Iowa educators tell us that predictable, sustained state investment in education is the most effective way to increase student achievement.
That’s why we voted this week for a 6 percent increase in local school funding for the 2015-16 school year (SF 2079 and SF 2077). This money would pay for the basics: up-to-date textbooks, heating bills, teacher salaries and gas for the buses. We also approved additional state dollars to prevent any related property tax increase (SF 2078).
Developing the state budget is the one thing we are required to do in our job as state senators, and the largest part of that budget goes to education. State law requires us to set school funding 18 months ahead of the academic year so that school boards, administrators and educators can plan for local needs and make the best use of state resources.
A 6 percent increase would be welcome news for our local schools. It would help them bounce back from several lean years while also implementing the education reforms we approved in 2013. Since 2011, school funding in Iowa has suffered. As a result, our state has fallen to 37th in the nation when it comes to per pupil spending. Iowa is more than $1,500 below the national average in terms of how much we invest in each student.
However, we have the money to reverse this trend. Our reserve accounts are full at more than $650 million, and we have a surplus of $842 million. The major U.S. financial rating agencies all give Iowa the highest rating of AAA. Only seven other states match us with an across-the-board AAA rating.
Now is the time to invest wisely in student achievement. If the House and Governor also approve the legislation we passed in the Senate, here’s how much our Iowa school districts will get for the 2015-16 school year:
|
School District |
Est FY 2016 |
Est Change in |
| Adair-Casey |
$3,483,257 |
$412,813 |
| Adel DeSoto Minburn |
$13,954,257 |
$1,321,184 |
| AGWSR |
$5,824,208 |
$380,733 |
| A-H-S-T |
$5,031,418 |
$93,098 |
| Akron Westfield |
$4,849,301 |
$107,119 |
| Albert City-Truesdale |
$1,890,300 |
$6,651 |
| Albia |
$10,968,397 |
$886,358 |
| Alburnett |
$4,847,422 |
$340,227 |
| Alden |
$2,637,540 |
$280,219 |
| Algona |
$12,257,949 |
$713,079 |
| Allamakee |
$10,831,094 |
$645,212 |
| Alta |
$5,163,181 |
$503,795 |
| Ames |
$38,057,901 |
$1,958,788 |
| Anamosa |
$10,942,860 |
$199,150 |
| Andrew |
$3,032,175 |
$483,677 |
| Ankeny |
$85,802,333 |
$5,087,804 |
| Aplington-Parkersburg |
$7,966,532 |
$745,154 |
| Armstrong-Ringsted |
$$3,075,325 |
$$139,397 |
| Armstrong-Ringsted |
$3,075,325 |
$139,397 |
| Ar-We-Va |
$2,674,991 |
$133,002 |
| Atlantic |
$13,435,783 |
$906,603 |
