State of Iowa Archives: on Education

Zach Nunn: $40M more for schools; $150M more for teachers

Lt. Gov. Kim Reynolds added, "By setting funding levels early in the session, we are able to provide predictability and stability that administrators, school boards and teachers need. I want to thank the legislature for moving quickly on this important issue. This is a difficult budget, but this $40 million increase for K-12 education is on top of the $150 million provided through the Teacher Leadership System that rewards our great teachers. Teachers are the key to giving students a globally competitive education and helping us close the skills gap in Iowa."

Bill passed the Iowa House 55-40-5 on Feb. 6, 2017; State Rep. Zach Nunn voted YES; passed the Iowa Senate on Feb. 2, 2017, 28-21.

Source: TGovernor's Press Release on Iowa voting records for SF166 Feb 6, 2017

Al Gore: $10,000 for joining 21st Century Teachers Corps

Today, I propose the creation of a new 21st Century Teachers Corps - open to talented young people across the country. Under this plan, if you agree to spend four years teaching in a school that needs your help - and if you pass a rigorous exam before you set foot in the classroom - we’ll give you up to $10,000 to pay for college. And for those willing to switch careers for teaching, we’ll give you a $10,000 bonus and pay for the training you need to get into the classroom. Source: Commencement address: Graceland College, Iowa May 16, 1999

Al Gore: Smaller classrooms with “schools within schools”

We should provide incentives to create smaller high schools. And for those that have already gotten too big, let’s break them down by creating smaller “schools within schools.” Classes are also way too big. We should begin with a national commitment to reduce class size to an average of 18 students in the early grades - and then aim at average class sizes of twenty students or less across all grades. This will give all our students the individual attention they need to succeed. Source: Commencement address: Graceland College, Iowa May 16, 1999

Al Gore: National Tuition Savings program to send kids to college

I propose a National Tuition Savings program [which] let families invest their money in special accounts, which grow tax-free. We should allow each parent’s savings to be used in any participating state, and use incentives to encourage states that do not have the programs to create them. Under this plan, if you make small, regular contributions to the program after your child’s birth, you’ll be able to afford college tuition - with protection from taxes, inflation, and rising college costs. Source: Commencement address: Graceland College, Iowa May 16, 1999

Al Gore: Test teachers; remove failing tenured teachers

Every new teacher should pass a rigorous test before they set foot in the classroom-a test that measures their knowledge of the subject they will teach. The granting of a teaching license should be followed by rigorous performance evaluations. And every 5 years, those evaluations should be used to determine whether a license is renewed. No teaching license should be a lifetime job guarantee. I urge faster but fair ways to identify, improve-and when necessary-remove low-performing teachers. Source: Commencement address: Graceland College, Iowa May 16, 1999

Al Gore: “Revolutionary plan”: 50% more for public schools

He’s the only Democratic candidate to make education a priority. Al Gore. A revolutionary plan to improve our public schools by increasing our commitment to education by over 50 percent. Universal pre-school. Smaller class sizes. Higher standards. Teacher training. Modernize schools and connect every classroom to the Internet. Source: Television advertisement in NH & Iowa Jan 13, 2000

Al Gore: More public school choice - but not private

Parents should have more choice in their children’s public schools - especially those whose children are stuck in low-performing schools. We need more public school choice, and more competition - to apply the pressure that will improve all schools. And of course we must reject the false promise of siphoning public school funding away to private schools. That would only make things much worse. Source: Commencement address: Graceland College, Iowa May 16, 1999

Al Gore: Shut failing schools; then re-open & turn them around

Every state and every school district should be required to identify failing schools, and work to turn them around - with strict accountability for results, and strong incentives for success. And if these failing schools don’t improve quickly, they should be shut down fairly and fast, and when needed, reopened under a new principal with a full peer evaluation of every teacher, intensive training for those who need it, and fair ways to improve or remove low-performing teachers. Source: Commencement address: Graceland College, Iowa May 16, 1999

Al Gore: Increase public school aid by 50% instead of vouchers

Q: How would you improve the quality of inner city public schools without vouchers?
A: No child in this country should be trapped in a failing school. Bringing about revolutionary improvements in our public schools has to be the number one priority for investment in the future. I never supported vouchers... because they would drain money away from our public schools at a time when we ought to be increasing the federal investment in public schools and I propose to increase it by more than 50%. Source: Democrat Debate in Des Moines, Iowa Jan 17, 2000

Alan Keyes: Replace the Department of Education with parental control

Q: How much power should the federal government have over state education?
A: We [must] put the control of our educational system back in the hands of our parents. We have to overcome the arguments that those parents don’t have the responsibility, the concern, the love, the capacity to do the right thing. [I] would abolish the Department of Education and make it clear that it is primarily the leadership of the parents, not any level of government, that we have to rely on in this society. Source: GOP Debate in Johnston, Iowa Jan 16, 2000

Alan Keyes: Violence in schools due to loss of moral heritage

Q: How would you interrupt this culture of violence? A: The first thing we have to do is restore this country’s allegiance to its basic moral principles. We express great shock and outrage that we are bloodying the hallways of our schools with the blood of our children. What about the blood of our children killed in the womb on the basis of a doctrine that completely rejects the basic principles on which this nation was founded? If our rights come from God, then we ought to shape our children’s consciences in the fear of God. And I think that what we’re seeing in our schools is the direct result of our failure to respect that heritage and to pass it on. Source: Des Moines Iowa GOP Debate Dec 13, 1999

Amy Klobuchar: Free college isn't enough; also 2-year degrees & plumbers

We have to look at how we connect our education system with our economy. Where are our job openings? We are going to have over a million openings for home health care workers in the next 10 years. We're going to have over 70,000 openings for electricians. We're not going to have a shortage of MBAs. We're going to have a shortage of plumbers. So when we look at that, where should our money go? It should go into K through 12. It should go into free one- and two-year degrees. Source: 7th Democrat primary debate, on eve of Iowa caucus Jan 14, 2020

Andy McGuire: Restore cuts: put students ahead of lobbyists

I have spoken with educators who did not have enough desks for their students so some sat on the floor during class. I have heard from others about history textbooks that are so old they do not include Sept. 11, 2001; and other school districts that do not have the funds to offer music, art or language courses. Iowa's public school students deserve better. Our families deserve better. I believe it is a matter of priorities, and as governor I will make those hard choices and put our students ahead of lobbyists and corporate tax giveaways.

The issue in Iowa is further complicated by the growing uncertainty in Washington, DC. President Trump's budget calls for education cuts of nearly $10 billion, which will have devastating impacts across the state. The Trump budget will cut millions from career and technical education programs which are so important to our future economy. The Trump budget slashes much needed funds for after-school programs, teacher training and class-size reduction.

Source: 2018 Iowa governor campaign website McGuireForGovernor.com Jul 2, 2016

Andy McGuire: Restore $21M in cuts to higher education

Because of mismanagement of the state's budget by the Branstad-Reynolds administration, Iowa state universities received budget cuts of $18 million. Additionally $3 million was cut from our community colleges.

Rising tuition costs mean fewer families are able to send their kids to school, and those who attend, end up with high student loan debt. Rising community college tuition has an adverse effect on enrollment at a time when employers need a specialized workforce.

Source: 2018 Iowa governor campaign website McGuireForGovernor.com Jul 2, 2016

Bernie Sanders: College loan repayment is regressive; refinance & forgive

In my view, the most revolting aspect of the student loan crisis is that every year, the federal government makes billions of dollars in profits off of student loans--$127 billion over 10 years. We must end the practice of the government making billions in profits from student loans taken out by low and moderate income families. That is extremely regressive public policy. It also makes no sense that students and their parents are forced to pay interest rates for higher education loans that are much higher than they pay for car loans or housing mortgages. We must restructure our student loan programs to take the profits out of our system, and return them to borrowers in the form of loan forgiveness and lower interest rates.

