Couldn't agree more.....

Guest column from Dan Woodin
Local board member for Ames Community Schools
Member of the IASB Board of Directors representing District #5a

An open letter to the leadership of the Iowa Legislature. . .

I recently attended an ABLE II (Academy of Board Learning Experiences) training session led by the Iowa Association of School Boards for local school board members. It was entitled Reaching High: Raising the Bar (Helping your board set and fulfill high expectations for student learning).” The session began by the facilitators’ asking participants to “. . . think of a child under the age of 10, whom you know and want the very best for. When this child graduates from high school, what are your expectations for that child to know and be able to do?” Each participant identified three general expectations and we discussed them at our tables.
 
The items our table listed were far different from the expectations when we each graduated from high school. Monumental change has occurred since then, and employers today expect applicants to come into the job with specific skill sets. Twenty-first century skills are important, but rigid legislative requirements keep school districts from creating their own expectations and experimenting with new methods, because funding will only stretch to meet basic state requirements.  
 
Tony Wagner, keynote speaker at last year's IASB Convention, suggests that schools must focus today on five essential practices: collaboration, multidisciplinary learning, trial and error, creating and intrinsic motivation. One ABLE participant suggested we should think about that change in focus and how difficult it is going to be to shift the thinking of schools, parents, legislators and society.
 
It wasn't so long ago that "collaboration" would have been discouraged because we wanted students to "do their own work" and it might have been thought of as "cheating.” We are still pretty much stuck in disciplinary silos where we teach English in English class and algebra in algebra class. "Trial" (experimentation, innovation) is seen as risky and "error" tends to get punished. Conformity seems to be valued (at least it gets rewarded) more than creativity, which discourages creative impulses and innovative thinking. Motivation in our schools still seems to be largely yoked to extrinsic forms such as letter grades or class rank, rather than the intrinsic motivation that comes from learning as its own reward.
 
School districts need to "teach the basics,” but should also equally focus on the Wagner essentials. In the end, I believe we all have the high expectation that "ALL students reach their potential" upon graduation from our public schools. Please work to ensure that our local school districts have the flexibility to accomplish that high expectation.
 
Thanks for listening  . . .
Dan Woodin

Legislative Update

April 19, 2013 The following legislative update comes from the School Administrators of Iowa.  As you can see there is still much turmoil over the funding of education and education reform.  Please feel free to contact me to discuss the current situation, and your willingness to contact our legislators is always appreciated. Tim Kuehl Legislative Update April 19, 2013

More information SAI's Legislative Priorities list  Legislative Forums list  Find your legislator Contact your legislator   Iowa Legislature's website  Items to Note The famous saying by Yogi Berra, "It ain't over till it's over," is appropriate when considering the importance of negotiations during the pursuit of legislative compromise. Just when the issues of disagreement appear to be hopelessly at a major stalemate, sometimes positive things start to happen at the right time to help break the impasse. Yesterday, the Senate shared a compromise counter-proposal to the members of the Education Reform Conference Committee. This offer by the Senate has had a very positive impact on moving things forward to help resolve the stalemate. SAI shared some information on the counter proposal with members Thursday afternoon, so we won't repeat it here. We believe it is a positive development in the process, and we are supportive of the offer by the Senate. Earlier we shared a few areas in which we have some suggestions just as we did with the House proposal. Then, in line with Yogi's comment, later on Thursday afternoon, the House countered with a new proposal for the Senate to consider. This is how the negotiation process for important issues is designed to work. Offers and counteroffers are needed to get to the point where both sides feel they have an agreement that they can support. We are supportive of the latest offer by the House, and we will list it at the end of these comments. Our caveat with the latest offer by the House is under Attendance Center Rankings. Our preference would be to strike this section entirely. We agree that removing the letter grades is a good move, but striking the section entirely would be much better. There is sufficient data available about the performance of each school in our state, and ranking them in any manner is counter-productive for improvement. The common thread in our support of these various proposals is that compromise is needed by both sides, or the impact could be devastating to Iowa's students. Achieving no deal is a bad deal no matter how you look at it. Schools are in serious need of additional resources to meet the needs of students, and Iowa's students deserve effective school reforms to be enacted and supported by all Iowans. Thank you all very much for your focus and attention throughout this session.  We know it can be very frustrating to watch from the sidelines, but, at the end of the day, people in Iowa most often rise to the occasion. We need your assistance to keep encouraging your legislators to complete the task at hand and continue to work together for positive solutions. Have a great week.  Tom Narak Education Reform House Offer April 18, 2013 The House proposes the following offer: 2 percent Supplemental State Aid + 2 percent equivalent payment for FY14 4 percent Supplemental State Aid for FY15 Two-year extension on the sunset for the Early Intervention Block Grant House File 215 language with the following changes: Move minimum salary to $33,500 Create comparable model language and criteria     Local districts comparable model proposal reviewed by the commission, which makes a recommendation to the director, who will decide whether to approve. Add an appeal option to the State Board of Education.     Eliminate Teach Iowa Marketing program (HF 215section 43) - move the money from that program to fund the Competency-Based Provisions in the Senate language (H-1248 sections 38 and 48)     Mentor teachers experience, move from 2 to 3 years (eliminate HF 215 section 77, subsection 7)     Take Senate language on preschool funding uses (H-1248 section 41)     Take Senate language on kindergarten assessment (H-1248 section 45)     Add language to ensure that the Teacher and Administrator Development Systems must be accomplished in a collaborative manner (SAI provided suggested language)     Remove letter grades from Attendance Center Rankings program developed per section     Take Senate language on School District Reporting Requirements Task Force (H-1248 section 49)      Take Senate language on Instructional Hours (H-1248Division 1)