| Audubon |
$4,661,954 |
$109,982 |
| Aurelia |
$2,286,809 |
$7,118 |
| Ballard |
$13,435,888 |
$417,654 |
| Battle Creek-Ida Grove |
$6,257,336 |
$479,437 |
| Baxter |
$3,117,240 |
$49,930 |
| BCLUW |
$5,725,172 |
$433,052 |
| Bedford |
$4,402,719 |
$244,043 |
| Belle Plaine |
$5,570,349 |
$760,895 |
| Bellevue |
$5,032,885 |
$70,524 |
| Belmond-Klemme |
$7,328,729 |
$430,831 |
| Bennett |
$1,703,742 |
$98,203 |
| Benton |
$13,057,228 |
$510,192 |
| Bettendorf |
$36,208,066 |
$2,123,275 |
| Bondurant-Farrar |
$13,587,821 |
$619,919 |
| Boone |
$20,231,712 |
$1,121,484 |
| Boyden-Hull |
$6,232,416 |
$853,700 |
| Boyer Valley |
$4,310,818 |
$373,211 |
| Brooklyn-Guernsey-Malcom |
$4,735,956 |
$150,935 |
| Burlington |
$43,736,443 |
$2,374,987 |
| CAL |
$2,992,501 |
$340,998 |
| Calamus-Wheatland |
$3,956,246 |
$67,627 |
| CAM |
$4,054,899 |
$220,685 |
| Camanche |
$7,934,049 |
$368,451 |
| Cardinal |
$5,557,731 |
$318,542 |
| Carlisle |
$15,966,256 |
$596,890 |
| Carroll |
$15,505,540 |
$978,893 |
| Cedar Falls |
$46,304,488 |
$5,053,021 |
| Cedar Rapids |
$158,458,757 |
$8,337,969 |
| Center Point-Urbana |
$11,012,116 |
$473,975 |
| Centerville |
$12,702,526 |
$541,973 |
| Central |
$4,329,340 |
$189,756 |
| Central City |
$4,949,674 |
$667,605 |
| Central Clinton |
$13,048,449 |
$625,223 |
| Central Decatur |
$6,362,814 |
$414,176 |
| Central Lee |
$7,353,348 |
$663,705 |
| Central Lyon |
$6,317,611 |
$521,618 |
| Central Springs |
$7,680,273 |
$253,226 |
| Chariton |
$11,659,265 |
$181,360 |
| Charles City |
$14,455,616 |
$263,850 |
| Charter Oak-Ute |
$2,849,696 |
$207,958 |
| Cherokee |
$8,963,999 |
$402,885 |
| Clarinda |
$8,286,351 |
$550,862 |
| Clarion-Goldfield |
$8,571,542 |
$745,052 |
| Clarke |
$13,550,852 |
$1,050,826 |
| Clarksville |
$3,041,569 |
$42,349 |
| Clay Central-Everly |
$3,371,338 |
$56,146 |
| Clayton Ridge |
$5,616,524 |
$277,266 |
| Clear Creek Amana |
$16,423,492 |
$1,266,202 |
| Clear Lake |
$11,375,809 |
$585,514 |
| Clearfield |
$779,781 |
$19,190 |
| Clinton |
$37,499,432 |
$2,538,178 |
| Colfax-Mingo |
$6,304,117 |
$103,056 |
| College |
$42,652,952 |
$3,017,715 |
| Collins-Maxwell |
$4,224,133 |
$92,333 |
| Colo-NESCO School |
$4,467,152 |
$71,609 |
| Columbus |
$7,479,176 |
$140,139 |
| Coon Rapids-Bayard |
$3,646,336 |
$69,944 |
| Corning |
$3,933,724 |
$161,954 |
| Corwith-Wesley |
$1,212,048 |
$87,260 |
| Council Bluffs |
$87,236,385 |
$4,563,299 |
| Creston |
$13,393,339 |
$746,362 |
| Dallas Center-Grimes |
$19,961,700 |
$1,312,919 |
| Danville |
$4,293,997 |
$220,715 |
| Davenport |
$150,109,468 |
$8,551,717 |
| Davis County |
$10,685,249 |
$962,810 |
| Decorah Community |
