Gov. Kim Reynolds’ plan to overhaul Iowa’s special education system has a foothold in the Iowa Senate after both chambers held subcommittees on the bill Wednesday.
Now paired with an amendment that would scale back her vision of reform, the proposal cleared a Senate subcommittee but a House panel did not advance it.
The hearings were the first chance for the public to comment directly to lawmakers on the overhaul bills ( HSB 542 / SSB 3073 ).
In response to pushback against her original plan from lawmakers and educators, Reynolds outlined an amendment this week that allows the AEAs to continue all of their current services, although it would still cut $33 million in funding for media services.
It keeps a core provision which allows each school district to decide whether to put their special education funding toward their local AEA or to use it in another way by hiring a different provider or by using the money to expand their own services.
Superintendents from Okoboji, Clear Creek Amana CSD and Council Bluffs said they believe they could save money if they had that flexibility.