Greene County also getting $70,000 additional in transportation funding
Schools will receive an additional $139 per student in state funding for the 2019-20 school year with preK-12 education funding bills that have now been approved by the legislature. That’s a 2.06 percent increase over the current year.
The legislation increases funding to public schools by nearly $90 million, including $19 million for transportation equity and $2.9 million for per-student equity issues.
“I look forward to signing this legislation shortly after it reaches my desk because it’s a critical piece for our local schools districts to have in place as they plan for the next school year,” said Gov Kim Reynolds in a prepared statement Wednesday. “Without question, Iowans are the true winners as a result of this year’s record investment in education.”
Greene County school superintendent Tim Christensen said transportation equity is “very important” to the district, as it ranks in the 10 geographically largest districts in the state. The transportation equity fund provides additional funding to such schools to allow more general fund dollars to be spent on education rather than transportation.
The Greene County district is receiving $178,000 in transportation equity funding this school year, Christensen said. According to Representative Phil Thompson, Greene County’s funding will increase to $248,700 for 2019-20.
Christensen is also glad to see the legislature take up funding for education early in the session. There have been years during his tenure in Greene County that state aid wasn’t set until after school districts were required to certify their budgets.
“Finalizing education funding early in the session is important and allows schools to adequately plan for the next school year,” Christensen said.