$12,565,855 |
$838,601 |
| Delwood |
$1,852,290 |
$53,071 |
| Denison |
$20,073,197 |
$1,968,438 |
| Denver |
$6,336,675 |
$604,346 |
| Des Moines Independent |
$328,724,044 |
$20,124,576 |
| Diagonal |
$1,142,319 |
$95,017 |
| Dike-New Hartford |
$8,136,276 |
$460,576 |
| Dows |
$1,294,258 |
$30,281 |
| Dubuque |
$101,020,604 |
$4,596,871 |
| Dunkerton |
$4,409,910 |
$385,356 |
| Durant |
$5,085,587 |
$277,950 |
| Eagle Grove |
$8,545,276 |
$716,850 |
| Earlham |
$5,704,677 |
$174,595 |
| East Buchanan |
$5,361,892 |
$343,665 |
| East Greene |
$3,307,420 |
$260,103 |
| East Marshall |
$5,709,174 |
$234,864 |
| East Mills |
$5,100,573 |
$334,972 |
| East Sac County |
$8,155,974 |
$108,712 |
| East Union |
$4,561,072 |
$85,876 |
| Eastern Allamakee |
$3,408,389 |
$157,386 |
| Easton Valley |
$6,100,518 |
$397,031 |
| Eddyville-Blakesburg- |
$7,868,848 |
$483,705 |
| Edgewood-Colesburg |
$3,751,386 |
$312,830 |
| Eldora-New Providence |
$6,807,807 |
$649,767 |
| Elk Horn-Kimballton |
$2,200,537 |
$123,145 |
| Emmetsburg |
$6,178,464 |
$138,005 |
| English Valleys |
$4,497,627 |
$347,672 |
| Essex |
$2,251,147 |
$37,193 |
| Estherville Lincoln |
$12,077,382 |
$271,959 |
| Exira |
$2,426,494 |
$406,655 |
| Fairfield |
$15,245,865 |
$798,546 |
| Farragut |
$1,865,938 |
$-6,938 |
| Forest City |
$10,890,478 |
$213,478 |
| Fort Dodge |
$33,862,460 |
$960,186 |
| Fort Madison |
$19,979,781 |
$759,429 |
| Fredericksburg |
$2,532,116 |
$65,790 |
| Fremont-Mills |
$4,196,914 |
$155,650 |
| Galva-Holstein |
$4,221,323 |
$197,792 |
| Garner-Hayfield |
$7,811,825 |
$529,910 |
| George-Little Rock |
$3,989,676 |
$217,732 |
| Gilbert |
$11,697,961 |
$1,187,090 |
| Gilmore City-Bradgate |
$1,285,329 |
$98,146 |
| Gladbrook-Reinbeck |
$5,735,873 |
$418,964 |
| Glenwood |
$17,694,911 |
$1,197,693 |
| Glidden-Ralston |
$2,722,283 |
$185,914 |
| GMG |
$2,896,290 |
$52,232 |
| Graettinger-Terril |
$3,323,275 |
$153,575 |
| Grinnell-Newburg |
$15,340,109 |
$1,154,856 |
| Griswold |
$5,424,800 |
$371,534 |
| Grundy Center |
$6,340,016 |
$764,015 |
| Guthrie Center |
$4,323,142 |
$267,988 |
| Hamburg |
$2,602,204 |
$263,887 |
| Hampton-Dumont |
$11,922,231 |
$579,370 |
| Harlan |
$13,791,453 |
$1,084,043 |
| Harmony |
$3,015,708 |
$69,022 |
| Harris-Lake Park |
$3,343,443 |
$542,720 |
| Hartley-Melvin-Sanborn |
$6,088,088 |
$334,496 |
| Highland |
$6,257,230 |
$471,302 |
| Hinton |
$4,632,241 |
$60,884 |
| H-L-V |
$2,848,837 |
$49,084 |
| Howard-Winneshiek |
$12,278,540 |
$910,525 |
| Hubbard-Radcliffe |
$4,093,259 |
$200,691 |
| Hudson |
$6,694,530 |
$669,788 |
| Humboldt |
$11,100,247 |
$664,223 |
| IKM-Manning |
$6,613,685 |
