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Thu, 04 Feb 2010 05:00:00 GMT

Legislative Forums

ISEA members are encouraged to attend legislative forums to get to know their legislators and to communicate the legislative agenda of the ISEA.

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2010 Legislative Updates

Tue, 26 Jan 2010 05:00:00 GMT

ISEA Legislative Update for
Major Education Bills - 2010

If you have any questions about the content of this page, please email Jon Studer, Lobbyist for ISEA at jstuder @isea.org. This Legislative Update only includes major bills impacting ISEA members.
For a complete list of bills that ISEA followed during the 2010 Legislative Session including ISEA's declared position, go to the Lobbyist Section of the Iowa General Assembly website . Please select "Retrieve Bills by Lobbyist" and enter Studer for the Last Name.
For a complete list of Education Bills go to the Department of Education's Legislative Update.

Updated: March 10, 2010

Bill Number ( Link)	Working Title	Status	Comments (Brief Description and Legislative Action)
SF 2033	Race to the Top	Signed by Governor	This bill relates to the approval and revocation of charter schools, the establishment of innovation zone schools by a consortium of two or more school districts and an area education agency, and provides for the implementation of interventions for lowest=achieving schools. The bill directs the director of the department of education to require a school district that has one or more attendance centers identified by the department as a persistently lowest=achieving school to implement one or more of the interventions mandated by the U.S. department of education. A school district required to implement one or more interventions and the employee organization representing the school district's teachers must meet at reasonable times to negotiate a memorandum of understanding that contains an agreement on the specific intervention to be implemented. The bill eliminates references to the pilot program status of the state's charter school law; eliminates a limitation on the number of charter schools the state board of education may approve for operation; adds a factor for which a charter school contract may be revoked; and eliminates the future repeal of charter school. The bill provides for the establishment of innovation zone schools by two or more school districts and an area education agency as part of the state's program of public education.
SF 2045	Allowable Growth Delay	Signed by Governor	This bill delays establishing allowable growth for 2011-12, from the 2010 Legislative Session to the 2011 Legislative Session. The bill is effective upon enactment. This is only a one-time delay. During the 2011 Legislative Session, the Legislature will set both 2011-12 and 2012-13 allowable growth within 30 days of the Governor's budget submission.
SF 2046	Categorical Allowable Growth Delay	Signed by Governor	This bill delays establishing the categorical allowable growth for 2011-12, from the 2010 Legislative Session to the 2011 Legislative Session. The bill is effective upon enactment. This is only a one-time delay. During the 2011 Legislative Session, the Legislature will set both 2011-12 and 2012-13 categorical allowable growth within 30 days of the Governor's budget submission. The categorical allowable growth includes teacher salary supplement, professional development supplement, and early intervention supplement.
SF 2088 S-5072 H-8276	State Reorganization	To The Governor	This bill as amended by S-5072 and H-8276 has numerous division impacting all areas of State Government. The major impact to ISEA members is Area Education Agencies (AEAs) and Community Colleges. AEAs: The bill requires the Department of Education to provide guidance and standards to area education agencies for federal and state education initiatives which the AEAs must implement statewide. Requires the AEA agency board to collaborate with the department of education to provide a statewide infrastructure for educational data. The AEA boards shall jointly develop a three=year statewide strategic plan. The bill aslo creates "Advisory Council" to the AEA boards. Community Colleges: The orginal language on community college workload and accreditation was eliminated. The bill now creates a review of the community college accreditation process and a study of the maxium workload beyond the standard workload. Faculty that have taught overload can continue to teach overload classes for the 2010-11 school year, if they choose to teach overload. This bill has been sent to the Governor. ISEA is undecided on this bill as amended.
SF 2178	Nonpublic Textbook Definition	House Floor	This bill relates to the use of state funds allocated to school districts for purposes of making textbooks available to accredited nonpublic school pupils by expanding the definition of textbooks to include laptop computers or other portable personal computing devices which are used for nonreligious instructional use only. Currently, the definition is limited to books, supplementary instructional materials, and electronic textbooks, including but not limited to computer software. The bill has passed the Senate. ISEA is against this bill.
