Iowa House passes bill to reform the state's Area Education Agencies

Iowa House lawmakers passed a plan that would significantly change the state's Area Education Agencies. The House bill, HF 2612, advanced Thursday in a 53-41 vote. Nine Republicans joined all Democrats in opposing the legislation.

Iowa House lawmakers passed a plan that would significantly change the state's Area Education Agencies. The House bill, HF 2612, advanced Thursday in a 53-41 vote. Nine Republicans joined all Democrats in opposing the legislation.

THE KCCI MOBILE APP. ALSO BREAKING TONIGHT, IOWA HOUSE LAWMAKERS APPROVED A BILL THAT WOULD CHANGE HOW THE STATE’S AREA EDUCATION AGENCIES HELP SCHOOLS ACROSS THE STATE. CHIEF POLITICAL REPORTER AMANDA ROOKER HAS BEEN FOLLOWING THIS SINCE GOVERNOR KIM REYNOLDS FIRST CALLED FOR REFORM LAST MONTH, AND AMANA. THIS HOUSE BILL IS SIGNIFICANT, DIFFERENT FROM WHAT THE GOVERNOR WANTED. IT IS LAURA, AND THIS IS A BILL THAT HAS GENERATED SO MUCH CONVERSATION. AND SOME LAWMAKERS TODAY SEEING SAYING THEY HAVE NOT SEEN THIS MUCH FEEDBACK IN DECADES. HOUSE REPUBLICANS SAID TODAY THEY UNANIMOUSLY OPPOSED REYNOLDS ORIGINAL BILL. HER BILL WOULD HAVE GIVEN SCHOOL DISTRICTS FULL CONTROL OF SPECIAL EDUCATION FUNDING, WHICH CURRENTLY GOES TO AREA EDUCATION AGENCIES OR AEAS. THIS HOUSE BILL TODAY DOES NOT MAKE ANY CHANGES TO SPECIAL EDUCATION SERVICES. WHAT IT DOES DO, IT ALLOWS SCHOOL DISTRICTS TO CONTRACT WITH AN ALTERNATIVE PROVIDER FOR GENERAL EDUCATION AND MEDIA SERVICES. THOSE SERVICES CURRENTLY PROVIDED BY AEAS INCLUDE MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT, CURRICULUM ASSISTANCE AND TECHNOLOGY DELIVERY. THIS BILL SIMPLY EMPOWERS YOUR SCHOOLS TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY ARE ABLE TO GET THE SERVICES THEY NEED IN THEIR PARTICULAR SCHOOLS GIVING THEM THE MONEY, LETTING THEM HAVE THE MONEY AND DISPERSE IT AS THEY NEED THROUGHOUT THEIR SCHOOL DISTRICT WILL IMPROVE. CLIVE, I BELIEVE WILL IMPROVE OUTCOMES FOR STUDENTS. REPUBLICAN REPRESENTATIVE SKYLER WHEELER, WHO LED THE BILL, SAID THAT LAWMAKERS MADE CHANGES BASED OFF WEEKS OF MEETINGS WITH AA STAFF, SCHOOLS, PARENTS AND OTHER EDUCATION EXPERTS. INSTEAD OF TAKING EFFECT NEXT SCHOOL YEAR, THEIR BILL PHASES IN OVER THREE YEARS, STARTING IN THE FALL OF 2025. IT ALSO CREATES A TASK FORCE TO REVIEW EACH. BUT DEMOCRATS TODAY EXPRESSED MAJOR CONCERNS, SAYING THAT THIS BILL STILL HAS PROBLEMS THAT IT’S A SOLUTION IN SEARCH OF A PROBLEM. THEY HAVE WORRIES ABOUT OVERSIGHT AND ACCOUNTABILITY, AND OVERALL, THE IMPACT TO SERVICES TO KIDS IN THE FUTURE. THERE IS NO REASON FOR THE REST OF THE BILL. THE TASK FORCE WILL DO IT FOR US. THEN NEXT YEAR WE CAN MAKE AN INTELLIGENT DECISION INSTEAD OF A RUSHED ONE. THERE IS NO REASON FOR THIS BILL. ABSOLUTELY NONE. IT’S A FABRICATED PROBLEM. AND GOVERNOR REYNOLDS RELEASED A STATEMENT TO THE HOUSE PASSING THIS BILL, EXPRESSING HER THANKS TO THE HOUSE FOR MAKING PROGRESS. SHE SAID SHE BELIEVES THE SYSTEM IS, QUOTE, FAILING OUR STUDENTS AND THAT THE SYSTEM MUST PROVIDE TRANSPARENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY, END QUOTE, IMPROVE SERVICES FOR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES. NOW, THE SENATE HAS A VERY DIFFERENT VERSION OF THIS BILL. ULTIMATELY, LAWMAKERS WILL HAVE TO FIND SOME AGREEMENT IN OR