$519,585 |
| Independence |
$13,539,397 |
$758,165 |
| Indianola |
$30,843,369 |
$2,302,326 |
| Interstate 35 |
$8,016,787 |
$827,593 |
| Iowa City |
$123,015,712 |
$8,975,807 |
| Iowa Falls |
$10,648,907 |
$805,223 |
| Iowa Valley |
$4,766,143 |
$83,886 |
| Janesville Consolidated |
$3,148,863 |
$66,679 |
| Jefferson-Scranton |
$9,910,870 |
$640,854 |
| Jesup |
$8,738,550 |
$1,122,704 |
| Johnston |
$56,010,905 |
$3,674,282 |
| Keokuk |
$18,213,019 |
$604,977 |
| Keota |
$3,366,216 |
$342,350 |
| Kingsley-Pierson |
$4,390,161 |
$265,189 |
| Knoxville |
$16,345,515 |
$676,174 |
| Lake Mills |
$5,262,233 |
$80,591 |
| Lamoni |
$2,946,689 |
$56,188 |
| Laurens-Marathon |
$3,038,055 |
$271,700 |
| Lawton-Bronson |
$5,744,569 |
$647,118 |
| Le Mars |
$18,534,047 |
$810,301 |
| Lenox |
$3,688,585 |
$419,498 |
| Lewis Central |
$23,507,560 |
$2,169,873 |
| Linn-Mar |
$61,941,682 |
$4,669,862 |
| Lisbon |
$6,026,819 |
$326,984 |
| Logan-Magnolia |
$4,946,626 |
$154,718 |
| Lone Tree |
$3,813,456 |
$367,783 |
| Louisa-Muscatine |
$7,094,603 |
$495,586 |
| LuVerne |
$787,000 |
$45,014 |
| Lynnville-Sully |
$3,971,391 |
$307,872 |
| Madrid |
$5,782,963 |
$536,911 |
| Manson Northwest Webster |
$5,869,984 |
$97,961 |
| Maple Valley-Anthon Oto |
$6,383,014 |
$264,385 |
| Maquoketa |
$13,087,602 |
$962,217 |
| Maquoketa Valley |
$6,063,827 |
$140,399 |
| Marcus-Meriden-Cleghorn |
$3,814,926 |
$27,357 |
| Marion Independent |
$17,080,854 |
$1,187,408 |
| Marshalltown |
$51,539,508 |
$2,478,535 |
| Martensdale-St Marys |
$4,791,112 |
$355,088 |
| Mason City |
$35,404,490 |
$1,562,773 |
| Mediapolis |
$6,755,362 |
$351,488 |
| Melcher-Dallas |
$2,876,147 |
$64,372 |
| MFL MarMac |
$7,644,785 |
$647,998 |
| Midland |
$4,892,415 |
$93,356 |
| Mid-Prairie |
$11,197,386 |
$356,911 |
| Missouri Valley |
$7,765,270 |
$506,898 |
| MOC-Floyd Valley |
$12,664,507 |
$773,535 |
| Montezuma |
$4,701,584 |
$61,428 |
| Monticello |
$10,162,187 |
$1,065,797 |
| Moravia |
$3,434,346 |
$188,318 |
| Mormon Trail |
$2,477,403 |
$247,452 |
| Morning Sun |
$2,083,829 |
$172,075 |
| Moulton-Udell |
$2,020,375 |
$31,867 |
| Mount Ayr |
$6,035,302 |
$434,443 |
| Mount Pleasant |
$18,035,708 |
$1,154,612 |
| Mount Vernon |
$10,037,419 |
$660,505 |
| Murray |
$2,653,944 |
$267,713 |
| Muscatine |
$48,896,010 |
$2,567,931 |
| Nashua-Plainfield |
$5,701,390 |
$156,487 |
| Nevada |
$13,788,474 |
$636,163 |
| New Hampton |
$8,836,597 |
$159,310 |
| New London |
$4,850,525 |
$120,198 |
| Newell-Fonda |
$4,753,698 |
$473,842 |
| Newton |
$27,068,221 |
$1,136,256 |
| Nodaway Valley |
$6,071,808 |
$392,613 |
| North Butler |
$6,149,884 |
$390,770 |
| North Cedar |