SF 2288 HF 2492	Dept. of Ed. Corrections	House Floor	This bill has miscellaneous technical corrections to education law. The bill has passed the Senate. ISEA is undecided on this bill.
SF 2290 HF 2462	Physical Plant & Equip Levy Uses	Senate Floor	The bill expands the authorized uses of the regular physical plant and equipment (PPEL) funds to include the purchase, lease=purchase, and lease of computers and computer=related equipment; computer software; payment of technical support, including contractual support and in=house technical support training; and the cost of repair of any equipment purchased with PPEL funds. No funds paid to school districts from the school infrastructure funds may be used for the purposes of the bill. The regular PPEL is 33 1/3 cents per $1,000 of property value and does not require voter approval. ISEA is in support of the bill. The House has passed HF 2462.
SF 2291	Special Ed. Corrections	Signed by Governor	This bill makes technical corrections to special education. ISEA is undecided on this bill. The bill has passed the Senate.
SF 2366	Supplemental Appropriations	House Floor	This bill makes various appropriations for the current year, 2009-10. The major appropriation for ISEA members is for community college general aid of $5,943,581. The additional funding is to comply with the maintenance of effort requirements of the federal stabilization funds. The bill has passed the Senate. ISEA is undecided on this bill.
SSB3248	Education Appropriations Bill	Senate Approp.	This bill appropriates 2010-11 funding to various educational entities including the Department of Education, Community Colleges, and the Board of Regents. It does not include K-12 school aid funding. The major appropriation impacting ISEA members is the community college appropriation. The bill appropriates $158.8 million in state general aid which is an increase of $9.2 million compared to state general aid this year. However, community colleges received one-time federal stabalization funds this year for general aid so community colleges actually receive $16.4 million less general aid. This bill also includes very important legislative language for ISEA members. The bill exempts the school district and area education agency teacher salary supplement district cost, the professional development supplement district cost, and the early intervention supplement district cost from an across=the=board reduction. Moneys appropriated by the general assembly for community college instructor salaries are also exempted from across=the=board reductions in state funding ordered by the governor. These provisions take effect upon enactment. The bill requires school districts and area education agencies to combine payments made to teachers to create a combined salary, requires the teacher contract to include the combined salary, and requires that the salary schedule only use the combined salary. This provision takes effect upon enactment. The bill requires the board of educational examiners to provide a complaint, any amendment to a complaint, and any supporting documents to the respondent. This provision takes effect upon enactment. The bill requires that the area education agency task force review funding options for area education agencies subject to across=the=board reductions ordered by the governor.
SJR 2008	BOEE Rule Nullification	Funneled	The administrative rule which is the subject of this nullification resolution relates to the contents of the notice of a complaint filed with the board of educational examiners and sent to the respondent. Prior to the adoption of the identified subrule, the respondent received a copy of the complaint which identified the person making the complaint. With the implementation of this subrule, the respondent will be informed of the identity of the complainant only after the board has found probable cause to hold a disciplinary hearing. This joint resolution nullifies the subrule and takes effect upon enactment. The bill has passed the Senate. ISEA is in support of this bill.
HF 2030	Cash Reserve Limits	Signed by Governor	This bill requires the School Budget Review Committee (SBRC) to review school district's unexpended fund balance. The bill defines unexpended fund balance as the unreserved undesignated fund balance. If the SBRC determines the unexpended fund balance is excessive, they can limit a school district's cash reserve limit. The SBRC will also take into account a school district's unexpended fund balance before granting modified allowable growth.
HF 2186	Comm.. Coll. Work Load Limits	Funneled See SF 2088	This bill relates to the academic workload for a community college instructor. The bill specifies as the minimum standard for an instructor a workload equivalent to 15 credit hours per college term, and does not provide for a maximum limit, but allows, at the instructor's discretion, an instructor to teach a course or courses beyond the standard minimum if requested by a community college. ISEA is against this bill. ISEA believes input from faculty across the state should occur before a significant change in workload is adopted. This bill is technically dead due to Legislative timelines. The issue can be brought up as an amendment to a live bill. See SF 2088.