Education: House | Senate SSB 1058  Relates to and provides for education reform involving student, teacher, and administrator programs and activities under the purview of the department of education, the state board of education, the college student aid commission, school districts, and accredited nonpublic schools; making appropriations and providing for the establishment and retention of certain fees; and including transition and effective date provisions. 01/22/13 Quirmbach, Schoenjahn, Ernst   SSB 1194  Relates to immunity from liability for certain recreational activities on school grounds. 02/21/13 Hogg, Petersen, Boettger   SSB 1205  Relates to inspections of school buses and certain other vehicles used to transport children and makes penalties applicable. 02/26/13 Bowman, Beall, Johnson SSB 1206  Relates to education by modifying the duties and operations of the department of education, community colleges, the school budget review committee, and local school boards, eliminates a reporting requirement relating to vocational education funds, creates a task force to review the reporting required of school districts, and includes applicability provisions. 02/26/13 Bowman, Mathis, Boettger   SF 2  Relates to parent empowerment petitions for implementation of school intervention models by school districts.    Johnson    SF 56  Authorizes a school district to adopt a mandatory uniform policy.    Zaun    SF 51  Relates to establishment of the categorical state percent of growth for purposes of the state school foundation program and including effective date and applicability provisions. (Formerly SSB 1060.)       SF 52  -  Relates to establishment of the state percent of growth for purposes of the state school foundation program and including effective date and applicability provisions. (Formerly SSB 1059.)    SF 53  - Relates to school district funding from the taxpayers trust fund by making transfers to the property tax equity and relief fund, establishing a school district property tax replacement fund and making transfers to the fund, making appropriations, and including effective date and applicability provisions. (Formerly SSB 1057.)  Amendments: S 3002, S3003 SF 156  Establishes an alternative supplementary weighting plan for at-risk pupils and includes applicability provisions.    Hogg  SF 161  Establishes the categorical state percent of growth for the school budget year beginning July 1, 2014, and including applicability provisions. (Formerly SSB 1122.)    Education  SF 162  Establishes the state percent of growth for the school budget year beginning July 1, 2014, and including applicability provisions. (Formerly SSB 1123.)    Education SF 178  Relates to mandatory child abuse and dependent adult abuse reporter training, and includes applicability provisions.    Beall  SF 219 Relates to the authorized use of revenues from  the physical plant and equipment levy and includes applicability provisions. (Successor to SF 87) SF 220 Relates to funding for retirement incentive programs offered by school districts and includes applicability provisions. (Formerly SF 66.) SF 233  Concerns public safety in schools and communities including certain provisions relating to firearms and mental health, providing penalties, and including effective date and applicability provisions.    Hatch, Dotzler, Mathis, Sodders, Beall SF 265  Provides education savings grants for pupils attending a public school or an accredited nonpublic school or receiving competent private instruction, establishes an education savings grant fund, provides for the establishment of education achievement standards, makes appropriations, provides penalties, and includes applicability provisions.    Chelgren  SF 277  Relates to an exemption to the compulsory education and competent private instruction provisions for certain persons.    Sorenson, Guth, Zaun, Boettger, Ernst  SF 319  Relates to the Iowa early intervention block grant program by eliminating the future repeal of the chapter establishing the program and including effective date provisions. (Formerly SSB 1142.)    