Today's borrowers should be able to refinance their student loans at much lower interest rates. This will allow millions of people to pay off their debt sooner, and have more money to buy a car, buy a house, or invest in their own children's future education.

Source: Forbes Magazine on 2016 hopefuls: 2015 speech at U. Iowa Apr 30, 2015

Bernie Sanders: $70B to make public colleges & universities tuition-free

Q: Secy. Clinton, you want to make public college debt-free. Who pays for that?

CLINTON: Well, first of all, it isn't the middle class. I have made very clear that hardworking, middle-class families need a raise, not a tax increase.

Q: Gov. O'Malley, you also want to make public college debt-free.

O`MALLEY: In Maryland, yes, we did in fact raise the sales tax by a penny for our public schools; we were the only state to go four years in a row without a penny's increase to college tuitions.

Q: Senator Sanders, you want to make public college free altogether. Isn't this throwing a lot of money away since 1/3 of these people are not going to complete college?

SANDERS: No, it is an extraordinary investment for this country. Germany & many other countries do it already. This is revolutionary for education in America. It will give hope to millions of young people.

Q: And you want to have the states pay for about 1/3 of this $70 billion plan, correct?

SANDERS: Yes.

Source: 2015 CBS Democratic primary debate in Iowa Nov 14, 2015

Bernie Sanders: Look at college degree like high school diploma 50 years ago

Q: You want to make public college free altogether?

SANDERS: Germany and many other countries do it already. In fact, if you remember, 50, 60 years ago, the University of California, City University of New York were virtually tuition-free. This is revolutionary for education in America. It will give hope to millions of young people.

Q: And you want to have the states pay for about 1/3 of this $70 billion plan, correct?

SANDERS: Yes. Bottom line here is, in the year 2015, we should look at a college degree the same way we looked at a high school degree 50 or 60 years ago. If you want to make it into the middle class, the bottom line now, is in America, in the year 2015, any person who has the ability and the desire should be able to get an education, college education, regardless of the income of his or her family. And we must substantially lower, as my legislation does, interest rates on student debt.

Source: 2015 CBS Democratic primary debate in Iowa Nov 14, 2015

Bill Bradley: Major investment in education related to people’s lives

We need a major investment in early education and early child care. I would get kids ready to learn by doubling the slots in Head Start. I would then propose adding 600,000 great new teachers to the public schools of this country over the next decade. You can look at education in terms of where people live their lives -- and that’s the way I look at it -- or you can look at it as if it’s some bureaucratic box that says “education” that’s unrelated to everything else we do in our lives. Source: Democrat Debate in Johnston Iowa Jan 8, 2000

Bill Bradley: Education excellence begins with 60,000 great new teachers

I graduated from Crystal City High School in 1961. Then, as now, it was the public high school in that Missouri town. I was lucky to have some terrific teachers back then. But today we need teachers to teach skills we never heard of in 1961. And that’s why I’ve proposed training and placing 60,000 new teachers a year for the next 10 years. Because real excellence in public education begins with great teachers in the classroom. Source: Television advertisement in NH & Iowa Jan 13, 2000

Bill Bradley: “Lifetime education” from birth to every life stage

I view education as not just simply K through 12, I view it as beginning at birth, extending through every life stage and for everybody. And that means early child care and 400,000 more slots for Head Start, getting kids ready to learn. In elementary and secondary school, that means making sure there are qualified great teachers in every classroom. I’ve offered a proposal that would put 600,000 qualified great teachers in public schools in urban areas and in rural areas of this country. Source: Democrat Debate in Des Moines, Iowa Jan 17, 2000

Bill Bradley: Voted for voucher experiments; now focus on public schools

GORE [to Bradley]: Senator Bradley voted for vouchers every single time they came up for 18 years in the Senate. I’m glad that he says he’s opposed to them now and that was a mistake, but when he talks about them, I still get the feeling he’s a little intrigued by them. I think that they represent a mistake because they would drain money away from our public schools at a time when we ought to be increasing the federal investment in public schools.

BRADLEY: I don’t think vouchers are the answer to the problems of public education. I’ve said that over and over in the course of the campaign. I voted for experiments. Those experiments were tried to help kids that are caught in dead schools have a chance. No experiments ever took place and so now I think what we need to do is we need to focus on how we improve education in this country. I’ve offered a proposal that would put 600,000 qualified great teachers in public schools in urban areas and in rural areas of this country.

Source: Democrat Debate in Des Moines, Iowa Jan 17, 2000

Bill Richardson: $60 billion plan to make American education #1 in world

I’ve outlined a $60 billion plan to make American education number one in the world again. One out of two African American and Hispanic youth don’t get through high school and that is a huge tragedy and there has been no improvement. This is what I would do. Preschool for every child under four. You get to kids early. Full day kindergarten. Investments in science and math academies because we are 29th in the world when it comes to science and math. I believe that having a strong art in the school program is going to make us more competitive in science and math. I’d get rid of No Child Left Behind--that is an impediment. And I would also have a minimum wage for our teachers at $40,000 and let me conclude with this: National service. This is what I mean. College loans unaffordable. Rip off artists, banks, student loan companies, here is my plan. Two years in exchange, two years of government loans, the government helps pay for tuition, one year of national service by the student. Source: 2007 Iowa Brown & Black Presidential Forum Dec 1, 2007

Bob Smith: GOAL 2000: Shut down Department of Education

No to home schooling, yes to national standards;
Values out, condoms in;
Teaching basics out, outcome bases education in;
Prayer out, drugs and gangs in.
I say the Department of Education out, parents in!

I call my plan “GOAL 2000”. That’s one goal: shut down the Department of Education by the year 2000. Fire the bureaucrats, auction off the building and close the doors. Give the money back to the tax payers. Source: Speech to Iowa GOP Convention Jun 12, 1998

Carly Fiorina: School choice is the only way to fix education

We know what will not fix the broken education system: more federal control. We know Common Core is not the answer. Common Core has become simply another example of governmental overreach. We need to arm our students with 21st century skills, and you don't do that with big bureaucracy. Conservatives understand what it takes to fix our education system: giving every parent and student a choice and a chance. Let's make sure that every student has access to a school that gives them a fair shot. Source: Iowa Republican 2015 coverage of 2016 presidential hopefuls Jul 22, 2015

Carol Moseley-Braun: Replace property tax with national payments for schools

Right now the federal government pays for about 6% of the cost of elementary and secondary education. That means that the property tax has to pay for schools. The property-tax base is the worst place to pay for education. It ought to be paid for at the national level. There ought to be more dollars flowing to the state and local governments, to keep these schools open, to rebuild them, to pay for pensions, to make certain that education becomes the kind of universally available right to children. Source: AFSCME union debate in Iowa May 17, 2003

Cathy Glasson: Wants public education to be affordable and high quality

It's no wonder many Iowans I've been talking to feel left behind by a rigged economy that hasn't worked for them for decades. Now, they see their kids and grandkids no longer having a fair shot to get ahead through education. We're outlining a progressive vision to make Iowa #1 in public education again. My generation had the opportunity to get ahead with a quality, affordable public education in Iowa. Our kids and college students deserve no less today. Source: 2018 Iowa gubernatorial candidate website CathyGlasson.com May 2, 2018

Chet Culver: Include financial literacy in core statewide curriculum

SF 2216: State-Mandated Curriculum for Schools: a statewide core curriculum.