HF 2187	Comm. Coll. Accreditation	Funneled See SF 2088	This bill relates to the accreditation process for community by eliminating the current process and requiring the state board to adopt rules establishing an accreditation process that is integrated with the accreditation process of the north central association of colleges and schools, and making the standards for community college instructors and programs established by the state board a process separate from that of the accreditation process. The bill requires the department to monitor and evaluate the standards for community college instructors and programs through a process developed and agreed upon by the department and the community colleges. ISEA is against this bill. An Accreditation Committee with faculty input made recommendations to streamline the process and the Department is implementing these changes so it is not the time to eliminate the process. This bill is technically dead due to Legislative timelines. The issue can be brought up as an amendment to a live bill. See SF 2088.
HF 2295	AEA Task Force	Senate Floor	This bill establishes a task force to review the present mission, structure, governance, and funding of the area education agency system to determine if the current model is applicable to the challenges and requirements of 21st century learning. The task force membership must be comprised of education stakeholders and consumers of area education agency services, including the department of education, area education agencies, the Iowa association of school boards, the Iowa state education association, the school administrators of Iowa, accredited nonpublic schools, a parent or guardian of a child receiving special education services, and the chairpersons and ranking members of the senate and house standing committees on education. The Bill has passed the House. ISEA is in support of this bill.
HF 2413	Funding Prioritization for Additional Time	Funneled	This bill directs the boards of directors of school districts to prioritize the allocation of federal, state, and local moneys appropriated or levied and other resources available for the purposes of extending the school calendar or the instructional hours in a school day. The bill provides that the primary goal of school districts shall be to increase the number of days in the school calendar or the instructional hours in a day for purposes that include but are not limited to closing the achievement gap and turning around persistently lowest=achieving schools. ISEA is in support of this bill.
HF 2420	Bargaining and Reimbursement for Services	Funneled	This bill is divided into two divisions. Division I is technical changes suggested by the Public Employee Relations Board. Division II of the bill concerns executive branch public employee collective bargaining with respect to reasonable reimbursement of bargaining and grievance services provided by an employee organization to nonmembers. The bill provides that the reasonable reimbursement amount for bargaining services shall not exceed 65 percent of the regular membership dues. The bill provides that no retroactive reimbursements are required. For reimbursement of grievance services, the bill provides that the maximum reasonable reimbursement amount shall not exceed an amount equal to 10 percent of the annual membership dues. The reasonable reimbursement of bargaining and grievance services shall only apply to collective bargaining agreements entered into on or after the effective date of the bill. ISEA is against this bill until it is amended to include all public employees.
HF 2432	Recruiting Minority Teachers Study	Senate Floor	This bill requires representatives of the department of education and area education agencies to study opportunities for recruiting racial and ethnic minority teachers from outside the state. The representatives are given three specific issues to examine relating to community demographics and to teachers' interest in becoming administrators. The representatives must report their findings to the general assembly by January 10, 2011. This bill has passed the House. ISEA is undecided on this bill.
HF 2440	Market Factor Pay for High Crime Areas	Funneled	This bill establishes market factor teacher incentives for school district attendance centers located in areas that have high rates of crime. If the general assembly does not appropriate sufficient funds for incentives, the bill encourages school districts to determine an appropriate revenue source to support incentives. Incentives cannot be used to displace a teacher or to alter teaching assignments without the approval of the affected teachers. The bill requires the teacher quality committee to make recommendations to the school board and collective bargaining representative regarding the awarding of market factor incentives. The bill also requires the department to submit a report on the use and effectiveness of the funds allocated for incentives, and states a legislative intent to reevaluate future appropriations for the incentives based on the report. ISEA is against this bill.
