From the Chief Administrator: Keep Following State & Federal Legislation

As we officially begin a new season (at least on the calendar), we also are hitting a critical time legislatively at both the state and federal levels. This is a good time to email your elected officials and thank them for their service and to express your point of view on issues related to education. When you can include a specific example of how proposed legislation may benefit or harm the students, families and educators with whom you are familiar, it is helpful.

Of particular interest in Iowa is legislation that would extend the years of allowable funding for students who are learning English, extension of the local sales and use tax (SAVE) for school infrastructure, flexibility in use of categorical funds and restrictions on future tax credits. These issues do not apply to AEA funding directly but could certainly address broad funding concerns for education. It also appears that the AEAs will be included in a bill that calls for a study of AEA service priorities. The statewide system is already at work in preparing information to help inform this study which would likely convene this summer.

At the federal level, I encourage you to stay tuned in to the debate over health care -- the early interpretations of the bill as proposed is that there would be a limiting effect on Medicaid funds. The other major legislation to keep in touch with is the budget (both FY 2017 and 2018). Unless Congress raises the debt limit or extends the budget through a continuing resolution in the next couple months, education funding will be restricted going forward.

If you ever have specific questions or would like additional background information, please do not hesitate to contact me or Heartland AEA's Communications staff.

- Paula