Establish a voluntary model core curriculum, including 4 years of English and language arts, 3 years of mathematics, 3 years of science, and 3 years of social studies.
The voluntary model core curriculum shall include social studies and 21st-century learning skills which include civic literacy, health literacy, technology literacy, financial literacy, and employability skills; and shall address students in K-through-12 in those areas.
"Financial literacy" shall include financial responsibility and planning skills; money management skills, including setting financial goals, creating spending plans, and using financial instruments; applying decision-making skills to analyze debt incurrence and debt management; understanding risk management and functions of insurance; and understanding saving and investing.

Source: Iowa legislative voting records for S.F. 2216 May 1, 2008

Deidre DeJear: It is time to fully fund our education system at every level

Every Iowan deserves a first class education that prepares them for a career and/or higher education. It is time to fully fund our education system at every level, including universal Pre-K and child care, affordable colleges and trade programs, and prioritizing equitable pay and benefits for Iowa educators. Source: 2022 Iowa Governor campaign website DeJearForIowa.com May 30, 2022

Doug Butzier: Vouchers for school choice are a good start

Q: Do you support or oppose the statement, "Vouchers for school choice"?

A: Absolutely. It would be a good start at getting the Government out of the classroom and out of the business of educating our children. There is no constitutional authority on which the Department of Education exists.

Source: E-mail interview: 2014 Iowa Senate race with OnTheIssues.org Sep 17, 2014

Elizabeth Dole: Restore quality and parental involvement

We must choose education over social engineering.We must teach our children again the basics of math and reading and citizenship. How appalling that one in four high school seniors in the great United States of America is considered functionally illiterate! We must return discipline and parental involvement to every school. In those areas --especially in low income areas -- where schools have failed completely, parents must be given other choices. Source: Speech at Iowa State University, 2/15/99 Feb 15, 1999

Fred Hubbell: School systems and teachers know best what they need

Fred will work with local school districts to give them more discretion over how they locally allocate funds. Whether schools need better transportation options, programs to attract top-notch teachers in rural areas or special funding for ELL programs in urban areas, each school system across the state should be able to provide for their community in the best way possible. Teachers deserve the resources they need to educate and children deserve stability in their education. Source: 2018 Iowa Gubernatorial campaign website, FredHubbell.com Jun 26, 2018

Fred Hubbell: We've been cutting, cutting, cutting college funding

Education: Increase state funding for higher education?

Hubbell: Yes. "We've just been cutting, cutting, cutting." Proposes tuition payback for students at Iowa colleges who commit to 5 years working in rural Iowa.

Reynolds: No. Supported major cuts to address budget shortfall.

Source: 2018 CampusElect.org Issue Guide on Iowa Governor race Nov 1, 2018

Gary Bauer: Present both evolution & creationism and let students decide

Q: Do you agree that creationism is a science and evolution is a theory and they ought to be taught equitably? A: I agree that the majority of the American people believe that God had a hand in the creation of life on earth. Evolution is a theory; yet it's taught in our schools as if it cannot be questioned. The American people want their children exposed to both of those ideas. That's what an education ought to be about: presenting to young people a variety of choices and let them make the decision. Source: Des Moines Iowa GOP Debate Dec 13, 1999

Gary Bauer: Allow Ten Commandments in schools & disallow Nazi salutes

The Columbine High School killers were giving each other the Nazi salute [every day]. Nobody said anything to them. But if a teacher at Columbine had hung up the Ten Commandments in her classroom, she would have been told take them down or lose your job. We've got things upside down in this country. When I'm president they'll be no more Nazi salutes in the schools. And it'll be OK to hang the Ten Commandments up again, not only there, but in the Oval Office. Source: GOP Debate in Johnston, Iowa Jan 16, 2000

Gary Bauer: Vouchers and local control will save our schools

Q: How much power do you think the federal government should have over state education? A: Washington DC is the problem, it's not the answer.. I will block grant the money. It was $17 billion then; it's $38 billion now. Only one dollar out of four gets to the classroom, to the pupils and to the teachers. I support vouchers, credits for all forms of education, including home schoolers. We can get the bureaucracy out of the way and begin to have some real good things happen in the classroom again. Source: GOP Debate in Johnston, Iowa Jan 16, 2000

George W. Bush: Expand character education via federal funding

Our schools ought to expand character education. The federal government [should] encourage school districts through joint venture money to have character education that teaches children right from wrong, good from bad, basic values of life. Our after school programs ought to be open to faith-based programs, programs that will say to our children, we care for you a lot, but in order to access the American dream there are right decisions to make in life and there are wrong decisions to make in life. Source: GOP Debate in Johnston, Iowa Jan 16, 2000

George W. Bush: Local control and accountability will prevent failure

Q: How much power should the federal government have over state education? A: It starts with trusting local people to make the right decisions for their schools. I strongly believe in local control of schools; I'll work with the Congress to pass power back from Washington in block grant form to states. But when the federal government spends money, I'm going to ask this question: What are the results? We must ask school districts and states that accept federal money to develop an accountability system. Source: GOP Debate in Johnston, Iowa Jan 16, 2000

Herman Cain: No Child Left Behind has unfunded mandates

Q: [to Huntsman]: This week, the Obama administration announced that they would grant waivers to some failing public school systems that couldn't meet the standard of the No Child Left Behind program. If you were president, would you return to full enforcement of this Bush-era law?

HUNTSMAN: No Child Left Behind hasn't worked for this country. It ought to be done away with. We need to take education to the local level, where parents and local elected officials can determine the destiny of these schools. Nobody wants their schools to succeed more than local elected officials and their parents. We need choice. We need vouchers. We need more technology in the classroom.

Q: [to Cain]: Would you return to the full enforcement of NCLB?

CAIN: No. I believe in education starting at the local. No Child Left Behind had some faults. I don't believe in unfunded mandates. I believe that the federal government should be out of the business of trying to micromanage the education of our children.

Source: Iowa Straw Poll 2011 GOP debate in Ames Iowa Aug 11, 2011

Hillary Clinton: Make community college free, but not free college for all

Q: Senator Sanders wants to make public college free altogether. Do you two?

Gov. O'MALLEY: I believe that the goal should be debt-free college. I believe that our Federal Government needs to do more on Pell grants. We should lower these outrageous interest rates that parents and kids are being charged by their own government.

CLINTON: I believe that we should make community college free. We should have debt-free college if you go to a public college or university. You should not have to borrow a dime to pay tuition. I want to use Pell grants to help defray the living expenses that often make a difference, whether a young person can stay in school or not. I disagree with free college for everybody. I don't think taxpayers should be paying to send Donald Trump's kids to college. I think it ought to be a compact: families contribute, kids contribute. And together we make it possible for a new generation of young people to refinance their debt and not come out with debt in the future.

Source: 2015 CBS Democratic primary debate in Iowa Nov 14, 2015

Howard Dean: Bush's "No Child Left Behind" is an unfunded mandate

Don't vote for unfunded mandates like No Child Left Behind, which make is impossible to explain to the American people that those kind of unfunded mandates are wrong. They drive up your property taxes. What we need is full funding of mandates like special education. So stop strangling our cities and towns. Source: AFSCME union debate in Iowa May 17, 2003

Jake Porter: Vouchers let parents choose the school of their choice

Q: Do you support or oppose the statement, "Vouchers for school choice"?

A: Allow open enrollment and parents to choose the school of their choice for their children.

Source: OnTheIssues interview of 2018 Iowa Governor candidate May 18, 2018

Jay Williams Iowa: My youngest son and I got our GED's on the same day

My name is Jay Williams, and I am applying for the position of US Senator from the State of Iowa. I am 57 years old with a long resume and a longer marriage of 38 years to my wife Sharon. She works as a bank teller for JP Morgan Chase.

