- Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds wants to restructure the Area Education Agencies, which provide special education — and dozens of other services — to schools across the state.
- Reynolds cites national testingthat indicates Iowa students with disabilities are scoring lower than peers in other states.
- Rep. Brent Siegrist (R-Council Bluffs): "I think there's a way to do this, but she — the governor — dropped this bill on us with no input from the AEAs, no input from the legislature, and that's why it's getting quite a bit of resistance."
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BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
I've been following an Iowa education story that could impact nearly all public school students in the state. I'm your Southwest Iowa neighborhood reporter Katrina Markel. Governor Kim Reynolds wants to restructure the Area Education Agencies, which provide special education — and dozens of other services — to schools across the state. It's controversial.
This week, we've introduced you to families receiving special ed services, educators and a state legislator who have concerns.
Republican Representative Brent Siegrist of Council Bluffs used to oversee the AEAs.
Siegrist: "I think there's a way to do this, but she — the governor — dropped this bill on us with no input from the AEAs, no input from the legislature, and that's why it's getting quite a bit of resistance."
Superintendent of three rural districts, Tim Hood, together with his principals, thinks Reynolds is moving too fast.
Hood: "The AEAs have been around for 50 years. I think we need to pump the brakes here."
The governor's bill would move some services from the regional AEAs to the Dept. Of Education.
If passed, school districts would have a choice on special ed. They could use the AEA system or take their allotted tax dollars and provide the services another way.
The Reynolds administration cites national education statistics showing Iowa students with disabilities performing below students in other states.
Siegrist says the metrics cited by the governor may not compare "apples to apples."
Siegrist: "...They get goals and in Iowa, once the student reaches those goals, we move them out of that group ... other states don't do that. They continue to test those kids ... we've moved our highest achieving kids out of the group, so our scores are artificially lower than other states."
During a House subcommittee hearing Wednesday, some speakers argued that the AEA provides specialists and consultants, but special ed instruction is provided by each district. If test scores are low, some argue, that may not be the fault of the AEAs.
Siegrist: "Let's focus on how do we improve those special education student test scores and let's do that without blowing up the system and centralizing all the power in Des Moines."
Having more services based in Des Moines, instead of locally, worries educators. Ami Leath is an AEA early childhood consultant.
Leath: "Our focus is so much around the child and the family. My fear is we will lose that. We'll lose that collaboration, that relationship piece that we have"
Hood called on Greenhills AEA during a recent emergency.
Hood: "...They picked their phones up and answered them on a Sunday. So, I'm not sure that's going to happen at the Des Moines level. No offense, but I'm just telling you, I don't believe it will."
A Senate subcommittee moved the bill forward on Wednesday, but the House subcommittee wants further discussion.
Katrina Markel, your southwest Iowa neighborhood reporter.