HF 2461	School Business Officials Authorization	Senate Floor	This bill directs the state board of education to set standards and procedures for the approval of training programs for individuals who seek an authorization issued by the board of educational examiners for employment as school business officials responsible for the financial operations of school districts. A person hired on or after July 1, 2012, as a school business official who is without prior experience as a school business official in Iowa must hold the school business official authorization issued by the board pursuant to the bill or obtain the authorization within two years of the start date of employment as a school business official. An individual employed as a school business official prior to July 1, 2012, who meets the board's requirements, other than the training program requirements, must be issued at no charge an initial authorization by the board, but must meet the board's renewal requirements by the time specified by the board. This bill has passed the House. ISEA is undecided on this bill.
HF 2466	Drivers Ed. Instructors Qualifications	Senate Floor	This bill relates to requirements for individuals who provide classroom, street and highway driving instruction. The bill prohibits the department of transportation from disqualifying a person from providing street or highway driving instruction, and prohibits the board of educational examiners from withholding or withdrawing authorization to provide street or highway driving instruction, solely because the person was involved in a motor vehicle accident unless the person contributed to the accident and either the accident caused a death or serious injury or it was the person's second or subsequent contributive motor vehicle accident in a two=year period. This bill has passed the House. ISEA is undecided on this bill.
HF 2485	PERB Chapter 20 Changes	Sent to Governor	This bill contains technical changes to the public employee collective bargaining law and a few minor changes. Eliminates the requirement that an act giving rise to a prohibited practice under this Code section must be willful to constitute a violation. Fact=finding procedures is repealed to eliminate fact=finding from public employee collective bargaining. Arbitration will be conducted by a single arbitrator and not a panel of arbitrators. This bill has passed the House and Senate. ISEA is undecided on this bill.
HF 2518	IPERS	House Floor	This bill has several division impacting several public retirement systems. Division II has the IPERS changes. The bill provides that a member's final average covered wage is the greater of the member's highest five years of a covered wage or the member's three=year average covered wage as of June 30, 2012. From July 1, 2010, until June 30, 2012, a member's final average covered wage shall be the member's three=year average covered wage. A member in regular service shall be vested if the member has completed at least seven years of service. Beginning July 1, 2011, the required contribution for all categories of IPERS members may vary by 1 percentage point from the required contribution rate for the previous year. Current law only allows a 0.5 percentage point variance. The bill also provides that the required contribution rate for regular members in IPERS shall be 13.45 percent for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2011. Penalties for early retirement, is amended to provide that for a member who is not vested on June 30, 2012, and who retires and receives a retirement allowance prior to the member's normal retirement date, the retirement allowance shall be reduced by 0.5 percent for each month the early retirement date precedes the date the member attains age 65. If the member is vested on June 30, 2012, the bill provides that the portion of the member's retirement allowance based upon years of service prior to June 30, 2012, shall be reduced, based on current law, by 0.25 percent for each month that the retirement allowance precedes the member's earliest normal retirement date and the portion of the member's retirement allowance based upon years of service after June 30, 2012, shall be reduced in the same manner as for members who were not vested on June 30, 2012. This provision takes effect June 30, 2012. The provision that allowed an IPERS member to purchase additional wage credits equal to the pay the member would have received if the member was not furloughed and received a reduction in pay from January 1, 2009, until June 30, 2010 is extended until June 30, 2011, and allows a person who has an employee=exercised reduction in pay by means of taking a reduction in pay through exercising union bumping rights the ability to purchase these wage credits. This provision takes effect upon enactment and is retroactively applicable to January 1, 2009. ISEA is in support of this bill.