$8,114,618 |
$528,318 |
| North Fayette |
$7,883,556 |
$255,629 |
| North Iowa |
$4,319,039 |
$108,852 |
| North Kossuth |
$2,846,953 |
$58,326 |
| North Linn |
$5,851,680 |
$91,494 |
| North Mahaska |
$4,671,066 |
$58,679 |
| North Polk |
$12,024,552 |
$700,687 |
| North Scott |
$26,788,883 |
$1,760,774 |
| North Tama County |
$4,666,270 |
$327,523 |
| North Winneshiek |
$2,699,322 |
$55,368 |
| Northeast |
$4,985,072 |
$265,563 |
| Northeast Hamilton |
$2,277,545 |
$188,393 |
| Northwood-Kensett |
$4,648,159 |
$152,181 |
| Norwalk |
$22,310,508 |
$965,399 |
| Odebolt-Arthur |
$2,995,738 |
$65,029 |
| Oelwein |
$12,698,480 |
$835,811 |
| Ogden |
$5,219,592 |
$81,541 |
| Okoboji |
$8,895,667 |
$941,828 |
| Olin Consolidated |
$2,615,157 |
$382,719 |
| Orient-Macksburg |
$1,893,265 |
$42,592 |
| Osage |
$8,705,887 |
$825,694 |
| Oskaloosa |
$22,026,248 |
$1,053,546 |
| Ottumwa |
$39,121,435 |
$1,055,585 |
| Panorama |
$6,582,708 |
$505,928 |
| Paton-Churdan |
$1,886,460 |
$49,983 |
| PCM |
$9,580,307 |
$495,563 |
| Pekin |
$5,703,657 |
$325,388 |
| Pella |
$19,069,104 |
$1,345,909 |
| Perry |
$17,372,003 |
$1,205,284 |
| Pleasant Valley |
$39,295,663 |
$4,366,536 |
| Pleasantville |
$5,844,652 |
$393,057 |
| Pocahontas Area |
$7,107,694 |
$790,543 |
| Postville |
$5,956,393 |
$124,122 |
| Prairie Valley |
$5,293,501 |
$46,917 |
| Prescott |
$927,575 |
$74,508 |
| Red Oak |
$10,781,721 |
$398,641 |
| Remsen-Union |
$3,617,412 |
$116,418 |
| Riceville |
$2,979,706 |
$338,906 |
| River Valley |
$3,790,446 |
$207,428 |
| Riverside |
$6,263,891 |
$173,694 |
| Rock Valley |
$6,975,239 |
$1,058,481 |
| Rockwell City-Lytton |
$5,188,661 |
$708,189 |
| Roland-Story |
$8,367,775 |
$445,133 |
| Rudd-Rockford-Marble Rk |
$4,032,125 |
$56,213 |
| Ruthven-Ayrshire |
$2,522,969 |
$241,729 |
| Saydel |
$10,781,358 |
$514,846 |
| Schaller-Crestland |
$3,625,217 |
$196,338 |
| Schleswig |
$2,814,148 |
$237,018 |
| Sentral |
$1,513,387 |
$119,923 |
| Sergeant Bluff-Luton |
$12,284,822 |
$439,226 |
| Seymour |
$2,403,871 |
$142,669 |
| Sheldon |
$9,278,288 |
$392,278 |
| Shenandoah |
$8,744,449 |
$428,874 |
| Sibley-Ocheyedan |
$6,634,648 |
$265,748 |
| Sidney |
$3,382,018 |
$141,469 |
| Sigourney |
$4,745,716 |
$138,054 |
| Sioux Center |
$10,271,847 |
$414,217 |
| Sioux Central |
$4,877,269 |
$299,076 |
| Sioux City |
$133,921,111 |
$6,746,484 |
| Solon |
$10,362,166 |
$335,960 |
| South Hamilton |
$5,849,559 |
$205,677 |
| South O’Brien |
$6,155,567 |
$138,463 |
| South Page |
$2,130,905 |
$98,164 |
| South Tama County |
$13,899,845 |
$661,067 |
| South Winneshiek |
$5,559,996 |
$372,700 |
| Southeast Polk |
$58,748,463 |
$3,282,457 |