Education SF 320  Requires the board of directors of a school district to develop and implement a comprehensive emergency management plan. (Formerly SSB 1226.)    Education  SF 321  Modifies the funding requirements for whole grade sharing agreements and includes applicability provisions. (Formerly SF 120.)    Education SF 323  Provides education savings grants for pupils attending a nonpublic school or receiving competent private instruction, establishes an education savings grant fund, makes appropriations, provides penalties, and includes applicability provisions.    Behn, Boettger, Johnson, Zaun, Houser, Kapucian, Greiner, Chapman, Chelgren, Sorenson, Bertrand, Ernst, Anderson, Feenstra, Sinclair, Rozenboom SF 336  Relates to education by abolishing the department of education and the state board of education, modifying the duties and authority of certain state and local governmental entities, establishes an education savings grant program and fund, makes appropriations, provides penalties, and includes effective date and applicability provisions.    Zaun, Rozenboom, Chapman SF 337 Provides for training on suicide prevention and trauma-informed care for school personnel. (Formerly SF 216.)     Education - Amendment S 3021 Sponsor TOD BOWMAN of Jackson  SF 338  Requires background checks for school employees. (Formerly SF 48.) Amendment to SF 338: H 1252 Sponsor HESS of Clay  SF 339  Relates to inspections of school buses and certain other vehicles used to transport children and makes penalties applicable. (Formerly SSB 1205.) Amendments to SF 339: S 3019 Sponsor TOD BOWMAN of Jackson H 1220 Sponsor COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION, JORGENSEN of Woodbury, Chairperson SF 350  Relates to mandatory child abuse and dependent adult abuse reporter training, and includes applicability provisions. (Formerly SF 178.)    Education SF 404  Relates to supplementary weighting for limited English proficient students and includes effective date provisions. (Formerly SF 266.) SF 423  Relates to and provides for education reform involving student, teacher, and administrator programs and activities under the purview of the department of education, the state board of education, college student aid commission, school districts and accredited nonpublic schools; establishing a fee; and including effective date and applicability provisions. (Formerly SSB 1228.) Amendments to SF 423: S 3066 Sponsor HERMAN C. QUIRMBACH S 3068 Sponsor BRAD ZAUN  S 3069 Sponsor HERMAN C. QUIRMBACH  S 3071 Sponsor JONI K. ERNST S 3072 Sponsor HERMAN C. QUIRMBACH  S 3073 Sponsor KENT SORENSON, RICK BERTRAND, MARK CHELGREN, JAKE CHAPMAN, JACK WHITVER, ROBY SMITH, JONI ERNST, MARK SEGEBART, JERRY BEHN, TIM KAPUCIAN, DAVID JOHNSON, MICHAEL BREITBACH, DAN ZUMBACH, NANCY J. BOETTGER, KEN ROZENBOOM, AMY SINCLAIR, DENNIS GUTH, BILL ANDERSON, RANDY FEENSTRA, BILL DIX  S 3074 Sponsor JAKE CHAPMAN, MARK CHELGREN, RICK BERTRAND, NANCY J. BOETTGER, DAN ZUMBACH, MARK SEGEBART, BILL DIX, JACK WHITVER, MICHAEL BREITBACH, TIM KAPUCIAN, JERRY BEHN, JONI ERNST, DAVID JOHNSON, CHARLES SCHNEIDER, SANDRA H. GREINER, DENNIS GUTH, BILL ANDERSON, KENT SORENSON, RANDY FEENSTRA   S 3075 Sponsor NANCY J. BOETTGER, DAN ZUMBACH, MICHAEL BREITBACH, TIM KAPUCIAN, JERRY BEHN, RANDY FEENSTRA, MARK SEGEBART, JONI ERNST, DAVID JOHNSON, CHARLES SCHNEIDER, SANDRA H. GREINER, JAKE CHAPMAN, BILL DIX, JACK WHITVER, MARK CHELGREN, KENT SORENSON, BILL ANDERSON, AMY SINCLAIR, KEN ROZENBOOM  S 3076 Sponsor JERRY BEHN, NANCY J. BOETTGER, DAN ZUMBACH, MICHAEL BREITBACH, DAVID JOHNSON, SANDRA H. GREINER, JAKE CHAPMAN, RICK BERTRAND, BILL ANDERSON, DENNIS GUTH, HUBERT HOUSER, MARK CHELGREN, TIM KAPUCIAN, JONI ERNST, MARK SEGEBART, CHARLES SCHNEIDER, JACK WHITVER, RANDY FEENSTRA, KEN ROZENBOOM, AMY SINCLAIR  S 3077 Sponsor RANDY FEENSTRA, MARK CHELGREN, DAN ZUMBACH, DENNIS GUTH, BILL ANDERSON, KENT SORENSON, RICK BERTRAND, BILL DIX, NANCY J. BOETTGER, MICHAEL BREITBACH, TIM KAPUCIAN, JERRY BEHN, JONI ERNST, MARK SEGEBART, ROBY SMITH, SANDRA H. GREINER, JAKE CHAPMAN, JACK WHITVER, KEN ROZENBOOM, AMY SINCLAIR   S 3078 Sponsor AMY SINCLAIR, KEN ROZENBOOM, NANCY J. BOETTGER, DAN