Education
Governor signs education bills, including ban on school books depicting sex
Gov. Kim Reynolds signed several of her priority education bills into law Friday, including “parental rights” legislation that would ban books that depict sex from school libraries. Reynolds signed seven education bills into law during a private event Friday. Changes to Iowa’s education system — and how LGBTQ students and topics are approached — have […]
Biden student debt relief plan revoked in U.S. House vote
WASHINGTON — The U.S. House on Wednesday voted to overturn the Biden administration’s one-time student debt relief plan that is currently on hold awaiting a Supreme Court decision expected within weeks. Before the 218-203 vote on the resolution, the the White House said President Joe Biden would veto it, arguing that the U.S. Department of […]
Don’t let Iowa’s remarkable connection to Abraham Lincoln’s family fade
My father grew up in Mount Pleasant, Iowa. He was very proud of that. I vividly remember the day back in the early 1960s when we were driving there to visit family, and he told me something about his hometown I literally could not believe. It was the summer between my third and fourth grade years. […]
Iowa special education providers seek new funding model after ESA program approved
As Iowa’s Area Education Agencies prepare to navigate the rising costs and needs of special education on a reduced budget, they’re hoping to shift to a more sustainable funding model in future legislative sessions. Administrators at Iowa’s AEAs are now deciding how to best allocate their newly diminished resources. In the final days of session, […]
Anti-vaxxer sues school district after being banned from school property
A parent who protested the Cedar Rapids school district’s COVID-19 policies is now suing the school board for banning him from school property. Russell Hotchkiss is suing the Cedar Rapids Community School District and its board in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Iowa, alleging retaliation in violation of his First Amendments rights […]
U.S. House GOP questions education secretary on transgender athletes, student loans
WASHINGTON — U.S. House Republicans on Tuesday grilled the secretary of education about student debt cancellation and protections for transgender student athletes during a lengthy hearing on the president’s proposed budget request for the Department of Education. While the subject of the five-hour House Education and the Workforce Committee hearing was the fiscal 2024 budget […]
Why Iowa Freedom of Information Council is suing the Centerville School Board
In 2017, the Iowa Legislature responded to concerns from Gov. Terry Branstad and amended Iowa law to ensure that when government employees are forced out of their jobs, the reasons must be made public and not shrouded in secrecy. The goal was commendable. The governor was right. People deserve to be told “why.” It is […]
Greater Des Moines Partnership CEO selected as Simpson president
Jay Byers, president and CEO of the Greater Des Moines Partnership, was selected as the 25th president of Simpson College, both organizations announced Monday. Byers is a 1993 graduate of Simpson, and has served on the board of trustees since 2012, and previously served the college as an adjunct professor from 2001 until 2004. In […]
Regents to vote next month on tuition increase
The Iowa Board of Regents will vote next month whether to increase tuition and fees for Iowa public university students. According to the board, the tuition increase is projected to generate $29 million in incremental revenue for fiscal year 2024 across all three institutions. No one at the meeting voiced any objection to the proposal. […]
Reynolds not concerned by private schools raising tuition because of ESA program
Gov. Kim Reynolds said Thursday she has no problem with the private schools that raised tuition after the enactment of her Educational Savings Account program, aimed at helping more families afford non-public education. Reynolds spoke with reporters about education and other topics Thursday during a recording of “Iowa Press” at Iowa PBS. Her number one […]
Regents to consider tuition increase for public universities
Iowa public college students could see a cost increase to their education again. The Iowa Board of Regents will discuss undergraduate tuition increases Thursday of up to 3.5% for resident students and up to 4% for nonresident students. The discussion of tuition increases comes after the fiscal year 2024 budget was passed by the Legislature […]
Iowa’s historically small legislative session
We heard from Republican lawmakers that the recently completed legislative session was “historic.” It sure was — historically small. With a few exceptions, the major GOP priorities of the legislative session will benefit relatively small numbers of Iowans, in some cases at a gigantic cost to the most vulnerable among us. The prime example is […]