Legislative Update for Major Education Bills - 2009

Iowa General Assembly Website

Iowa Department of Education Legislative Update

Legislator Contact Report Form

Thu, 12 Feb 2009 05:00:00 GMT

Legislator Contact Report Form

Please use this form to report contacts/meetings with legislators during this legislative session. Your input about what legislators are thinking and saying is important as we continue to advocate for public education in Iowa. Thanks for all you do to support the ISEA Legislative Agenda!

2009 Legislative Update

Mon, 15 Dec 2008 05:00:00 GMT

ISEA Legislative Update for Major Education Bills - Final Action

If you have any questions about the content of this page, please email Jon Studer, Lobbyist for ISEA at jstuder @isea.org. This Legislative Update only includes major bills impacting ISEA members.
For a complete list of bills that ISEA followed during the 2009 Legislative Session including ISEA's declared position, go to the Lobbyist Section of the Iowa General Assembly website . Please select "Retrieve Bills by Lobbyist" and enter Hudson for the Last Name.
For a complete list of Education Bills go to the Department of Education's Legislative Update .

Updated: May 1, 2009

Summary of the 2009 Legislative Session

Summary of Education Funding

Bill Number ( Link)	Working Title	Status	Comments (Brief Description and Legislative Action)
SF 81	Disaster Recovery for Schools	Signed by Governor	This bill assists school districts and accredited nonpublic schools to recover from a disaster.
SF 217	Categorical Allowable Growth	Signed by Governor	This bill establishes a categorical state percent of growth of 2 percent for purposes of the state school foundation program for the school budget year beginning July 1, 2010. The categorical state percent of growth includes the teacher salary supplement, the professional development supplement, and the early intervention supplement. The bill is applicable for state aid computation under the school foundation program for the school budget year beginning July 1, 2010. Summary of Education funding .
SF 218	Allowable Growth	Signed by Governor	This bill establishes a state percent of growth of 2 percent for purposes of the state school foundation program for the school budget year beginning July 1, 2010. The bill is applicable for state aid computation under the school foundation program for the school budget year beginning July 1, 2010. Summary of Education Funding .
SF 359	Mandatory Statewide Writing Assessment	Did Not Pass	This bill requires the state board of education to establish a statewide writing assessment for students in grades three, six, and 10, and requires school districts to begin administering the assessments to students in grade 10 in the 2012= 2013 school year and in grades 3 and 6 in the 2013= 2014 school year. School districts are authorized to use state professional development funds to provide professional development to statewide writing assessment assessors. The assessment must be designed to measure the essential writing skills identified in the Iowa core curriculum. The department of education is directed to collaborate with appropriate stakeholders on the development of the assessment.
SF 445	Teacher Compensation Integration	Signed by Governor	Beginning with the school budget year beginning July 1, 2010, all payments authorized under the Code to compensate teachers shall be combined with wages to create one salary system. Each year each school district and area education agency shall certify to the department of education that the funding received for teacher compensation was spent on salaries for qualified teachers. If employees of a school district or area education agency are organized to bargain, all payments under the new salary system are determined according to Code chapter 20 and available for negotiation. The bill repeals Phase I and II because Phase I will be appropriated separately and Phase II was rolled into the school foundation formula. Summary of 2009 Legislative Session including SF 445 .
SF 470	Education Appropriations	Sent to Governor	The bill as amended by the House appropriates funds for the College Student Aid Commission, Department of Education, Community Colleges, and Board of Regents. Appropriates $157.4 million for the community colleges which is a decrease of $24.4 million 13.4%. The bill appropriates an additional $916,680 for faculty salaries. Summary of 2009 Legislative Session including SF 470. Summary of Education Funding .
SF 478	Salary and Standings Appropriations	Sent to Governor	This bill is a miscellaneous appropriations bill. The education funding includes fully restoring the 2008-09 1.5% across-the-board reduction to teacher compensation. Summary of 2009 Legislative Session including SF 478. Summary of Education Funding .
HF 259	Compulsory School Attendance Age	Did Not Pass	This bill raises the compulsory school attendance age from 16 to 17 for students other than those receiving competent private instruction.
HF 282	School Funding for Dropout Prevention	Did Not Pass	This bill allows a school district to identify up to 7 percent of the district's budget enrollment as returning dropouts and potential dropouts when the district is requesting to use modified allowable growth to fund a program for returning dropouts and dropout prevention. A school district is currently allowed to identify only 5 percent of the district's budget enrollment as returning dropouts or potential dropouts.
HF 333	Prevailing Wage	Did Not Pass	This bill requires a contractor to pay workers the same hourly wage plus fringe benefits for certain public improvements as the contractor would pay workers for a private construction or improvement project. The bill allows the per= hour wage rate to be based on what is normally paid in the area by contractors for similar projects, and to be adjusted on a yearly basis by the department of workforce development. The bill includes specific criteria, such as cost of the public improvement and the population of the city or county, for the project to qualify for the prevailing wage rate.
HF 414	2008-2009 Appropriations Adjustments	Signed by Governor	The bill makes adjustments including reductions, increases, and transfers to the appropriations for 2008-2009. Education funding is not significantly impacted by this bill. A provision was added that allows a member of IPERS system who has an employer mandated reduction in hours from January 1, 2009 to June 30, 2010 but remains on the employer's payroll, may have the member's retirement allowance calculated based on the three= year average covered wage the member would have received. The employee and employer contributions are based on the wages the member would have received. The member must notify IPERS and the employer prior to terminating employment. For a complete summary and explanation of the bill see the LSA's Notes on Bills and Amendments.