ZUMBACH, MICHAEL BREITBACH, JERRY BEHN, MARK SEGEBART, JONI ERNST, ROBY SMITH, DAVID JOHNSON, CHARLES SCHNEIDER, JAKE CHAPMAN, SANDRA H. GREINER, JACK WHITVER, MARK CHELGREN  S 3079 Sponsor RANDY FEENSTRA  S 3080 Sponsor BILL ANDERSON, KENT SORENSON, DENNIS GUTH, MARK CHELGREN, RICK BERTRAND, JACK WHITVER, JAKE CHAPMAN, SANDRA H. GREINER, DAVID JOHNSON, JONI ERNST, MARK SEGEBART, MICHAEL BREITBACH, DAN ZUMBACH, NANCY J. BOETTGER, JERRY BEHN, BILL DIX, KEN ROZENBOOM, AMY SINCLAIR  S 3081 Sponsor NANCY J. BOETTGER, AMY SINCLAIR  S 3082 Sponsor AMY SINCLAIR  S 3083 Sponsor MARK CHELGREN   S 3084 Sponsor JONI K. ERNST    HF 16  Modifies Iowa's human services and education systems to provide that children start school ready to learn and to increase Iowa's student achievement rates, making appropriations to the department of education and to the economic development authority, and including effective date and applicability provisions.    Murphy HF 17  Makes certain students who open enroll to a school district in a county contiguous to the school district of residence eligible for transportation assistance.    Gaskill HF 28  Relates to the compulsory school attendance age and includes effective date provisions.    Hunter HF 69  Relates to the protection of students from concussions and other brain injuries. Lofgren HF 89  Relates to a foreign language requirement at the elementary school level and including effective date provisions.    Abdul-Samad  HF 96  Establishes a supplementary weighting program for shared operational functions of school districts and area education agencies.    Ruff HF 126  Relates to school guidance counselors and professional service providers, including professional service and secondary guidance counselor preparation and professional development programs, related licensing and endorsement requirements under the board of educational examiners, and the provision of career and academic guidance counseling services by school districts.    Isenhart, Koester, Hanson, Byrnes HF 127  Prohibits employers and schools from seeking access to certain online personal employee and student information and providing penalties.    Lofgren, Kaufmann HF 140  Relates to school district funding by establishing a supplementary weighting program for shared operational functions of school districts and area education agencies.    Dolecheck, Alons, Klein, Huseman, Byrnes, Schultz, Steckman, Drake HF 141  Relates to the time for certifying school district budgets and submitting area education agency budgets and including applicability provisions.    Hein, Sheets, Klein, Alons, Grassley, Byrnes, Olson, S., Maxwell, Jorgensen, Miller, L., Heaton, Stanerson, Pettengill, Moore, Kaufmann HF 142  Relates to student performance by establishing an education remediation council and an advanced placement funding formula.    Winckler, Wessel-Kroeschell, Lundby, Kajtazovic, Anderson, Thede, Berry, Ruff, Steckman, Thomas, Hunter, Wood, Kelley, Lensing, Jacoby, Hanson, Gaines, Abdul-Samad, Olson, R. HF 148  Adds one-half unit of personal finance literacy to the educational program standards established for school districts and accredited nonpublic schools, making an appropriation, and including effective date provisions.    Pettengill, Fisher, Alons, Maxwell, Hein, Hess, Heartsill, Vander Linden, Landon, Schultz, Watts HF 156  Relates to state funding for intensive instructional services and supports and to the retention in grade three of students who are deficient in reading and who fail to enroll in an intensive summer reading program.    Steckman, Wood, Mascher, Cohoon, Ruff, Hanson, Winckler, Gaines, Abdul-Samad, Anderson, Taylor, T., Ourth, Smith, M., Gaskill, Olson, R., Berry, Kressig, Lykam, Prichard, Kelley, Oldson, Forbes, Muhlbauer, Wolfe, Kajtazovic, Isenhart, Hall, Dunkel HF 157  Relates to the Iowa early intervention block grant program by extending the repeal date of the chapter establishing the program and including effective date provisions.    