I dropped out of high school, went right to work and did not attend college--my youngest son and I got our GED's on the same day. Having managed several small businesses, I currently work as a cab driver and property manager.

Source: 2016 Iowa Senate campaign website PoliticsYourWay.org Mar 1, 2016

Jim Carlin: $40M more for schools; $150M more for teachers

Bill passed the Iowa House 55-40-5 on Feb. 6, 2017; State Rep. Carlin voted YES; passed the Iowa Senate on Feb. 2, 2017, 28-21.

Source: Governor's Press Release on Iowa voting records for SF166 Feb 6, 2017

Jim Carlin: Too many children being indoctrinated to hate America

Too many of our children are trapped in failing schools. Too many of our children are being indoctrinated to hate America, hate our history and hate our culture. We need to give them a choice: vouchers to attend a charter school, a private school, or a public school with higher standards--schools that teach the truth of our history and graduate kids properly schooled in math, science and English. Source: 2021 Iowa Senate campaign website CarlinForUSSenate.com Mar 7, 2021

John McCain: Use sugar, oil, and ethanol subsidies to finance vouchers

Q: How much power should the federal government have over state education? A: Choice & competition are the key to the future of education in America. Students in America rank at the bottom in the most disciplines such as physics & chemistry. We should try charter schools all over America. I would take the gas and oil, ethanol and sugar subsidies and take that money and put it into a test voucher program over three years to be used in every poor school district in every state in America. Source: GOP Debate in Johnston, Iowa Jan 16, 2000

Jon Huntsman: No Child Left Behind has failed; we need vouchers

Q: [to Cain]: Would you return to the full enforcement of NCLB?

Source: Iowa Straw Poll 2011 GOP debate in Ames Iowa Aug 11, 2011

Joni Ernst: No federal involvement in Common Core standards

The candidates were asked their thoughts on the Federal involvement in education and the Common Core State Standards. Ernst said that she was not in favor of the standards. "The Federal government should not be involved," Ernst said. "We need to have standards, but we don't need the Common Core."

Whitaker also opposes the Common Core. "The Federal government does not belong in education," Whitaker said. He described the Common Core as a "one-size-fits-all, cram-it-down-your-throat" reform. He said that lawmakers should be focused on school choice instead.

Source: CaffeinatedThoughts blog on 2014 Iowa Senate primary debate Oct 24, 2013

Joni Ernst: Eliminate Department of Education but keep Pell Grants

Ernst said her plan to eliminate the U.S. Department of Education won't affect Pell Grants. The Republican said she still would get rid of the federal agency, but college loans would then be housed within the Treasury Department. She said 94 percent of Education Department employees are deemed as nonessential, and that their salaries are better spent in the state. Source: Politico.com e-zine on 2014 Iowa Senate debate Sep 28, 2014

Joni Ernst: Proposed "know before you owe"; employers assuming debt

Q: What about college debt?

Ernst: I do think that there should be opportunity to refinance student loans. I have authored a number of different provisions like know before you owe, making sure that students know exactly what the cost of their education is going to be and then what their actual job will pay. I also have a bill that would allow employers to pay back already assumed student debt. In order for those students to move on they have to be able to get rid of that student debt.

Source: Iowa Public Television transcript of 2020 Iowa Senate debate Sep 28, 2020

Joni Ernst: Co-sponsored act for tax credits for private school tuition

Q: Use public funding for private and/or for-profit schools?

Joni Ernst: Yes. Co-sponsored act providing tax credits for contributions to scholarship funds that could be used for private school tuition.

Theresa Greenfield: Likely no. Invest in our kids, teachers and public schools, so "we all do better." "Put teachers and students first, not profits."

Source: CampusElect on 2020 Iowa Senate race Oct 10, 2020

Joni Ernst: Voted against limiting debt relief for defrauded students

Q: Support lower interest or forgiveness on student loans?

Joni Ernst: Unclear. Voted to block Betsy DeVos rule limiting debt relief for defrauded students.

Theresa Greenfield: Yes. Supports loan refinancing, some debt forgiveness, debt-free community college.

Source: CampusElect on 2020 Iowa Senate race Oct 10, 2020

Joseph Lieberman: Young people need a better public education

Q: What is the most important thing to make a real difference with respect to the abandonment of young people?

A: I'd say education. Let me give you a stunningly painful number, that the average African-American, Hispanic-American student graduating from high school is 4 years behind grade level of the other students. The priority is to fully fund special education; invest in the so-called No Child Left Behind; fully fund it. We need to have a pre-kindergarten program for all of America's children.

Source: Iowa Brown and Black Presidential Forum Jan 11, 2004

Kimberly Graham: Raise teacher pay; end unequal school funding

Student Loan Forgiveness
Eliminate "teaching to the test", establish new metrics
End Unequal Funding of Public Schools
Raise Teacher and other Education Professionals Pay

Source: 2020 Iowa Senate campaign website, KimberlyForIowa.com Jan 12, 2020

Kim Reynolds: Score every Iowa high school for Post-Secondary Readiness

Gov. Terry Branstad and Lt. Gov. Kim Reynolds today announced a new state website that shows how prepared students are for success in postsecondary education and training upon graduation from public high schools in Iowa. Lt. Gov. Reynolds was joined by the director of the Iowa Department of Education [to announce] Iowa's Postsecondary Readiness Report, which provides student enrollment in college and career training, postsecondary remedial course-taking rates, and postsecondary retention and completion rates for every public high school in Iowa.

Reynolds, co-chair of the Future Ready Iowa Alliance added, "Iowa needs all of today's high school graduates to be genuinely ready for college or career training so they can succeed in a knowledge-based, technology-driven economy. That will open up great opportunities in their personal and professional lives, and will help close the skills gap that employers tell us about when we travel the state."

Source: IA Lieutenant Gubernatorial website LtGovernor.Iowa.Gov Jan 17, 2017

Kim Reynolds: Future Ready Iowa: 70% of Iowans beyond high school

Let's close the skills gap--which in many ways is the biggest challenge our state faces over the next decade. That is why Lt. Governor Reynolds and I set the Future Ready Iowa goal that 70 percent of Iowans in the workforce should have education or training beyond high school by 2025. Today, less than half of our workforce does.

Accomplishing this ambitious goal will create unprecedented opportunities for Iowans and better position our state to compete in an increasingly knowledge-based, digital economy. That is why we established the Future Ready Iowa Alliance, co-chaired by Lt. Governor Reynolds, which will make recommendations by Oct. 31, 2017, to assure more Iowans have the careers they deserve and employers can hire the skilled workers they need to grow and innovate.

Source: 2017 State of the State address to Iowa Legislature Jan 10, 2017

Kim Reynolds: $40M more for schools; $150M more for teachers

The bill passed the Iowa House 55-40 on Feb. 6, 2017 and the Iowa Senate on Feb. 2, 2017, 28-21.

Source: Governor's Press Release on Iowa voting records for SF166 Feb 8, 2017

Kim Reynolds: School choice offers families option to teach their values

Since taking office seven years ago, we have added $735 million in new money to our preK-12 education systems. At $3.3 billion, funding is at an all-time high. Education is a priority, and we will continue to back that up with real money.

We have also maintained our commitment to school choice, which offers families the option to teach their values, beliefs, and viewpoints to their children. That's why my tax reform plan will expand 529 plans to include K-12 education.

