More than 200 delegates from the Iowa Association of School Board’s (IASB) member school boards and area education agency (AEA) boards gathered at Delegate Assembly on Wednesday (Nov. 14), to conduct the annual meeting and determine the platform for the 2019 legislative session. Each board appoints one board member as delegate to represent their board’s views.

Among the four priorities approved, the state penny sales tax for school infrastructure remained a priority that school boards in Iowa support and urge the legislature to extend. Atlantic School Board member Allison Bruckner and ACSD Superintendent Steve Barber were in attendance at the delegate’s meeting.

During Wednesday evening’s Atlantic School Board meeting, Bruckner said she had a chance to vote on the proposed legislative platform, and it was “A very good day. We got through 32 items that were on the agenda to vote for, and there were some really good items that came up for discussion.” There was also “A lot of healthy debate,” she said, and it was interesting to “hear from what legislative platforms are out there and what they’re looking for, to support this year.”

Superintendent Barber said “Although there was disagreement, people in that were in that room were very passionate about public education.” IASB Board President Joan Corbin said “This is the fifth year in a row that members have selected the state penny as one of our legislative priorities. Time is running out for districts who are simply trying to reliably plan budgets-they need to know this funding stream will be around past 2029.” Corbin said “Additionally, the state penny sales tax is a source of property tax relief, and if the legislature doesn’t extend it past 2029, districts may be forced to pass bond measures to fund school infrastructure projects. We strive to keep the burden of facilities maintenance from impacting taxpayers in our communities, but these bond measures will increase property taxes.”

The approved platform includes the following priorities:
* Supports repeal of the 2029 sunset of the statewide penny sales tax for school infrastructure; and supports preservation of the sales tax with no diversions or expansions of allowable uses;
* Supports changes to school funding policy that ensures equity, especially in transportation costs and district cost per pupil rates;
* Setting supplemental state aid rates in a timely way, with adequate resources to sustain world-class schools; and
* Supports efforts to establish comprehensive community mental health systems to offer preventative and treatment services and comprehensive school mental health programs that include access for students to mental health professionals.

To see the full list of beliefs, resolutions and legislative priorities for the 2019 legislative session, please visit the IASB website.  The IASB is a nonprofit organization representing Iowa’s 330 school districts, nine area education agencies and 15 community colleges.