Steckman, Murphy, Wood, Staed, Kelley, Hall, Ruff, Dawson, Gaskill, Mascher, Hanson, Winckler, Gaines, Abdul-Samad, Cohoon, Running-Marquardt, Anderson, Taylor, T., Lensing, Wessel-Kroeschell, Lundby, Hunter, Kearns, Thomas, Dunkel  HF 179  Relates to school district funding from the taxpayers trust fund by making transfers to the property tax equity and relief fund, establishing a school district property tax replacement fund and making transfers to the fund, making appropriations, and including effective date and applicability provisions.    Hall, Jorgensen, Smith, M., Hanusa, Cohoon, Kearns, Dawson, Thomas, Abdul-Samad, McCarthy, Hanson, Berry, Olson, R., Gaskill, Running-Marquardt, Bearinger, Anderson, Taylor, T., Hunter, Kajtazovic, Wolfe, Wood, Muhlbauer, Forbes, Riding, Oldson, Olson, T., Prichard, Lykam, Kressig, Ruff, Ourth, Dunkel, Thede, Kelley, Gaines HF 187  Relates to the prevention of bullying in school districts and accredited nonpublic schools and including effective date provisions.    Hunter, Lensing, Wessel-Kroeschell, Anderson, Bearinger, Taylor, T., Abdul-Samad, Mascher, Thomas, Gaines, Smith, M., Kelley, Murphy, Stutsman, Dawson, Forbes, Wood, Oldson, Muhlbauer, Heddens, Gaskill HF 202  Establishes an agricultural education pilot project for certain school districts and includes effective date provisions.    Miller, H., Gaskill, Bearinger, Hanson, Ruff, Wolfe, Isenhart, Kearns, Dunkel, Muhlbauer, Murphy HF 203  Concerns school district funding for certain programmatic costs of instruction of children requiring special education and including effective date and retroactive applicability provisions.    Murphy  HF 204  Relates to the compulsory age of attendance, to penalties for failure to attend school, and to dropout prevention efforts.    Kajtazovic HF 207  Relates to school district transportation costs by providing supplementary weighting for transported pupils in certain school districts and includes applicability provisions.    Byrnes  HF 215  Relates to and provides for education reform involving student, teacher, and administrator programs and activities under the purview of the department of education, the state board of education, the college student aid commission, school districts, and accredited nonpublic schools; making appropriations and providing for the establishment and retention of certain fees; and including transition and effective date provisions. (Formerly HSB 4) Amendments to HF 215:    Sponsor WINCKLER of Scott  HF 216  Concerns driver education instruction by a teaching parent.    Heartsill, Windschitl, Salmon, Schultz, Huseman, Costello, Landon, Fisher, Sheets, Shaw, Alons, Hagenow, Klein, Watts, Maxwell HF 241  Establishes an energy efficiency training curriculum applicable to designated school district employees.    Kelley HF 255  Relates to direct and indirect costs under the statewide preschool program for four-year-old children and includes effective date provisions.    Winckler, Kressig, Kajtazovic, Wolfe, Bearinger, Kearns, Ruff, Thomas, Thede, Abdul-Samad, Anderson, Wessel-Kroeschell, Lensing, Hanson, Taylor, T., Dawson HF 279  Relates to complaints filed with the board of educational examiners. (Formerly HSB 88) HF 283  Establishes an energy audit program with regard to elementary and secondary public school buildings.    Kelley HF 284  Provides for a task force on safety measures for schools and postsecondary educational institutions.    Mascher HF 315  Eliminates the department of education's authority to approve certain requests to waive the school start date.    Cownie, Smith, J. HF 326  Requires the development of guidelines for the attainment of high-performance certification applicable to elementary and secondary public school buildings.    Kajtazovic  HF 327  Provides for training on suicide prevention and trauma-informed care for school personnel.    Anderson, Wolfe, Staed, Taylor, T., Gaskill, Muhlbauer, Abdul-Samad, Smith, M., Cohoon, Lensing, Stutsman, Wessel-Kroeschell, Miller, H., Kearns, Bearinger, Olson, R., Kressig, Jacoby, Gaines, Hunter HF 351  Provides that children who are enrolled in the statewide preschool program are of compulsory attendance age. (Formerly HF 144) HF 352  Relates to school instructional hours and school i