HF 487	Textbook Posting	Did Not Pass	This bill amends Code section 261.7 by requiring, rather than recommending, that all institutions of higher learning post information on campus and on a website identifying textbooks necessary for collegiate courses and the textbooks' corresponding international standard book numbers.
HF 589	Early Start Date Requirement	Did Not Pass	This bill changes the earliest school start date to the fourth Monday in August and limits the authority of the department of education to grant a waiver to only emergency situations. Currently, the start date is no sooner than a day during the calendar week in which the first day of September falls or, if the first day of September falls on a Sunday, a day during the prior week but the Department will automatically grant a waiver for an earlier start date. The bill exempts the earliest starting date requirement for school districts that maintain a year around three semester school year. The bill takes effect for the school year beginning July 1, 2010.
HF 687	Education Reporting Requirements	Signed by Governor	Technical changes to school district and community college reporting requirements. The bill also prohibits school district directors, officers, and teachers from acting as agents for school textbooks or school supplies, including sports apparel or equipment, in any transaction with a director, officer, or other staff member of the school district. The bill also prohibits the area education agency directors, officers, and teachers from acting as agents for school textbooks or school supplies, including sports apparel or equipment, in any transaction with an AEA director, officer, or other staff member or with any director, officer, or other staff member of any school district located within the AEA.
HF 737	Disaster School Enrollment	Did Not Pass	This bill allows a school district that is significantly affected by a governor= declared state of disaster emergency or a presidentially declared major disaster to use predisaster student enrollment counts for no more than two years after the disaster in order to offset a budget enrollment decrease.
HF 739	State Research & Development School	Added to SF 470	This bill provides for the establishment of a state research and development prekindergarten though grade 12 school based on a three= year transition plan. The bill sets out the basic structure of the school, including the legislative intent, the school's basic funding, the school's governance, and the school's infrastructure. The bill's language was amended to SF 470, the Education Appropriations Bill.
HF 761	Reorganization Study	Did Not Pass	This bill directs the department of education to convene to study the advisability and practicability of a renewed effort to consolidate school districts to improve student opportunity and achievement and attain efficiencies in administration and operations. The task force must submit its findings and recommendations in a report to the state board of education and the general assembly by January 15, 2010.
HF 795	Choice of Doctor	Did Not Pass	This bill relates to the choice of a physician to treat an injured employee under the state's workers' compensation laws. The bill gives an employee the right to predesignate a treating physician the employee had a previous relationship prior to the work injury to provide treatment for the work injury. A predesignated treating physician is authorized to provide treatment deemed necessary or refer the injured employee to other medical providers for treatment, at the employer's expense, without any requirement of preapproval by the employer or the employer's insurer. Code section 85.39 is amended to allow an injured employee to obtain another medical opinion from a physician of the employee's choice, at the employer's expense, if the employee believes the evaluation of the employee's permanent disability obtained by the employer is insufficient. The bill takes effect and applies to injuries occurring on or after January 1, 2010.
HF 807	Federal Deductibility	Did Not Pass	This bill makes the following changes to the individual income tax: (1) reduces the tax rate on each of the current income tax brackets; (2) eliminates the ability to deduct federal income taxes paid and the requirement to include federal tax refunds; (3) raises the tax credit for blind individuals and the tax credit for elderly individuals from $20 to $40; (4) increases the amount of the earned income tax credit that may be claimed from 7 percent to 8 percent of the amount of the federal credit; and (5) adjusts the child and dependent care tax credit eligibility by indexing the income thresholds to inflation, increasing by 5 percentage points the amount of the federal tax credit that each income level may claim, and creating a new threshold level for taxpayers earning $45,000 or more per year but less than $50,000.
HF 815	Postsecondary Articulation Agreements	Sent to Governor	This bill relates to the transfer and articulation of academic credits between the state's postsecondary institutions. The bill directs the boards of directors of the community colleges and the state board of regents to enter into a collective statewide articulation agreement to provide for the seamless transfer of academic credits from a completed associate of arts or associate of science degree program offered by a community college to a baccalaureate degree program offered by a regents university.
HF 820	Federal Block Grant Appropriations	Sent to Governor	This bill appropriates federal block grants and federal stabilization funds. The bill limits school aid formula state aid for school districts and AEA. It also appropriates federal stabilization funds to school districts, community college, instructional support levy, and professional development. Summary of 2009 Legislative Session including HF 820. Summary of Education Funding .
HF 821	Public Employee Bargaining	Did Not Pass	Technical changes to the public employee bargaining law by the Public Employee Relations Board.
HF 822	Rebuild Iowa Infrastructure Appropriations	Sent to Governor	This bill is the appropriations bill for the Rebuild Iowa Infrastructure Fund and the Grow Iowa Values Fund including which includes additional funding for community colleges outside of general aid.

