CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (KCRG) – About two-thirds of Iowa school districts will not meet state-mandated budget levels this year because state education funding is not enough to offset enrollment declines.
The situation triggers what is known as the budget guarantee, a state law that requires school district budgets increase at least one percent each year. The law is designed to buffer districts facing declining enrollment from a sudden budget crisis. This year’s proposed 2 percent state funding increase has pushed more districts into that category than ever before.
Cedar Rapids among districts lobbying for more funding
The Cedar Rapids School District is one of 10 districts that lobbied lawmakers to increase state funding by 5 percent this year. Board Member Cindy Garlock said that the increase would prevent drastic changes while the district adjusts to declining enrollment.
“We’re not losing 600 students from one building, so, because that’s spread around, we still have all the same overhead that we had before, and OK, so this second-grade class might have two fewer students in it, that doesn’t mean eliminate that teaching position,” Garlock said…