Cedar Falls Educators React to $25 Million Education Reform Plan

Iowa Governor Terry Branstad released details of his revised education reform package Friday, but some local educators said they were still waiting to hear more before passing judgement on the proposed legislation.

"I guess I’m intrigued by what has been presented," principal Jennifer Hartman said. "I think there will be a big change in the state of Iowa, but it’s too early to tell what that will entail. I’m anxious to learn more. There are some very sweeping changes that have the possibility of great impact, positive or negative."

Branstad heard from Cedar Falls educators directly at a somewhat raucous town hall-style meeting in November, during which a crowd of mostly teachers of a four-tiered teacher pay scale. Some at the meeting said such a system would discourage collaboration.

The governor's education team seemed open to the feedback, the pay scale plans would be revised.

In the newly released details, immediately creating such a pay scale is not included. Instead, a task force on teacher leadership and compensation would be formed to examine the issue, at a cost of $100,000 for one year.

All together, the comprehensive reform package would cost $25 million, the report said.

The Des Moines Register reported yesterday that $17 million of the that would be new funding, and $8 million would come from rerouted, pre-existing education funds.

The full report of the revised education plan is available next to this article as a PDF.

David Welter, principal, said he hoped input from educators would continue to be part of the conversation, especially when the state legislature, which began it's 2012 session Monday, considers the reform package.

"We’re here to work with the state," he said. "Governor Branstad is really trying to do the right thing. It's important to involve and collaborate with those people who are in the world of education."

Both Welter and Hartman said one component of the plan they want to learn more about is teacher evaluations. Under the plan, teachers would be evaluated every year instead of every three years, as they currently are.

Other components laid out in the 17 page document include ending seniority based-layoffs, so that the newest hires at a school are not automatically the first to be laid off, implementing high school end-of-course exams, redefining how charter schools work and creating a statewide parent engagement network. There are 26 components laid out in the plan.