G-R Happenings 4-1-13

G-R Happenings

Certified Budget:

The budget hearing for the FY 2014 budget will be held on April 10 at 6:30 pm, in Gladbrook.  We are certifying a budget based on 0% allowable growth.  While we are still hopeful for allowable growth to be set in the 2-4% range, due to our declining enrollment and the budget guarantee that results, our highest tax rate comes with 0% allowable growth.  If schools would receive a higher allowable growth, our District tax rate would decline from the published amount of $11.08604/$1,000 taxable valuation.  In the event of 2% allowable growth the District would see a rate of $10.83527/$1,000, and 4% allowable growth would cause a tax rate of $10.60693 for G-R property owners.

Even in the worst-case scenario presented above, G-R is looking at a drop in the tax rate from our current level of $11.13/$1000.  As our enrollment stabilizes and our property valuation increases I anticipate our tax rate stabilizing and likely declining.

G-R Tax Rates:

FY10:  $10.61

FY11:  $11.77

FY12:  $11.35

FY13:  $11.13

FY14:  $11.08 (Proposed)

If you have any questions, or would like to discuss the G-R budget, please contact me.  Email:  tim.kuehl@gr-rebels.net, phone: 319-345-2712, or stop by the office at 300 Cedar St.

Sincerely,

Tim Kuehl, Superintendent

K-8 Spring Newsletter

K-8 Spring Newsletter

Legislative Priorities: Education Reform and Allowable Growth

With the legislative session in full swing education in Iowa is a hot topic.  Currently the two biggest issues are Education Reform that is being pushed by the Governor's Office and Allowable Growth for Iowa Schools.

Allowable Growth establishes the per pupil funding rate for Iowa Schools.  Per Iowa Code the legislature is to establish allowable growth within the first 30 days of session for the fiscal year 18 out.  Last spring they failed to set an allowable growth rate for the 13-14 school year, in the event that they don't establish allowable growth, it is set at 0%.  Over the past few years we have received 0% and 2% allowable growth.  This year, with State coffers full, the Senate is pushing for 4% allowable growth.

At this time Governor Branstad is proposing a complete overhaul of the funding system for Iowa Schools.  The details of that plan are just coming out.  In effect it appears that all school funding would come in the form of State Aid.  Effectively taking away what little local control School Boards currently have in the funding process.

Governor Branstad is also pushing his current Education Reform package.  While there are components of the plan that I believe are good for education in Iowa, peer collaboration, peer review, and increased teacher compensation to name a few.  The devil is in the details, and it is unclear how this will be funded and implemented across the State.

Below is a recent update from the Iowa Association of School Boards.

Tim Kuehl, Superintendent

Get the latest news from the Iowa Capitol from IASB. Is this email not displaying correctly? View it in your browser.

