Superintendents from more than 30 Iowa school districts warned state legislators on March 17 that major changes to Area Education Agencies (AEAs) “will have grave consequences for the students we serve.”
In a message enclosed in full below and available here (pdf), the superintendents told lawmakers they “are deeply concerned about the proposed changes to the AEAs, especially the shift towards a ‘Fee-for-Service’ approach.” They highlighted the value of the existing AEA model, particularly for rural school districts that “rely heavily on AEAs for critical support.”
Caleb Bonjour, superintendent of the Gladbrook-Reinbeck Community School District, told lawmakers that those who signed are a “non-comprehensive list of superintendents” opposing legislation “that could drastically affect our Area Education Agencies.” Gladbrook-Reinbeck covers some rural areas in Black Hawk, Grundy, and Marshall counties.
“AN UNNECESSARY OVERREACH BY OUR STATE GOVERNMENT”
Governor Kim Reynolds wants to redirect special education funding from AEAs to public school districts, limit the range of services AEAs can offer, and allow districts to contract with other providers if they choose not to work with the AEA. The governor’s plan would give the state Department of Education control over special education services and dismantle the AEAs’ regional governance.
The superintendents criticized the move to centralize control within the Department of Education, which they said “does not appear to have the capacity and has leadership that lacks experience in education, undermines local expertise and decision-making, which are crucial in tailoring services to the unique needs of their communities.”
The state agency has posted dozens of job listings for a new Division of Special Education but has not filled any of those positions, pending legislative action. Department of Education Director McKenzie Snow, whom Reynolds appointed last June, has little background related to special education.
The superintendents characterized the proposed AEA changes as “an unnecessary overreach by our state government based on exaggerated claims about impending federal action which have now been largely debunked.”
They further noted that since state funding for public schools “has not kept pace with inflation” over the past decade, the governor’s plan “might force us to choose between essential AEA services and hiring staff to meet immediate needs—a choice no district should face.”
RAPID CHANGE “RISKS DESTABILIZING OUR EDUCATIONAL ECOSYSTEM”
The superintendents also argued that implementing major changes by July 1, 2024, as the governor has advocated, “risks destabilizing our educational ecosystem, leaving little room for necessary strategic planning and adaptation.” They called for delaying any legislation on AEAs until the state has conducted a thorough review of the education system, involving all stakeholders.
Democratic lawmakers have similarly called for forming a task force to study AEAs and special education and report to the legislature before the 2025 session. However, House and Senate GOP leaders have indicated they are determined to reach some agreement on an AEA bill this year.
House Republicans have approved a bill (House File 2612) that would require districts to keep using the AEA for special education but would give the districts more options for contracting other services. The House bill also would create a task force but would not wait for a report to impose some changes on AEAs in 2024.
The Iowa Senate began debating AEA legislation on March 18. The floor manager, State Senator Lynn Evans, offered a 26-page amendment that would change the current AEA structure far more than the House version. For instance, it would give districts the option of choosing other providers for special education and other services, and it would put the state Department of Education in charge of special ed services, effective July 2025. Like the governor’s bill, the Senate amendment includes a plan to increase minimum teacher salaries. House members split up those policies and approved a teacher pay bill separately.
UPDATE: The Senate approved an amended version of House File 2612 on March 18 by 28 votes to 22, with Republicans Waylon Brown, Mike Klimesh, Mark Lofgren, Charlie McClintock, Sandy Salmon, and Jeff Taylor joining all Democrats in opposition.
GOVERNOR NOT OPEN TO ALL SUPERINTENDENTS’ FEEDBACK
Reynolds has held private meetings with some superintendents around the state in an effort to build support for her AEA plan. Those events, not listed on her public schedule, have not been open to the media or even to all interested school leaders.
In their March 17 message to legislators, the coalition of superintendents called for “a process that welcomes all voices, including those of superintendents and stakeholders still awaiting the opportunity to engage directly with the governor.” They noted,
Governor Reynolds has recently stated, ”Elected leaders should always trust the people they serve, and I promise I would do it again.” This statement should extend to education reform. While the intent to improve is commendable, it should not dismiss the collective wisdom and expertise of those embedded in the day-to-day realities of our schools. The majority of stakeholders, including us, have significant reservations about the proposed AEA legislation.