Iowa House passes bill to reform the state's Area Education Agencies

Iowa House lawmakers passed a plan that would significantly change the state's Area Education Agencies (AEAs). Currently, the AEAs oversee all special education services and provide general education resources to all Iowa school districts. The House bill, HF 2612, advanced Thursday in a 53-41 vote. Nine Republicans joined all Democrats in opposing the legislation.Republican Rep. Skyler Wheeler of Hull, who led the bill, said it would not change or impact services to students with disabilities. The plan would require schools to continue working with their local AEA for all special education services.However, under the House plan, school districts could choose to contract with an alternative provider for general education and media services. Those services currently provided by AEAs include mental health support, curriculum assistance and technology delivery.Those changes would phase in over three years, starting in the fall of 2025.The bill would also shift oversight from local advisory boards to the director of the Department of Education and would create a task force to review the AEA system. The Iowa State Education Association President Mike Beranek released a statement following the bill's passage, criticizing the proposed changes:"We remain steadfast in our support of Iowa’s Area Education Agencies. The system is successful, and the House-passed bill, while not as draconian as the Governor’s initial proposal, is still a solution in search of a problem. Thousands of Iowans have contacted legislators and the Governor with support and praise about their experiences with their AEAs. They are not being listened to. Any system can be improved, but such improvement needs to be thoughtful and responsive to Iowans' input. As this legislation moves forward, we implore the Senate and Governor Reynolds to commit to doing what is right for all Iowans and take no action that would reduce services for any students. Doing anything else is irresponsible."Governor Kim Reynolds also released a statement after the House bill advanced:"Thank you to House leadership and House members for making progress on this important piece of legislation. The AEA system is failing our students, national and state test scores show it and the U.S. Department of Education tells us that too. Improving student outcomes has always been at the forefront. The system must provide transparency and accountability to school districts, those closest to our students, and drive consistency across the AEA regions to improve services for students with disabilities. That’s what I’ve heard from over 100 school districts as I’ve traveled the state, and I look forward to more conversations as the legislation moves forward.” The House bill stems from a proposal Reynolds released in January that included more sweeping changes to the state's special education system.The governor's plan would have given school districts full control over state and federal special education funding. School districts would have been able to choose to continue working with their local AEA for all or some services, or hire an alternative provider that's accredited to provide the resources schools need.AEAs could continue providing general education services but only if their local school district requested it.The changes would have taken effect next school year.While House lawmakers tabled the proposal and introduced their own bill, Senate lawmakers continued to work off the governor's plan. The Senate bill still gives school districts the majority of special education and general education funding that AEAs currently receive. However, it guarantees that AEAs will have a percentage of the funding each year.The Senate proposal has passed through committee and has yet to be taken up for full debate in the Senate.House and Senate Republicans have not come to an agreement on which AEA plan they'll work to send to the governor's desk. » Download the free KCCI app to get updates on the go: Apple | Google PlayGet the latest headlines from KCCI

DES MOINES, Iowa —

The House bill, HF 2612, advanced Thursday in a 53-41 vote. Nine Republicans joined all Democrats in opposing the legislation.

Republican Rep. Skyler Wheeler of Hull, who led the bill, said it would not change or impact services to students with disabilities. The plan would require schools to continue working with their local AEA for all special education services.

However, under the House plan, school districts could choose to contract with an alternative provider for general education and media services. Those services currently provided by AEAs include mental health support, curriculum assistance and technology delivery.

Those changes would phase in over three years, starting in the fall of 2025.

The bill would also shift oversight from local advisory boards to the director of the Department of Education and would create a task force to review the AEA system.

The Iowa State Education Association President Mike Beranek released a statement following the bill's passage, criticizing the proposed changes:

"We remain steadfast in our support of Iowa’s Area Education Agencies. The system is successful, and the House-passed bill, while not as draconian as the Governor’s initial proposal, is still a solution in search of a problem. Thousands of Iowans have contacted legislators and the Governor with support and praise about their experiences with their AEAs. They are not being listened to. Any system can be improved, but such improvement needs to be thoughtful and responsive to Iowans' input. As this legislation moves forward, we implore the Senate and Governor Reynolds to commit to doing what is right for all Iowans and take no action that would reduce services for any students. Doing anything else is irresponsible."

Governor Kim Reynolds also released a statement after the House bill advanced:

"Thank you to House leadership and House members for making progress on this important piece of legislation. The AEA system is failing our students, national and state test scores show it and the U.S. Department of Education tells us that too. Improving student outcomes has always been at the forefront. The system must provide transparency and accountability to school districts, those closest to our students, and drive consistency across the AEA regions to improve services for students with disabilities. That’s what I’ve heard from over 100 school districts as I’ve traveled the state, and I look forward to more conversations as the legislation moves forward.”

The House bill stems from a proposal Reynolds released in January that included more sweeping changes to the state's special education system.

The governor's plan would have given school districts full control over state and federal special education funding.

School districts would have been able to choose to continue working with their local AEA for all or some services, or hire an alternative provider that's accredited to provide the resources schools need.

AEAs could continue providing general education services but only if their local school district requested it.

The changes would have taken effect next school year.

While House lawmakers tabled the proposal and introduced their own bill, Senate lawmakers continued to work off the governor's plan.

The Senate bill still gives school districts the majority of special education and general education funding that AEAs currently receive. However, it guarantees that AEAs will have a percentage of the funding each year.

The Senate proposal has passed through committee and has yet to be taken up for full debate in the Senate.

House and Senate Republicans have not come to an agreement on which AEA plan they'll work to send to the governor's desk.

» Download the free KCCI app to get updates on the go: Apple | Google Play

Get the latest headlines from KCCI

Iowa House passes bill to reform the state's Area Education Agencies

Iowa House lawmakers passed a plan that would significantly change the state's Area Education Agencies. The House bill, HF 2612, advanced Thursday in a 53-41 vote. Nine Republicans joined all Democrats in opposing the legislation.

GET OUR POLITICS NEWSLETTER

Top Picks