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Culver proposes big bump for schools

(Des Moines Register)It looks like it will be a good year for education, school officials and key lawmakers say.

The governor's proposal for more than $200 million in new spending for education programs would mean new college scholarships, more money for preschool programs, and higher salaries for teachers and college faculty.

"I am just totally thrilled by the governor's aggressive agenda," said Rep. Mary Mascher, a Democrat from Iowa City. "Education is definitely his number one. It's his focus. It's what he campaigned on."

With a Democratic majority in the Iowa General Assembly, "I think the chances are that about 99 percent of these things will become a reality," Mascher said.

Republicans' enthusiasm was more tempered.

"Education is critical to Iowa, and I'm appreciative of the governor's efforts," said Rep. Mike May, a Republican from Spirit Lake. "But that's a huge spending amount, and there's no question we can't afford all these things."

"The devil is in the details," said Sen. Paul McKinley, a Republican from Chariton, who supports rewarding teachers based on student achievement. "Merely putting more money into the system without changing the system will not really make a difference."

One of Culver's priorities is to bring teacher pay from 40th in the nation to 25th. He said his proposed $70 million appropriation for salary increases in fiscal year 2008 would be the largest single increase in teacher pay ever made in the state.

"We're obviously very pleased," said Lana Oppenheim Schlapkohl, a spokeswoman for the Iowa State Education Association. "I think it will help with the cuts that had to be made during lean years."

Salaries for K-12 teachers in the 2007-08 school year would go up roughly $2,900 per teacher. "That's still about $5,000 below this year's national average," Schlapkohl said, "but it sure gets us closer."

Details of the governor's education plan

Highlights of Culver's plan for Iowa's schools:

PRESCHOOL: Place more certified teachers in the early childhood education classrooms and reduce waiting lists until all 4-year-olds have access to quality preschool. Proposed new spending: $20 million, with increases over four years.

TEACHER SALARIES: Boost teacher salaries to the national average. Proposed new spending: $70 million.

CLASSROOM INSTRUCTION: Improve the quality of classroom instruction. Proposed new spending: $95 million for the 2007-08 budget year, based on a 4 percent increase in per-pupil spending.

ADVANCED HIGH SCHOOL CLASSES: Offer more courses that are at the level of the first year of college. Called the Senior Year Plus program, it would allow every senior to earn up to a year of college credit, saving families future college tuition expenses. Now, only half have access to any college credit, Culver said. Proposed new spending: $300,000 in fiscal year 2008 and $3 million in fiscal year 2009.

COMMUNITY COLLEGES: Update them so they can train Iowa's work force for jobs in renewable energy, alternative fuels and other fields. Proposed new spending: $12.4 million.

SCHOLARSHIPS FOR PUBLIC COLLEGES: As many as 5,000 high school graduates, based on financial need, would get up to $2,500 for up to two years at an Iowa community college or $5,000 for up to one year of college at Iowa State University, the University of Iowa or the University of Northern Iowa. It would be called the All-Iowa Oppotunity program. Proposed new spending: $5 million in fiscal year 2008 and then $25 million in fiscal year 2009.

HIGHER EDUCATION: More money for the three regents universities. Proposed new spending: $25 million.

STEM CELL RESEARCH CENTER: Create the Iowa Center for Regenerative Medicine at the University of Iowa. Proposed new spending: $12.5 million.Gov. Chet Culver, as anticipated, made a splash Tuesday with his proposals for revving up Iowa's renewable energy industry by seeking an immediate $25 million down payment on his proposed $100 million Iowa Power Fund.