On a related note, Waukee Community School District Brad Buck posted on X/Twitter on March 18 that two weeks earlier, after Reynolds emailed superintendents about the AEAs, he “replied with an offer to put together a meeting.” Buck said he has not heard back from the governor or from Snow.
Buck previously led the state Department of Education as an appointee of Governor Terry Branstad while Reynolds served as lieutenant governor. Although he did not sign the letter enclosed below, he has been an outspoken critic of the governor’s AEA proposal and appeared at legislative hearings in January and February to share his concerns publicly.
The governor’s staff have publicized comments from a smaller number of superintendents who have endorsed her plan. On March 15, Reynolds’ office issued a news release about a Des Moines Register guest column by two superintendents who are “frustrated with AEAs” and “excited for reforms.” The authors are David Smith of Spirit Lake and Todd Abrahamson of Okoboji. Both districts cover relatively wealthy populations and would be better able to afford a fee-for-service model than the vast majority of Iowa school districts.
UPDATE: Another group of seventeen superintendents wrote to state senators on March 17 to express support for legislation combining teacher pay provisions and AEA reform. You can read their message in full here.
When the Iowa House debated another version of the AEA bill on March 21, Democratic State Representative Sue Cahill commented that thirteen of the seventeen superintendents supporting the bill “were from one AEA district. Maybe we just need to look at the services of that one district, rather than dismantling the statewide system that we have in place.”
Appendix: Full text of email sent to all 150 members of the Iowa House and Senate on March 17:
Dear Legislators,
I am sending you this message on behalf of a coalition of Iowa school superintendents. This is a coalition that is a non-comprehensive list of superintendents that are not in favor of the currently proposed legislation that could drastically affect our Area Education Agencies. It is our understanding that the Senate plans to debate something tomorrow so we wanted to get this to you as soon as possible. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact myself or any of the superintendents that have signed on in support of this message.
Thank you for your time and consideration.
Caleb Bonjour
Superintendent of Gladbrook-Reinbeck CSD
Uniting for Iowa’s Students and Families: A Superintendent Coalition’s Call for Thoughtful AEA Reform
As a coalition of superintendents from across Iowa, we are standing together at a crucial juncture for our state’s education system and the students that it serves. With the Senate soon discussing reforms to Iowa’s Area Education Agencies (AEAs), it is vital that we share our united perspective, based on our diverse experiences leading districts both large and small, urban and rural.
Our message is clear: we are deeply concerned about the proposed changes to the AEAs, especially the shift towards a “Fee-for-Service” approach. The value of the AEA system as designed is that it is a cooperative that ensures that every school district, regardless of size or location, has access to the services it needs to serve students. Rural school districts, in particular, rely heavily on AEAs for critical support. Disrupting a model that has largely worked over the past 50 years will have grave consequences for the students we serve.
We are also worried about the timeline for many of the proposed changes, starting as soon as July 1, 2024. Such haste in implementing fundamental shifts in AEA support services risks destabilizing our educational ecosystem, leaving little room for necessary strategic planning and adaptation. We believe our students and communities deserve better.
Additionally, the move to centralize control within the Department of Education, which does not appear to have the capacity and has leadership that lacks experience in education, undermines local expertise and decision-making, which are crucial in tailoring services to the unique needs of their communities. This proposal is an unnecessary overreach by our state government based on exaggerated claims about impending federal action which have now been largely debunked.
Over the past decade, funding has not kept pace with inflation for our schools and this has left us in a challenging position. The proposed changes might force us to choose between essential AEA services and hiring staff to meet immediate needs—a choice no district should face. Depriving schools of resources and then asking them to sacrifice critical services for their students is detrimental. Increasing state supplemental aid (SSA) to 3% or higher and raising teacher pay are essential steps towards a stronger system that supports students comprehensively.
