2009)
• Equalizing School Infrastructure Funding – local option sales taxes are replaced with a statewide sales tax to ensure each student gets their share of state money. The bill also provides over $200 million in property tax relief (HF 2663, effective July 1, 2008)
• Higher Education Funding – Increased resources for universities to keep tuition low and provided an additional $8.5 million for community colleges. Increased funding for scholarships and tuition grant program (HF 2679, effective July 1, 2009)
• Senior Year Plus – High school students will be able to earn up to a year of college credit before they graduate from school (HF 2679, effective July 1, 2008)
• Student Loan Debt – Parents and students will get better information to help them make the right decision about financing higher education (HF 2690, effective July 1, 2008)

Tags: Academic Standards, Education, iowa schools, preschool, Teachers
Category Education |

House Raises Standards & Continues Progress in Education

In an effort to make sure Iowa students are prepared for jobs in today’s global economy, the Iowa House today raised education standards and maintained their commitment to Iowans by expanding pre-school, bringing teacher pay to 25th in the nation, and keeping higher education affordable for Iowans.

“Every Iowa student needs the skills necessary to compete with kids from around the globe and succeed in the 21st Century workplace. We raised education standards to ensure every Iowa child gets a good education and we are keeping the promises we made last year in preschool, teacher pay, and affordable higher education,” said State Representative Cindy Winckler of Davenport, who chairs the House Education Appropriations Subcommittee. (more…)

Tags: core curriculum, Education, Education Standards, preschool, statewide model core curriculum, Teacher Pay
Category Education |