Week Four Legislative Action The first legislative funnel (when a bill must have passed a committee to remain alive) is a mere four weeks away. The pace of bills being introduced continues to be slow. The House Education Committee has focused primarily on education reform but is starting to turn its attention to other legislative issues as well. Mandate bills, introduced in both chambers, are starting to pop up as well. These include such topics as: increased education requirements for guidance counselors, radon testing and mitigation, increased training for coaches to recognize the signs of concussion and the addition of a financial literacy requirement to education standards.     Education Reform Work Continues The House subcommittee on HSB 4, the governor's education reform proposal, concluded its work this week and referred the bill to the full committee. The subcommittee made no changes to the bill and indicated that amendments would be dealt with at the full committee level. Chairman Ron Jorgensen (R-Sioux City) has set a goal of committee passage of this bill by Wednesday, February 13.     The Senate subcommittee on SSB 1058, the governor's education reform proposal, continues to meet but at a slower pace than the House. IASB anticipates at least two more subcommittee meetings in the coming weeks before full committee action in the Senate.   IASB continues to work closely with legislative leaders and the governor's office to push for inclusion of our recommendations to improve student assessment requirements and to provide more flexibility to districts to adopt a career ladder plan that meets their specific needs. IASB continues to stress that the "one-size-fits-all" approach currently contained in the bill will not work in all districts. More flexibility to reach the goal of improving classroom instruction is necessary for all districts to be successful in achieving this goal.   Please continue to talk with your legislators in both chambers to let them know how these proposals would impact your district (use this link to find your legislators contact information, https://www.legis.iowa.gov/Legislators/find.aspx). In addition, do not overlook contacts with the governor's office to make your case for sufficient funding and flexibility to implement the changes. Visit the IASB Legislative Advocacy Center for talking points on this issue.    Allowable Growth Still Undetermined Despite Senate action to approve a 4% allowable growth rate for the upcoming fiscal year, the House has maintained that education reform needs to be completed before funding decisions are made. IASB continues to stress that districts need this issue resolved quickly to allow for proper planning for the upcoming school year.     The Senate is also poised to take action on the FY 2015 allowable growth rate within the requirements of Iowa. No bills have been introduced in the House to take a comparable action.   Finally, Governor Branstad unveiled his proposal, HSB 108, for delivering allowable growth to school districts in the future. His proposal would replace the term "allowable growth" with "supplemental state aid." This would freeze the current property tax and state aid mix of per-pupil funding at $6,001. Any growth above that per-pupil funding level would be comprised of all state money. For instance, a 4% growth rate would increase the per-pupil amount by $240. This amount would be provided with only state money. IASB is registered as undecided on this bill as it assesses its long-term impact on school funding.   Bill Tracker SF 66 - Early Retirement Incentive Funding by Danielson (D) This bill eliminates the age 65 cap on the early retirement age for purposes of using the management fund to fund the early retirement benefits. On February 6, IASB sent a survey to school business managers asking them to answer a few questions on the cost of their early retirement programs. This information is to assist IASB in providing information to the Legislative Services Agency to develop an estimate of the potential cost to a district's management fund. IASB supports the bill, which is in the House Education Committee. (If you did not receive this survey and would like to have your responses included, please e-mail Marte Brightman, mbrightman@ia-sb.org for the survey link.)   SF 49 – Radon Testing and Mitigation by McCoy (D) This bill requires public and accredited nonpublic schools to conduct radon tests of their attendance centers at least every two years. If the radon levels are four picocuries per liter (pCi/L) or greater, they must conduct a second test. If the second test shows the same or higher results, the schools must then undergo radon mitigation. IASB surveyed school districts this week regarding the status and costs of radon testing and mitigation. IASB is currently registered opposed to the bill because of the potential cost and the strict timeline for implementation. The bill  is in the Senate State Government Committee.     SF 161, SF 162 – FY 14 Allowable Growth by Education Both of these bills set the allowable growth rate at four percent for FY 15 for general state aid and the categorical funds. IASB supports both bills, which are on the Senate debate calendar     HF 157 – Sunset Extended for Class Size Reduction/Early Intervention Funds by Steckman (D), et al. This bill extends the sunset for the Class Size Reduction/Early Intervention funds to the end of FY 18. The funds are set to expire on June 30, 2013. IASB supports the bill, which is in the House Education Committee. Make sure to contact your legislators and let them know how crucial it is to extend this funding stream.  Without action on this legislation, the funds will no longer be available.   HF 140 - Supplemental Weighting for Shared Operations by Dolecheck, (R) et al. HF 96 - Supplemental Weighting for Shared Operations by Ruff (D) Both of these bills extend the sunset for the supplemental weighting for shared operations until FY 19. The funds are set to expire at the end of the current fiscal year. IASB supports both bills,which are in the House Education Committee.   HSB 84 – Instructional Hours by Education This bill, based on recommendations of the Instructional Time Task Force, eliminates the 18- day requirement and replaces it with a 1080-hour requirement.  Schools would count all time except for lunch time. All other exceptions, including for parent-teacher conferences, would not be counted toward the hour requirement. IASB supports the bill and the recommendations of the task force, which is in the House Education Committee.