Capitol Update - March 26, 2024
UEN Email Update
March 26, 2024
Dear UEN School Leaders:
Today, the Senate concurred with the House Amendment on HF 2612 AEA Reform, School Funding/SSA, and Teacher Pay.
There is still a little process to be completed. The bill, the same version as described in last Friday’s UEN Weekly Report, will be signed by the Speaker of the House, the Senate President, and sent to Governor Reynolds for her signature.
The AEA provisions are complicated and will be implemented with various effective dates. Those of you chomping at the bit to know more immediately can check out the fiscal note written by Legislative Services Agency staff found here: https://www.legis.iowa.gov/docs/publications/FN/1448318.pdf. More explanation will be necessary to completely understand (for example, districts get 60% of media and education services funding, but the $7.5 million statutory reduction to AEAs will be prorated to the school and AEA portions, so you can’t just take the AEA flow through amount off your A&L worksheet and know exactly what you are working worth). Stay tuned for more information.
SSA was included and is an increase of 2.5% of the state cost per pupil. This is an increase of $191 per pupil, bringing the state cost per pupil up to $7,826. All districts will get an increase of $191 per pupil, whether your district cost per pupil is at the state minimum or higher. The 2.5% also applies to categorical funds, supplementary weightings, AEA per pupil amounts and Education Savings Accounts.
Regarding teacher pay, DOM will determine up to 10 tiers and set TSS amounts to meet the new minimum teacher pay beginning July 1, 2024 ($47,500 for beginning teachers up to 12 years and $60,000 for teachers with 12 years or more experience teaching). DOM will make an additional calculation next year for the minimums effective July 1, 2025 ($50,000 for beginning teachers up to 12 years and $62,000 for teachers with 12 years or more experience). There will be a great deal of explanation and thinking about how to handle implementation. DOM will release the TSS amounts to districts as soon as they can, and they understand the urgency you are facing.
The bill anticipates an appropriation of $14 million for supplemental pay for education support personnel (defined as employees working full or part-time who are not salaried). The bill does NOT include a requirement for $15 per hour minimum pay. The appropriation was not included in this bill, so wait for further details.
We will cover more in our regular Weekly Reports or as information becomes available. Hopefully, the last month of the Legislative Session (we hope it’s just a month) will be a little less chaotic for everyone concerned.
Thanks for all of your advocacy on behalf of your school districts.
Margaret Buckton, Executive Director & Legislative Analyst
Urban Education Network - www.uen-ia.org
Office: (515) 251-5970 ext. 1
Cell: (515) 201-3755
Email: margaret@iowaschoolfinance.com