Source: 2018 State of the State speech to Iowa legislature Jan 9, 2018

Kim Reynolds: Additional $93M to invest in our students

The budget I'm submitting proposes over $93 million in additional funding for preschool through high school education, which includes a 2.3% increase in per pupil funding. I'm asking for a $1 million increase in STEM funding. In total, that will bring our preK-12 investment to almost $3.4 billion this year. Iowans know that a quality education can't be reduced to a dollar figure or a percentage increase. It's about one thing and one thing only: How well we prepare our children to succeed. Source: 2019 State of the State address to Iowa legislature Jan 15, 2019

Kim Reynolds: We need 100% of schools to teach computer science

Currently, almost two-thirds of school districts teach computer science in middle and high school. And about half teach it in elementary school. We need that to be 100 percent--which is why I'm calling on the Legislature to take computer science statewide and ensure every student, at every level, has access to this new basic skill. Source: 2020 Iowa State of the State address Jan 14, 2020

Kim Reynolds: Major cuts to college funding to address budget shortfall

Education: Increase state funding for higher education?

Hubbell: Yes. "We've just been cutting, cutting, cutting." Proposes tuition payback for students at Iowa colleges who commit to 5 years working in rural Iowa.

Reynolds: No. Supported major cuts to address budget shortfall.

Source: 2018 CampusElect.org Issue Guide on Iowa Governor race Nov 1, 2018

Kim Reynolds: $28 million for public-private partnerships for child care

It's in our state's interests to encourage these types of public-private partnerships, which is why we created the Child Care Challenge Fund last year. This year, we need to fund that program, so I'm allocating $3 million to jump-start these public-private partnerships. I'm also using $25 million of child care development block grants to further promote child care startups. Let's remove the obstacles to high-quality, affordable child care. Source: 2021 State of the State Address to the Iowa legislature Jan 12, 2021

Kim Reynolds: Make open enrollment available in all school districts

School choice shouldn't be limited to those who have the financial means or live in a district that allows open enrollment. Let's make choice an option for everyone. We can do that by making open enrollment available in all districts and by allowing our communities more flexibility to create public charter schools where there is a need for an alternative. We should create education savings accounts for students who are trapped in a failing school; let's give them another choice. Source: 2021 State of the State Address to the Iowa legislature Jan 12, 2021

Kim Reynolds: Give families funds for education system of their choice

All schools should be required to publish what they're teaching. There's no reason to hide it--at least no good reason. The same goes for the books in the library. Parents should know what their kids have access to, and they should have a timely process to address their concerns. Because when our parents are fully informed, they can make informed choices. And ultimately, that's what every parent deserves: a choice.

I'll be introducing legislation that allows middle- and low-income families and students with an individualized educational plan to receive a portion of the `per pupil' funds allocated annually by the state to move their child to the education system of their choice. About 70% (over $5,300) of those funds will go directly into an account for families to customize their child's education. The remaining 30% will be distributed by the state to smaller school districts.

Source: 2022 State of the State Address to the Iowa legislature Jan 11, 2022

Kim Reynolds: Launch the first teacher registered apprenticeship program

We'll be launching the first teacher registered apprenticeship program in the country, letting schools effectively grow their own workforce. High school apprentices start classroom instruction in their junior year and, within a year of graduation, they can earn a paraeducator credential and associates degree. And for paraeducators, their day jobs will count toward student teaching requirements, greatly reducing the cost and time required to become a teacher. Source: 2022 State of the State Address to the Iowa legislature Jan 11, 2022

Kimberly Graham: Opposes Betsy DeVos as Education Secretary

Graham does not agree with Ernst's record, particularly when she voted to confirm Betsy DeVos as Secretary of Education. The candidate claimed DeVos has "a demonstrated history" of opposing the very agency she has been confirmed to lead. "Betsy DeVos was well known in Michigan for charter schools and private schools and trying to basically ruin public education in many different ways--she is now the head of public education in this country," Graham said. Source: Newton Daily News on 2020 Iowa Senate race Dec 16, 2019

Kimberly Graham: Should be illegal for college loans to triple from interest

She took out $80,000 in student loans. She still owes a whopping $234,000. That's because she couldn't afford the recommended $1,000 or so monthly payments, so the lender switched her to an income-based repayment plan, which hiked her principal to $168,000 with the accrued interest. She thinks it should be illegal for people to end up owing two to three times what they borrowed. In her plan, existing student debt would revert to the original amount borrowed. Source: Des Moines Register on 2020 Iowa Senate race Dec 16, 2019

Marco Battaglia: Vouchers are wrong for paying for private schooling

Q: Do you support or oppose the statement, "Vouchers for school choice"?

A: Oppose. Vouchers are based on the government's taking of money from people in order to fund the costs of private schooling for a select number of people's children. This is wrong.

Source: OnTheIssues interview of 2018 Iowa Governor candidate May 13, 2018

Martin O`Malley: Goal of affordable & debt-free college, like in Maryland

SANDERS [to O'Malley]: In the year 2015, we should look at a college degree the same way we looked at a high school degree 50 or 60 years ago. If you want to make it into the middle class, the bottom line now, is in America, in the year 2015, any person who has the ability and the desire should be able to get an education, college education, regardless of the income of his or her family. And we must substantially lower, as my legislation does, interest rates on student debt.

O'MALLEY: I would agree with much of what Senator Sanders says. I believe that actually affordable college, debt-free college is the goal that we need to attain as a nation. And, unlike my two distinguished colleagues on this stage, I actually made college more affordable and was the only state that went four years in a row without a penny's increase to college tuition.

Source: 2015 CBS Democratic primary debate in Iowa Nov 14, 2015

Martin O`Malley: Dad went to college on GI bill; kids went on pile of bills

Q: Q: Senator Sanders, you want to make public college free altogether. And you want to have the states pay for about 1/3 of this $70 billion plan, correct?

SANDERS: Yes.

O'MALLEY: I respectfully disagree with Senator Sander's approach. I believe that the goal should be debt-free college. I believe that our Federal Government needs to do more on Pell grants. States need to stop cutting higher education, and we should create a new block grant program that keeps the states' skin in the game, and we should lower these outrageous interest rates that parents and kids are being charged by their own government. 7% and 8% to go to college? I mean, my dad went to college on a G.I. Bill after coming home from Japan, flying 33 missions. My daughters went to college on a mountain of bills. We were proud of them on graduation day, but we're going to be proud every month for the rest of our natural lives. It doesn't need to be that way. We can have debt-free college in the United States.

Source: 2015 CBS Democratic primary debate in Iowa Nov 14, 2015

Matthew Whitaker: Common Core is cram-it-down-your-throat reform

Source: CaffeinatedThoughts blog on 2014 Iowa Senate primary debate Oct 24, 2013

Matthew Whitaker: Common Core is one-size-fits-all, top-down solution

Matt Whitaker released a video today addressing the Common Core State Standards. In an email to supporters the campaign wrote, "I'm writing to you today because we have serious trouble brewing in our education system and I know that you have a personally vested interest in the future of our children, our schools, and our nation." They said that is why they released the video in which Whitaker criticized the Common Core because he does not believe in "one-size-fits-all, top-down solutions" for the problems facing our country. He said the Common Core represents a nationalized approach to education "that has failed so many times before."

Common Core is becoming a wedge issue within the Republican primary. Opponents have pointed out that Common Core standards were pushed out into the states without legislative grants of approvals through a competitive grant program, Race to the Top, that wasn't authorized by Congress in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

Source: CaffeinatedThoughts.com AdWatch on 2014 Iowa Senate race Mar 4, 2014

Michael Franken: Free community college; decrease interest on student loans

Higher education must also be made more accessible and affordable. Pell Grants must be greatly expanded to make public education a reality for lower-income applicants. Federal money must also go towards reducing tuition to zero at community colleges. Mike supports decreasing interest rates for federal student loans. We must also establish a Federal Loan Forgiveness Program to increase volunteerism and economic growth in private and non-profit sectors.

