Education
Iowa bills create restrictions for transgender students playing sports and lessons on LGBT topics
Local LGBT advocacy groups are condemning a pair of bills concerning Iowa schools, saying they would cause harm against a segment of students who may already feel discriminated against. Both bills were introduced in the Iowa House and are sponsored by 13 Republican legislators. House File 2201 would require school districts to notify parents about […]
Lawmaker: Iowa schools should educate on vaccination exemptions
It’s commonplace at the beginning of the school year for students to be sent home with immunization requirement forms, documenting they received their required vaccinations. Those forms may look a little different however, if a new bill passes the Iowa Legislature that requires vaccination exemptions to also go on school documents. House File 2139, introduced […]
Ape Initiative to expand educational outreach, research
The nonprofit research center Ape Initiative in southeast Des Moines plans to expand its educational outreach and research projects and is considering the addition of public trails and riverside resting spots. The internationally rare bonobo research facility is educating Iowa students and international students on topics that are at the heart of the STEM education […]
Iowa legislators differ on school funding, but advocates say it’s still not enough.
Republicans in the Iowa House have proposed increasing supplemental state aid for K-12 schools by 2.5%, while Senate Republicans are proposing a 2.1% increase. Both of those numbers still don’t adequately fund Iowa schools as they face increasing costs however, education advocates said Thursday at the Capitol. Iowa Senate Republicans want to add $76 million […]
Feel wrongly graded because of politics? Some GOP senators want to change that.
Students who feel wrongly graded for an assignment by a college professor or a high school teacher because of the instructor’s political beliefs could get the chance to appeal their grade through a new bill in the Iowa Legislature. Senate File 2057 creates an appeals process for both college and high school students who feel […]
Bill would give teachers more protections if they physically restrain students
Iowa teachers are not only overwhelmed by the amount of violence and disruptions they’re facing in classrooms by students, but they’re also afraid of the financial and workplace repercussions if they respond to it, said state Sen. Amy Sinclair, R-Allerton. After speaking with educators and parents across the state amid growing media reports about violence […]
Bill allows Iowa college athletes to earn money from sponsorships
A bipartisan bill introduced in the Iowa Legislature Tuesday would upend a longstanding National Collegiate Athletic Association rule that prevented college athletes nationwide from earning money off their name, face and likeness. Senate File 3058, introduced by Sen. Nate Boulton, D-Des Moines, and Sen. Brad Zaun, R-Urbandale, prohibits Iowa universities and colleges from penalizing student […]
Governor calls education increase ‘historic,’ but is it enough?
During her Condition of the State address, Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds proposed what she called a “historic” investment in K-12 education — a 2.5% increase in per-pupil funding, equating to around $95.7 million to maintain “the best teachers and classrooms in the world,” she said. Reynolds’ proposal would make the state’s total appropriation for education […]
Legislators call governor’s agenda ‘bold’ but stop short of pledging passage
Gov. Kim Reynolds on Tuesday announced what may be her most ambitious agenda to date, centered around a one-cent sales tax increase that would be offset by cuts in income taxes, property taxes and other state revenue streams. Her proposals focus significantly on workforce development, environmental challenges and mental health, but also delve into abortion […]
Lawmakers assess business groups’ agendas
Iowa’s business groups are largely in agreement on what they think lawmakers should do for commerce in the session that starts Jan. 13. They are hungry for another round of tax cuts. They need workers, badly, and that means finding a way to coax potential employees of all ages to move to, and stay, in […]