Iowa House District #23 Representative Ray Sorensen’s Comments on Teacher Compensation Sustainability

(Des Moines) In the early morning hours of April 18, Iowa legislators gaveled closed out the session. The Area Education Agencies and teacher compensation bill garnered the most attention during the session. The b ll restructures area education agencies, raises teacher pay, and establishes school funding levels for future years.

Ray Sorensen, of Greenfield, District #23 Representative, says they take the budgeting process seriously and never plan to spend more than they take in. He says the budgeting process is well thought out.

Sorensen says formulating a budget involves many factors. He says all those levers must be implemented, including a zero percent income tax goal. Sorensen says that goal was shot down, and a modest reduction was inked. One of the concerns voiced by a few educators is whether the state can sustain the teacher pay increase in future years.

The Area Education Agencies will continue receiving 90 percent of special education funding, and local school districts will gain control of all funds for media and general education services. Another part of the bill increases the minimum pay for starting teachers from $33,500 to $50,000 per year.