School funding: Bring back our State of Minds

'A State of Minds”

Many remember this slogan from Terry Branstad's first term as governor back in 1983. Back then, the governor wanted to emphasize Iowa's high literacy rate and education prowess in order to attract businesses to relocate to Iowa. My, how times have changed.

Iowa stands at the precipice of a future economy that relies on emerging new technologies. The business growth in the Corridor between Iowa City and Cedar Rapids is a perfect example of this. We have to decide now if we are preparing our future workforce with just the three R's or with the technology and skills necessary to compete in today's global economy. A highly skilled workforce leads to higher earning potential and a higher standard of living, which is critical to attract new businesses to our state. Education is the first step in creating a self-perpetuating cycle of prosperity.

Our neighboring states are beating us to the punch. The gap in education spending between Iowa and surrounding states is widening and our kids are paying the price. Can we really compete for future business if our students aren't prepared?

Our teachers have produced amazing results, with too little, for far too long. Despite the loss of $641 per pupil in inflation-adjusted funding since 2008, our students have:

' Second highest ACT composite in the nation

' 89 percent graduation rate

' Steady increases in AP testing and students taking concurrent collegiate classes

' Statewide voluntary preschool has quadrupled to 21,429 students over the past five years

These gains have been made despite a substantial statewide growth of students living in poverty, as well as those for which English isn't their first language. This shows that we have the right teachers and the students willing to do the work to succeed. What we don't have is the classroom supports and technology to continue to maintain the Iowa standard.

Setting education funding as the premier priority for Iowa with an increase in supplemental state aid next year of 4 percent with 6 percent the following year wouldn't get us to the national average, but it would be a start. We can't afford not to emphasize education in this state. What good is a decrease in corporate property tax if we don't have a highly skilled workforce ready to compete with the rest of the world?

I'll admit, I didn't like the slogan 'A State of Minds” back in 1983, but I understand what the governor was trying to emphasize back then. He was right to tout our strengths. He was right to let those outside Iowa know about our commitment to education.

But he's wrong now, and our students of today and workforce of tomorrow will pay the price. Tell the legislators to do the right thing for our students and for our future economy.

Horace Mann said, 'Education then, beyond all other devices of human origin, is the great equalizer of the conditions of men, the balance-wheel of the social machinery.” Lets make education the top priority for our state once again.

' Brian Kirschling is the Vice President of the Iowa City school board. The opinions expressed are his and do not necessarily reflect those of the board. Comments: brian.kirschling@iowacityschools.org