Superintendent's Message for February 2022

January has ended and as we turn our attention to February the district has been very fortunate to have just one early dismissal due to weather.  We are hoping for a mild February and early March before spring officially arrives on March 20.  My focus this month is school funding and I encourage all of you to reach out to your state representative and senator and ask them to support and fund Iowa public schools.

Every year the Iowa Governor sets a supplemental state aid percentage for public schools.  This is a percentage of new money above our regular program budget.  Currently, the governor has set supplemental state aid at 2.4% and the senate is recommending a percentage close to that number.  The Iowa House has not recommended a number at this time.  By law, they are required to have this number set thirty days after the Governor releases her budget, which is due February 11, 2022. 

If our schools would be funded at 2.4% for 2022-2023, Corning would receive $100,321 and Villisca would receive $13,617 in new money to cover contracts, insurance rate increases, increased costs for fuel and utilities, and recruiting new teachers.  The state funding for schools has been underfunded for a long time.  I reviewed the supplemental state aid data and during the farm crisis in the ’80s was the last time the state approved 6-8% funding.  The last ten years have averaged 1.7%!

There are several reasons why we are facing a shortage of teachers and support staff, but salary and benefits are one of the main reasons.  It is difficult to recruit new teachers, retain existing teachers, and retain support staff when our resources are limited.  Southwest Valley Schools will struggle this spring and summer to find replacements for staff who choose to move or retire.  The teacher shortage is real and we need money to retain our great staff.

Rural Iowa schools are under attack and we are trying our best to unite and fight back to save our schools.  One legislator attacked our public schools using the words “sinister agenda.”  There is currently a bill in the house that would make it a felony for a teacher or staff member to knowingly provide books that contain questionable material.  Who decides what is questionable?  I suggest viewing Southwest Valley School’s website where we have provided a list of the books we have available in our district or call our buildings and our principals will share what we are using for curriculum and teaching our students.  This bill is not directed at Southwest Valley schools but we are included with the metro schools.  We operate differently than metro schools.  We want to include the public and we want your input.  We have open communication lines and appreciate the feedback we have received.

We continue to strive to be the Destination District, but we continue to need your help.  Please contact either Senator Shipley or Representative Moore and ask them to fund our schools so our children can continue to get a first-class education!  Both of these men have education backgrounds and are friends to the education community, so please reach out to them.

tom.shipley@legis.iowa.gov

tom.moore@legis.iowa.gov

Parent-Teacher conferences are on February 23 and 24.  There will not be school on February 25.  Please attend conferences with your child’s teacher.  If you cannot attend conferences in person, a Zoom link will be available or I encourage you to call and talk to your child’s teacher.  We want you as a partner in your child’s education.