The rationale behind the proposed AEA legislation was to enhance outcomes for Iowa’s students, especially those facing the steepest challenges. The intention to narrow the gap between general education and special education students is noble and necessary. Yet, as we scrutinize the proposed changes, it’s difficult to envision how this legislation will effectively achieve these aims.
We acknowledge the need for improvements, which necessitate a statewide review of our educational system including the department of education, our schools, and AEAs. This should be conducted with patience and inclusivity to identify areas for enhancement and devise strategies that uplift every student. We feel no legislation should be adopted until such a review takes place and we advocate for a process that welcomes all voices, including those of superintendents and stakeholders still awaiting the opportunity to engage directly with the governor.
Governor Reynolds has recently stated, ”Elected leaders should always trust the people they serve, and I promise I would do it again.” This statement should extend to education reform. While the intent to improve is commendable, it should not dismiss the collective wisdom and expertise of those embedded in the day-to-day realities of our schools. The majority of stakeholders, including us, have significant reservations about the proposed AEA legislation.
Change, when guided by a comprehensive, thoughtful approach, can lead to meaningful improvements. However, such change must be approached cautiously, ensuring it builds upon the strengths of our current system rather than undermining them. Let’s strive for educational reform that is inclusive, equitable, and reflective of the diverse needs of our state, securing a bright future for all of Iowa’s children.
Sincerely,
A Coalition of Concerned Superintendents in Iowa
Marshall Lewis, Ruthven-Ayrshire and Grettenger-Terril
Erin Slater, Fort Madison
Dan Maeder, Davis County
Mark Taylor, Centerville
mark.taylor@centervillek12.org
Richard Montgomery, Albia
richard.montgomery@albia.k12.ia.us
Andy Crozier, Central Lee
Tim Veiseth, North Mahaska
Mike Peterson, Wapello CSD and Morning Sun CSD
Scott Williamson, Eddyville-Blakesburg-Freemont
scott.williamson@rocketsk12.org
Patrick Wallace, Danville
patrick.wallace@danvillecsd.org
James Craig, Cardinal
Darwin Lehman Forest City and Central Springs
dlehmann@forestcityschools.org
Barb Schwamman, Osage
Caleb Bonjour, Gladbrook-Reinbeck
Theron Schutte, Marshaltown
tschutte@marshalltown.k12.ia.us
Chris Hoover, Wapsie Valley
choover@wapsievalleyschools.org
Marty Jimmerson, West Branch
mjimmerson@west-branch.k12.ia.us
Greg Batenhorst, Mt. Vernon
Janelle Brouwer, Marion
Kyle Koeppen, Vinton-Shellsburg
Julie Trepa, Boone
Mark Lane, Woodward-Granger
Neil Gray, Northeast School
Dan Peterson, Central Dewitt
Tara Notz, Maquoketa
Jenny Barnett, Harlan
jenny.barnett@hcsdcyclones.com
Tim Hood, East Mills/Sidney/South Page
Paul Croghan, Nodaway Valley
paul.croghan@nodawayvalley.org
Brent Hoesing, Lewis Central
brent.hoesing@lewiscentral.org
Jay Mathis from Allamakee
Sara Murray, Eastern Allamakee
Barb Schwamman, Riceville
barb.schwamman@riceville.k12.ia.us
Top photo of the Boone Community School District’s central offices was first published on the district’s website.
2 Comments
Thanks for providing insight regarding that REGISTER op-ed.
I enjoy reading op-eds that demonstrate the author has a genuine desire to make the world a better place in some way that I can understand and agree with. However, my general policy in 2024 is to approach Iowa op-eds with the initial question “Cui bono?”
PrairieFan Mon 18 Mar 4:49 PM
appreciate their willingness to take a public stand
and hope they can shake loose enough legislators to make a difference and at least slow the dismantling process but they hopefully they know She is going to do whatever she can to privatize ed.
we can look south to see where this is all heading:
https://www.nola.com/news/politics/legislature/under-jeff-landry-louisiana-gop-targets-unions-child-labor/article_7d5f4d7c-e30d-11ee-b276-fb01720eac59.html#tncms-source=featured-top
dirkiniowacity Mon 18 Mar 9:01 PM