I want to create a diverse, expansive roster of federal and state programs and provide a pipeline for high school graduates. We can reward them for their service by offsetting costs for technical training or public education. In my Expanded National Service Program, our kids can serve their fellow Americans and know that after their service is concluded, opportunities abound for them.

Source: 2020 Iowa Senate campaign website FrankenForIowa.org May 27, 2020

Michael Franken: Increase teacher pay; improve rural education; expand pre-K

Mike will start by increasing teacher pay through federal minimum pay and benefit standards. Improving rural education starts with balancing per student spending for urban and rural areas. Mike also supports federal standards and associated funding for reduced class size and facility improvements. For younger students, pre-K should be expanded to include all children at age four. Source: 2020 Iowa Senate campaign website FrankenForIowa.org May 27, 2020

Michele Bachmann: Don't censor intelligent design, but it's a state issue

While emphasizing that she didn't have a platform position on teaching evolution --since she believed it wasn't something the federal government and president should be involved in--Bachmann said her religious beliefs informed her scientific views and that sufficient questions have been raised concerning evolution to justify alternative theories to be discussed in science classes.

"I do believe that God created the earth and I believe that there are issues that need to be addressed--the Second Law of Thermodynamics, the issue of irreducible complexity, the dearth of fossil record," she said. "Those are all very real issues that should be addressed in science classes."

Not allowing ideas like intelligent design to be discussed in science classes amounted to government censorship, she said. "I think the one thing we do not want to have is censorship by government," she said. "Government shouldn't be dictating what information goes on the table."

Source: Jason Noble in Des Moines Register, "Early Life in Iowa" Nov 30, 2011

Mike Huckabee: Common Core morphed into a frankenstandard that I oppose

Mike Huckabee sought to dispel Iowa conservatives of the notion that he supports Common Core, the national education standards that have sparked a revolt among Republicans. "Folks, what Common Core may have originally been was a governor-controlled states initiative to keep the fickle federal fingers of fate off of education," Huckabee said. "It has morphed into a frankenstandard that nobody, including me, can support." Source: Des Moines Register on 2015 Iowa Freedom Summit Jan 24, 2015

Mike Huckabee: If you get free college in your 20s, you'll pay in your 30s

When Bernie Sanders promises these kids free college, I said, "If we give you free college when you are 20, you are going to be paying for it when you are 30, when you are 40, and when you are 50. There is no such thing as the government giving you anything. Source: 2016 Fox News Republican Undercard debate in Iowa Jan 28, 2016

Nate Boulton: State must fund public schools, not voucher schemes

Iowa can be a world-class leader in education if we prioritize consistent funding for education at all levels--from universal pre-K to higher education. Nate will champion education issues so that school districts can thrive instead of struggling to make ends meet and competing against each other for funds. Additionally, we must resist efforts that would take funds out of our public schools to support private and home school voucher or savings account schemes. Source: 2018 Iowa gubernatorial campaign website BoultonForIowa.com Jul 17, 2017

Nate Boulton: Supports teacher's unions to attract best teachers

Republicans gutted teachers' rights to bargain for better base wages, earn raises, and receive the benefits they deserve for serving as leaders in building the future for our local communities. Nate will ensure Iowa values the profession of teaching by fighting to restore teachers' rights and ensure we have the best and brightest teaching our children. Source: 2018 Iowa gubernatorial campaign website BoultonForIowa.com Jul 17, 2017

Pat Murphy: Raise teacher pay and expand universal preschool

Investing in Education: As Speaker of the Iowa House, Pat led efforts to raise teacher pay and expand universal preschool to all Iowa four-year olds. In Congress, he will make sure teachers have a seat at the table when education policy is being crafted and vote against efforts to cut early childhood, public and special education funding so all students are given the support they need to succeed from day one. He will work to pass the Student Loan Relief Act that caps rates on 20-year loans, saving families a projected $11,000 in interest payments, and will work to create partnerships between community colleges, business and labor leaders to ensure worker retraining programs are preparing Iowa workers for good-paying local jobs. Source: 2014 Iowa House campaign website, PatMurphyForIowa.com Oct 10, 2014

Patty Judge: Increased access to Pell Grants & student loan refinancing

Ensuring access to affordable education is critical. Patty believes we need to address the growing burden of student loans on college graduates. Patty will be an advocate for increased access to Pell Grants, allowing graduates to refinance student loans at lower interest rates (an effort Chuck Grassley has opposed), and supports two years of free tuition at community colleges for students who maintain high academic standards. Source: 2016 Iowa Senate campaign website PattyJudgeForIowa.com Aug 8, 2016

Patty Judge: Commitment to a quality public education

Patty Judge has received the recommendation of the National Education Association. "Access to a quality education is something that makes our state & nation stronger and it's an issue that I will continue to fight for in the US Senate," said Judge.

The NEA and ISEA issued a joint press release in support of Judge's campaign: "Given her commitment to students and public education, we believe that Patty will do what is best for all of the children of the state of Iowa regardless of the ZIP code in which they live," said the NEA President. "She knows that when children have a fair chance, we not only create stronger public schools, we create a stronger country."

"Partisan politics have no place in our great public schools. Patty Judge is committed to Iowa's students, professional educators and public schools and understands that even in lean economic times they are the resources that will lead us back to economic prosperity.," added the president of the Iowa State Education Association.

Source: 2016 Iowa Senate campaign website "NEA Endorsement" Jun 30, 2016

Ras Smith: Voted NO on $40M more for schools; $150M more for teachers

Legislative Outcome:ÿBill passed the Iowa House 55-40-5 on Feb. 6, 2017; State Rep. Ras Smith voted NAY; passed the Iowa Senate on Feb. 2, 2017, 28-21.

Source: Governor's Press Release on Iowa voting records for SF166 Feb 6, 2017

Rick Santorum: Reform education; only 30% get college degrees

Santorum said, "One of my favorite sayings that I know that you hear Republicans say all the time is 'a rising tide lifts all boats.' And that is true, unless your boat has a hole in it."

Santorum painted a picture of the country in which 70% of Americans lack college degrees. Maybe they're struggling with family breakdown or drug abuse, he said, but they still want to work hard and better themselves--they just have holes in their boats.

Supporting America's workers starts with education reform, Santorum said. Then it means reforming welfare--and that includes corporate welfare, he added.

"You want to show that you're relating to the folks who are working in America? Then we have to go out and prove it." Santorum received huge applause for decrying the Common Core and touting his last go-around in Iowa.

Source: Des Moines Register on 2015 Iowa Freedom Summit Jan 24, 2015

Rob Hogg: $45M for teacher salary increases plus 4-year-old preschool

H-8172: Teacher Salary Amendment
Amendment Rejected House (46-51); Rep. Hogg voted Yea

Vote to adopt an amendment that appropriates $99 million for the fiscal year 2007, an additional $30 million annually for the next three years, and beginning in 2010 sets the final appropriation amount at $219 million, to the Student Achievement and Teacher Quality Program.

H-8178 Preschool Amendment
Amendment Rejected House (46 - 51); Rep. Rob Hogg voted Yea

Vote to adopt an amendment that establishes preschool for four year-olds and appropriates $15 million to implement the program.

April 19, 2007 : SF 277 Teacher Pay and Incentive Programs: Rep. Rob Hogg voted Yea (Conference Report Adopted in Senate, 35 - 14)
April 18, 2007: HF 877 Statewide Preschool Program: Rep. Rob Hogg voted Yea (Bill Passed Senate, 36 - 14)

Source: VoteSmart synopsis of 2006 Iowa legislative voting records Mar 15, 2006

Rob Hogg: Excellent schools are of utmost importance

On the economy, Hogg knows effective government can help build a vibrant economy that works for all people. Higher wages will contribute to increased spending,boosting our economy in turn.