| Southeast Warren |
$5,072,225 |
$87,896 |
| Southeast Webster Grand |
$5,278,219 |
$294,068 |
| Southern Cal |
$4,833,295 |
$335,796 |
| Spencer |
$18,744,546 |
$1,050,488 |
| Spirit Lake |
$10,782,097 |
$793,663 |
| Springville |
$3,213,246 |
$49,069 |
| St Ansgar |
$5,596,518 |
$276,596 |
| Stanton |
$1,833,552 |
$121,611 |
| Starmont |
$5,884,419 |
$401,851 |
| Storm Lake |
$21,886,175 |
$1,397,278 |
| Stratford |
$1,584,926 |
$71,763 |
| Sumner |
$5,876,498 |
$564,739 |
| Tipton |
$7,853,303 |
$297,307 |
| Titonka Consolidated |
$1,380,253 |
$96,785 |
| Treynor |
$5,192,023 |
$528,878 |
| Tri-Center |
$6,106,051 |
$274,060 |
| Tri-County |
$2,495,722 |
$57,572 |
| Tripoli |
$3,964,091 |
$291,855 |
| Turkey Valley |
$3,513,022 |
$136,843 |
| Twin Cedars |
$3,310,237 |
$46,261 |
| Twin Rivers |
$1,672,091 |
$46,769 |
| Underwood |
$5,918,265 |
$221,792 |
| Union |
$10,939,323 |
$358,255 |
| United |
$2,812,024 |
$55,208 |
| Urbandale |
$31,172,974 |
$2,305,162 |
| Valley |
$3,678,002 |
$53,533 |
| Van Buren |
$5,579,767 |
$100,535 |
| Van Meter |
$5,294,978 |
$550,024 |
| Ventura |
$1,964,470 |
$-12,648 |
| Villisca |
$2,976,629 |
$56,546 |
| Vinton-Shellsburg |
$14,527,495 |
$726,651 |
| Waco |
$4,744,865 |
$344,355 |
| Walnut |
$1,726,007 |
$135,780 |
| Wapello |
$6,272,057 |
$-4,875 |
| Wapsie Valley |
$6,541,471 |
$424,459 |
| Washington |
$16,946,127 |
$820,464 |
| Waterloo |
$108,048,398 |
$5,128,676 |
| Waukee |
$72,673,158 |
$6,485,451 |
| Waverly-Shell Rock |
$18,023,023 |
$1,305,973 |
| Wayne |
$5,148,257 |
$348,779 |
| Webster City |
$14,975,006 |
$1,164,768 |
| West Bend-Mallard |
$3,028,343 |
$77,620 |
| West Branch |
$7,449,615 |
$464,422 |
| West Burlington Ind |
$4,978,060 |
$748,400 |
| West Central |
$2,811,050 |
$265,379 |
| West Central Valley |
$8,486,300 |
$507,031 |
| West Delaware County |
$14,136,164 |
$862,364 |
| West Des Moines |
$82,604,576 |
$5,367,839 |
| West Fork CSD |
$6,571,978 |
$342,199 |
| West Hancock |
$5,588,574 |
$370,450 |
| West Harrison |
$3,786,091 |
$-371 |
| West Liberty |
$11,076,032 |
$813,624 |
| West Lyon |
$7,854,413 |
$699,895 |
| West Marshall |
$7,532,816 |
$337,752 |
| West Monona |
$6,812,500 |
$693,267 |
| West Sioux |
$7,698,789 |
$660,556 |
| Western Dubuque |
$29,594,452 |
$3,085,947 |
| Westwood |
$5,422,787 |
$527,918 |
| Whiting |
$1,912,366 |
$154,988 |
| Williamsburg |
$10,347,314 |
$701,659 |
| Wilton |
$6,931,371 |
$355,986 |
| Winfield-Mt Union |
$3,562,660 |
$255,883 |
| Winterset |
$15,896,289 |
$1,150,644 |
| Woodbine |
$4,034,285 |
$182,944 |
| Woodbury Central |
$5,349,495 |
$448,932 |
| Woodward-Granger |
$8,144,958 |
$540,681 |