~by Iowa House Democratic leader Jennifer Confrst
The 2024 legislative session is off to a controversial start.
Lawmakers have already heard from thousands of Iowans concerned about a proposal offered by the Governor that would reduce mental health, special education, reading recovery and other services provided to kids in schools.
Last month, the Governor hinted she was going to propose some changes to the way Iowa’s delivers services like special education and mental health through Area Education Associations (AEAs). It came as a bit of a shock to many because the Governor hadn’t talked to Iowa parents with kids who use those services or the educators delivering those services.
It turns out those concerns were valid. When the Governor delivered her bill to lawmakers last week, we learned the bill was written by an out-of-state private company without any input from parents, educators, or Iowans.
It ignited a firestorm at the Capitol as Iowans all over the state registered their opposition to the bill and it’s been a roller coaster ride ever since.
First, the Governor said last week she was open to changes to the bill and that Iowans were overreacting. A few days later, she doubled down on the bill through another press release and said her goal remains the same – consolidate power under her own bureaucracy in Des Moines to eliminate some special education and other services kids currently receive.
It’s no secret Iowans are frustrated with politics these days. They expect honesty and transparency from their elected officials. They are also fierce defenders of public schools and aren’t afraid to fight back when politicians try to take away services like special education and mental health from our kids.
And it’s exactly why so many Iowans are upset about this plan.
The Governor got caught playing politics with special education services for Iowa kids and Iowans are now holding her accountable for it. They deserve clear answers, and they are insisting that their voices are heard in this process.
With the bill on the back burner for now, my hope is lawmakers can work together in the next few months to renew our commitment to great public schools. That means fully funding public schools to keep up with rising costs and guaranteeing every kid in every zip code gets a great education. It means raising pay for all educators and giving them a seat at the table. It also means making sure every child has access to the special education and mental health services they need.
It’s people over politics.
I’m so grateful to all the Iowa parents and educators who spoke up and forced Republican leaders to slow this bill down. But it’s far from over. I encourage Iowans to stay engaged, keep contacting your legislators, and stay tuned until the last day of session.
There’s so much at stake for our kids. While the roller coaster we’re on has slowed down, the ride won’t end until the Governor drops the politics and listens to Iowans.
