A debate over funding for K-12 education in the Iowa Senate yesterday (Tuesday) included claims that many schools could be forced to cut their literacy programs. Senator Herman Quirmbach, a Democrat from Ames, cited the results of a survey that Democratic lawmakers sent to school superintendents. It asked how they would respond if the legislature failed to provide a “decent increase” in school aid.

“Particularly shocking, cut back in literacy programs, 43-percent are telling us they would have to cut back in literacy programs,” Quirmbach said. Democrats, who control the Senate, pushed through a bill that would boost K-12 aid by four-percent for the 2017-18 academic year. Quirmbach said that level of an increase is needed to keep Iowa students from falling behind their peers in other states.

“If we don’t provide adequate funding…43-percent of the districts will actually be cutting back on literacy programs at the time when they should be increasing the literacy programs,” Quirmbach said. Senator Julian Garrett was shocked by Quirmbach’s remarks. The Republican from Indianola said school leaders, if necessary, should be able to find many other areas to make budget cuts.

“They need to spend the money on…a higher priority than teaching kids to read? That just floors me,” Garrett said. “I cannot understand schools saying that reading is not the big priority for us. If that is the basis for this proposal, count me out. I am voting no.” The House and Senate have still not settled on the level of school funding for next year. Tuesday’s debate in the Senate was over K-12 funding for the FOLLOWING school year, starting in the fall of 2017.

(Radio Iowa)