Education is one of the areas for which Hogg has fought hard in the Iowa Legislature.Affordable college education and excellent schools are of utmost importance. He sees the need for more math and science opportunities to prepare students for the future.

Source: Forbes Magazine OpEd on 2016 Iowa Senate race Mar 15, 2016

Rob Hogg: Include financial literacy in core statewide curriculum

SF 2216: State-Mandated Curriculum for Schools: a statewide core curriculum.

Establish a voluntary model core curriculum, including 4 years of English and language arts, 3 years of mathematics, 3 years of science, and 3 years of social studies.
The voluntary model core curriculum shall include social studies and 21st-century learning skills which include civic literacy, health literacy, technology literacy, financial literacy, and employability skills; and shall address students in K-through-12 in those areas.
"Financial literacy" shall include financial responsibility and planning skills; money management skills, including setting financial goals, creating spending plans, and using financial instruments; applying decision-making skills to analyze debt incurrence and debt management; understanding risk management and functions of insurance; and understanding saving and investing.

Source: Iowa legislative voting records for S.F. 2216 Feb 26, 2008

Rod Blum: Replace top-down structure with parental control

I believe the current top-down structure of educating America's youth is failing and it appears the numbers appear to back this up. You don't have to look far to see that public schools aren't what they used to be. Prior to the interventionism of the U.S. Department of Education, American learning institutions produced highly sought after professionals. Today, firms in America look to other countries for employees in areas such as technology and engineering.

There is an abundance of opportunity to improve the quality of education in this country and like so many other problems we face, the answer is staring us right in the face--freedom. American families need to be free to educate their children as they see fit. Whether they attend public or private schools or if they are home schooled. It's important that the control & oversight of educating our nation's youth be returned as close to home as possible and we remove as much power as possible from Washington.

Source: 2014 Iowa House campaign website, RodBlum.com Nov 4, 2014

Roxanne Conlin: Invest in education: fund K-12 & retain teachers

In Iowa, we believe the way to a better life is a good education. We must invest in education. What can the federal government do? Schools across Iowa and the country are facing closings and layoffs. Class sizes are increasing and arts and music classes are being cut. I will assure funding for our K-12 schools, so that we can retain teachers in the classroom and advance our educational opportunities. We need more preschools so that our little ones can start kindergarten ready to learn. Source: 2010 Senate campaign website, www.RoxanneForIowa, "Issues" Jul 20, 2010

Sam Clovis: Repeal No Child Left Behind and the Common Core

The Department of Education is too deeply involved in issues that should be decided at the state & local level. The current Common Core initiative should be struck down immediately and No Child Left Behind should be repealed. These programs have taken teaching out of the hands of teaching professionals and have forced behaviors that are damaging the learning environments in which we place our children. The federal government needs to get out of the education business of state and local jurisdictions. Source: 2014 Senate campaign website, Iowans4SamClovis.com, "Issues" Nov 11, 2013

Sam Clovis: Common Core is federal overreach in spending and control

Sam Clovis took on the issue of Common Core ahead of a forum on the perils of one-size-fits-all national education standards. "One of the most important tenets of a conservative platform is parental local control of education. Unelected national bodies establishing education policy for the entire country is the opposite of local control," said Clovis. "These entities pay no price for being wrong yet we are subject to their mandated experiments."

Over 40 states, including Iowa, accepted Common Core standards when the federal government offered grants and No Child Left Behind waivers as part of Obama's Race To The Top stimulus spending. Bevin continued by saying that the outlandish expense alone is reason to oppose this federal overreach in education. "Establishing national standards, employing unproven testing, and administering suspicious assessment processes while conducting privacy-invading data mining runs counter to common sense governance and proven conservative principles."

Source: Caffeinated Thoughts on 2014 Iowa Senate race Nov 22, 2013

Sam Clovis: FactCheck: Common Core originated with governors, not feds

Fact-Check on Sam Clovis' statement below: The Common Core State Standards originated with the National Governors Association and Council of Chief State School Officers. While these did not originate in the U.S. Department of Education as Sam suggests, the Department has been highly involved in funding the assessment consortiums (Smarter Balanced and PARCC) and pushing the implementation of these standards through the Race to the Top program and No Child Left Behind waivers.

Clovis said about the Common Core: "One of the most important tenets of a conservative platform is parental local control of education. Unelected national bodies [such as the federal Department of Education] establishing education policy for the entire country is the opposite of local control. Establishing national standards, employing unproven testing, and administering suspicious assessment processes while conducting privacy-invading data mining runs counter to common sense governance and proven conservative principles."

Source: Caffeinated Thoughts FactCheck on 2014 Iowa Senate race Nov 22, 2013

Steve Forbes: Federal involvement creates the crisis in our schools

Q: How much power do you think the federal government should have over state education? A: The more the federal government is involved in education, the greater an education crisis we will have. The key to education renaissance is to put parents-not politics-in charge of our schools. I'll take that money from the education department, earmark it, block grant it back to states and municipalities with the provision that parents have true choice in picking their schools. Source: GOP Debate in Johnston, Iowa Jan 16, 2000

Steve Forbes: Choice in education makes us more moral & more educated

I support true parental control of education. If you want to send your child to a parochial school, you should have the freedom to do so & the government should not stand in your way. If you want to homeschool your child, you should be free to do so & not have the whole bureaucracy on your backs with truancy. If you want your child in a secular school, go ahead. Freedom of choice for parents is absolutely critical. Then we'll have a more moral people, a better educated people, and a stronger America. Source: GOP Debate in Johnston, Iowa Jan 16, 2000

Terry Branstad: One Unshakable Vision: World-Class Schools for Iowa

Young people today must meet higher expectations than ever to succeed in this global economy. For the future of our children and our state, we must transform our good schools into world-class schools. "One Unshakable Vision: World-Class Schools for Iowa," represents a long-term, reform-minded policy direction that builds from Iowa's strengths and adopts whole system improvements with lessons learned from the highest-performing systems in the world. Source: 2011 Iowa Gubernatorial press release Oct 3, 2011

Terry Branstad: Score every Iowa high school for Post-Secondary Readiness

Gov. Branstad and Lt. Gov. Reynolds announced a new state website that shows how prepared students are for success in postsecondary education and training upon graduation from public high schools. Iowa's Postsecondary Readiness Report provides student enrollment in college and career training, postsecondary remedial course-taking rates, and postsecondary retention and completion rates for every public high school in Iowa.

"This new resource supports our Future Ready Iowa initiative, which is about ensuring more Iowans have great career opportunities and employers have a workforce that is ready to fill the high-quality, well-paying jobs and careers of today and tomorrow," Branstad said. "With more than 2/3 of all jobs in Iowa expected to require postsecondary education or training beyond high school, it's critical that our students graduate from high school prepared for success at the next level. The new Postsecondary Readiness Report helps us understand whether that's happening."

Source: IA Lieutenant Gubernatorial website LtGovernor.Iowa.Gov Jan 17, 2017

Terry Branstad: Future Ready Iowa: 70% of Iowans beyond high school

Source: 2017 State of the State address to Iowa Legislature Jan 10, 2017

Terry Branstad: Teacher Leadership System for every public school

Together we have made progress toward our goal of restoring Iowa's schools to best in the nation through a series of landmark reforms and innovative policies. To improve Iowa's education standing, we needed to make sure our hardworking teachers had all the tools necessary to succeed given higher expectations for all students.

