Photo of Magic 8 ball is by ChristianHeldt, available via Wikimedia Commons

Bruce Lear lives in Sioux City and has been connected to Iowa’s public schools for 38 years. He taught for eleven years and represented educators as an Iowa State Education Association regional director for 27 years until retiring. He can be reached at BruceLear2419@gmail.com  

When my kids were younger, we had a Magic 8 Ball. If you asked a Yes or No question and shook it, up popped an answer like, “Without a doubt,” “Outlook not so good,” or “Concentrate and ask again.” 

The Iowa legislature’s 2024 session began on January 8. Like last year, public education may well be on top of the agenda. With that in mind. I thought I’d introduce the Bruce Lear Magic 8 Ball. My version is next generation, so there’s an explanation with each answer. 

Like all predictions, they may be flat wrong, and they sure aren’t inevitable, especially if the education community unites and acts.

Question: Should public education be a partisan political issue?

Answer: “Decidedly no.”

Public education has become a political wedge used by politicians to score points with their base. It will continue until voters show the tactic doesn’t work. It’s time for people who want to protect their public schools to drown out the extremists who try to make public schools the problem instead of the solution.

Question: Will there be a comprehensive study on revamping Iowa’s Area Education Agencies?

Answer: “No, and Yes definitely”

No, it won’t be comprehensive and yes, there will be a study. Unless educators, parents, and community leaders insist it is truly comprehensive and based on facts, not narrow political ideology, it won’t be either honest or comprehensive.  It will be partisan politics hurting both public and private school students. 

Governor Kim Reynolds has promised a “comprehensive review” of AEAs, with the goal of “more closely aligning AEAs with the Department of Education.” Aside from the desire to choke government by cutting spending and services, I suspect there is one key reason this study will happen. 

Part of her vision may be to turn AEAs into Department of Education police, regionally enforcing her vision of what public school should look like. 

If that sounds ominous, it is. Remember last year, when Reynolds and her minions tried to persuade parents their public schools were teeming with teachers and librarians grooming students and pushing pornography. If they really believe that, wouldn’t they want to morph AEA personnel into public school watchdogs and enforcers?    

AEAs now have some regulatory responsibilities around special education. With a few added paragraphs, those regulatory functions could expand to police local school district policies. Those added functions would destroy the teamwork that has made AEAs a success since 1974 and would obliterate local control of elected school boards.

AEAs already have their hands full providing high quality, essential services for public and private schools. But many of the functions are behind the scenes and are visible only to educators and parents who have children needing special education services. These essential but mostly invisible services are easy for politicians to slash.

AEAs help district teachers develop Individual learning plans for special education students. They provide psychologists, social workers, speech and language pathologists, and consultants. They provide teachers and administrators with professional development and provide school districts with media. We can’t let those services remain invisible.

Question: Will the legislature decide that public schools need to be funded at a responsible level?

Answer: “Outlook not so good.”

Iowa has more than $2.4 billion in budget reserves, but I predict we’ll hear, “That’s one-time revenue. We can’t spend it on ongoing expenses.” That’s like telling a family starving with $50,000 in savings they can’t spend it to buy essential food.

I know there’s a lust to cut state income tax to zero. That will mean Iowa loses roughly half of all state tax receipts. A one-time budget reserve can’t cover that kind of ongoing revenue loss, but Reynolds and GOP legislators seem to overlook that fact.

Question: Can we prevent these predictions from coming true?

Answer: “Decidedly, yes.”

Special education parents are one of the most powerful groups in Iowa. After all, many have been advocates since their child’s birth. Last year, Republican politicians claimed new education laws were about empowering parents. It’s time to use that empowerment to be specific about how AEA services play a vital role in your child’s education.    

The first step is to email your legislators, especially if your legislator is part of the majority party. You can find all addresses at https://www.legis.iowa.gov.

Sample letter (for Special Education Parents)

Dear Senator/Representative: ___________

Thank you for serving.  I’m writing to let you know how our AEA has helped our children in school.   Here is my experience _____________________________________.

I’d also be happy to talk with you about this.  Any study of the AEA structure would need to include parents and educators as full partners in decision making, and the study should not be rushed. 

In addition, any changes would need to be based on sound educational research that benefits all students.

Sincerely,

Sample Letter Teacher (Use your home email address)

Dear Senator/Representative: 

I am a teacher in the _________________ School District.  I just wanted to let you know what the AEA has done for my students.  Here are some examples:  Student 1(Do not include the student names) was helped with __________________.

Here is how the AEA helped me assist student 2 __________________________.

Thanks for listening.

Sincerely,