So, we created a new Teacher Leadership System that better utilizes the expertise of top teachers to improve education, instruction and foster greater collaboration. I'm proud to say that every public school in Iowa today is participating in our Teacher Leadership System. Sustaining these measures over time is critical to get the right results for our students and our state.

Source: 2017 State of the State address to Iowa Legislature Jan 10, 2017

Terry Branstad: $40m more for schools despite budget cuts elsewhere

Senate File 166 would modify requirements for the state school foundation program. Said Gov. Branstad, "With $40 million additional dollars, the total state commitment to schools next year will be $3.184 billion dollars. While Iowa is facing challenging budget times because of the downturn in our agricultural economy, we exempted K-12 education funding cuts and increased funding for next year."

Lt. Gov. Kim Reynolds added, "By setting funding levels early in the session, we are able to provide predictability and stability that administrators, school boards and teachers need. I want to thank the legislature for moving quickly on this important issue. The Teacher Leadership System rewards our great teachers-- the key to giving students a globally competitive education and helping us close the skills gap in Iowa."

The bill passed the Iowa House 55-40 on Feb. 6, 2017 and the Iowa Senate on Feb. 2, 2017, 28-21.

Source: Governor's Press Release on Iowa voting records for SF166 Feb 8, 2017

Theresa Greenfield: Expand pre-K, invest in higher education, apprenticeships

Theresa will always put teachers and students first. That starts with expanding public pre-kindergarten to making sure Iowa's workforce has the right skills for the 21st century, and includes investing in higher education and job training, like apprenticeships where Iowans can earn while they learn. Theresa is committed to fully funding Pell grants, and ensuring our educators have the compensation, resources, and respect they deserve--including the ability to organize and collectively bargain. Source: 2020 Iowa Senate campaign website GreenfieldForIowa.com Jun 2, 2020

Theresa Greenfield: Refinance student debt; find ways to work off the debt

Greenfield: Student debt is a really serious crisis and it has kept so many of our young leaders from starting families and businesses. We need to get back into investing into education. Then we need to make sure that students can refinance their student debt and we need to find ways for students to participate in programs where they can work off their student debt whether they are medical professionals or young farmers that want to come back and get started in farming. Source: Iowa Public Television transcript of 2020 Iowa Senate debate Sep 28, 2020

Theresa Greenfield: Debt free community college and trade schools

Greenfield: I support debt free community college, trade schools, technical schools, advancing our apprenticeship programs so people can earn while they learn. We need to then make sure that our small businesses can grow, providing more capital, more credit so that they can expand in this state. So we marry the two, a stronger workforce with skilled training where they can start their small businesses, growing small business. Source: Iowa Public Television transcript of 2020 Iowa Senate debate Sep 28, 2020

Tim Pawlenty: Parents should have educational options, like home schooling

Public education must be improved, but families also deserve better access to more options, such as charter schools and home schooling, he said, calling the public school system a government-run, lethargic monopoly. Source: IowaCauus.com, "Pawlenty in Iowa City" Feb 7, 2011

Tom Fiegen: We are forcing a lifetime of slavery to student loans

Can think of a more bizarre policy than to tell our best and our brightest to get an education to make them more productive workers and better citizens, but that the price is a lifetime of slavery to student loans? At graduation this spring, the total of our student loans reached $1.2 trillion! Loans that our graduates cannot refinance, they will never likely pay back, and which will prevent them from ever owning a house, getting married, or starting a family. Enough of this madness! We need to make higher education free to every qualified student and we need to refinance, reform and reduce the loan burden for people who have already graduated. A mind is a terrible thing to waste -- and to enslave to needless debt. Source: 2016 Iowa Senate campaign website, FiegenForUSSenate.com Oct 9, 2015

Tom Fiegen: More funds for schools, teachers, and Head Start

Increase state funds for school capital improvements (e.g. buildings and infrastructure).
Increase state funds for hiring additional teachers.
Provide state funding to increase teacher salaries.
Increase state funding to expand Head Start programs.
Support age-appropriate sexual education programs that teach about abstinence, contraceptives and HIV/STD prevention methods.

Source: Iowa Congressional 2002 National Political Awareness Test Nov 1, 2002

Tom Hoefling: True Local Control: TLC for public schools

Hoefling said if he's elected, he'll seek to eliminate the state's income tax and enact "fundamental tax and regulatory reform." He added that he wants to implement what he calls "True Local Control or TLC" for public schools. Source: Fort Dodge Messenger on 2014 Iowa gubernatorial race Feb 12, 2014

Tom Hoefling: Post the Ten Commandments in public school buildings

Question topic: Efforts to bring Islamic law (shariah) to America do not pose a threat to our country and its Constitution.

Hoefling: Strongly Disagree.

Question topic: Judeo-Christian values established a framework of morality which permitted our system of limited government.

Hoefling: Strongly Agree.

Question topic: The Ten Commandments should not be displayed in public school buildings.

Hoefling: Strongly Disagree.

Question topic: Religious freedom is our most foundational freedom and deserves added protection in our state and federal constitutions.

Hoefling: Strongly Agree.

Source: Faith2Action iVoterGuide on 2013 Iowa Gubernatorial campaign Jul 2, 2014

Tom Steyer: Redistribute tax dollars so every kid gets a good education

I want to go back to this question about education, because we're talking a lot about college. But if you talk about the Poor People's Campaign, you have to realize that for the youngest kids, they are getting an education that's relative to the taxes in their neighborhoods. We need to redistribute money so every kid has a chance, so we're not legislating inequality for the next generation, and so we actually invest in every single kid. Source: 7th Democrat primary debate, on eve of Iowa caucus Jan 14, 2020

Kim Reynolds: Create education savings accounts for private schooling

Every parent should have a choice of where to send their child--and that choice shouldn't be limited to families who can afford it. My school choice bill will create education savings accounts for families who choose to send their child to a private school. The State will contribute $7,598 to that account, which is the amount of funding the State provides for each child who attends a public school. Source: 2023 State of the State Address to the Iowa legislature Jan 10, 2023

The above quotations are from State of Iowa Politicians: Archives. Click here for definitions & background information on Education. Click here for other issues (main summary page).
*2016 Presidential contenders on Education:*
	*Republicans:* ~~Gov.Jeb Bush~~(FL) ~~Dr.Ben Carson~~(MD) ~~Gov.Chris Christie~~(NJ) Sen.Ted Cruz(TX) Carly Fiorina(CA) ~~Gov.Jim Gilmore~~(VA) ~~Sen.Lindsey Graham~~(SC) ~~Gov.Mike Huckabee~~(AR) ~~Gov.Bobby Jindal~~(LA) Gov.John Kasich(OH) ~~Gov.Sarah Palin~~(AK) ~~Gov.George Pataki~~(NY) ~~Sen.Rand Paul~~(KY) ~~Gov.Rick Perry~~(TX) ~~Sen.Rob Portman~~(OH) Sen.Marco Rubio(FL) ~~Sen.Rick Santorum~~(PA) Donald Trump(NY) ~~Gov.Scott Walker~~(WI)	*Democrats:* ~~Gov.Lincoln Chafee~~(RI) Secy.Hillary Clinton(NY) ~~V.P.Joe Biden~~(DE) ~~Gov.Martin O`Malley~~(MD) Sen.Bernie Sanders(VT) ~~Sen.Elizabeth Warren~~(MA) ~~Sen.Jim Webb~~(VA) *2016 Third Party Candidates:* ~~Gov.Gary Johnson~~(L-NM) Roseanne Barr(PF-HI) Robert Steele(L-NY) Dr.Jill Stein(G,MA)
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Page last updated: Feb 18, 2023