Iowa General Assembly Website

Iowa Department of Education Legislative Update

Rapid Response Team Agreement

Mon, 14 Apr 2008 04:00:00 GMT

HIghlights of the 2008 Legislative Conference

Wed, 16 Jan 2008 05:00:00 GMT

Highlights from the 2008 Legislative Conference

A record-breaking crowd of more than 200 Association activists studied the upcoming issues, heard from political leaders, and began mapping lobbying strategy at the annual ISEA Legislative Conference, Jan. 11-12, at the Quality Inn and Suites in downtown Des Moines. Topping the list of our legislative initiatives which were unveiled at the conference are raising community college faculty salaries to 25th in the nation, providing funding to make education support professional salaries competitive, and ensuring that K-12 salaries don't lose ground by rolling the teacher compensation funding into the school aid formula.

Check out these resources from the conference:

Download the PowerPoint presentation
Download the Legislative Initiatives brochure
Download the K-12 Lobby Day flyer
Download the community college Lobby Day flyer
Watch excerpts from Joel Packer's presentation
Download Joel Packer's PowerPoint presentation
Watch excerpts from the legislative panel discussion
Watch Lt. Gov. Patty Judge's speech
Watch ISEA-PAC auction with U.S. Rep. Leonard Boswell

Tips on writing to your legislators

Fri, 29 Jun 2007 04:00:00 GMT

Successful lobbying | Writing your legislators | Phoning your legislators

Tips on writing to your legislators

Sending a letter or an e-mail is a great way to communicate with a state legislator. Here are a few tips for writing effective messages:

• Individually written messages, rather than mass generated form letters, make a greater impression on your legislator. Type your name, address, and phone number at the top. The Iowa State Legislature is generally in session January through April. When the Legislature is out of session, it may be more effective to send your letter or message to your legislator's home.

• Addressing correspondence:

To a State Senator:

The Honorable (Full Name)
Iowa Senate
Iowa State Capitol
Des Moines, IA 50319

Dear Senator (Last Name)

To a State Representative:

The Honorable (Full Name)
Iowa State Capitol
Des Moines, IA 50319

Dear Representative (Last Name)

• Be specific. Your purpose for writing should be stated in the first paragraph of the letter. If your letter pertains to a specific piece of legislation, be sure to identify its full name and number, e.g. House File: HF_____, Senate File: SF_____. Try to send your letter while the issue is still alive.

• State your position. Explain why you support or oppose this particular issue. Keep in mind that local examples concerning the impact of this legislation are very powerful. Be courteous and to the point, keeping your letter focused on one issue.

• Ask for a response. Indicate to your legislator that you would appreciate a reply containing his/her position on the issue. "Sincerely yours" is a proper way to conclude your letter.

• Follow up. If you agree with your legislator's vote, take the time to let him/her know that. Similarly, if you disagree with his or her vote, inform your legislator.

Successful Lobbying Tips

Fri, 29 Jun 2007 04:00:00 GMT

Successful lobbying | Writing your legislators | Phoning your legislators

Tips on successful lobbying

At the heart of the Association's lobbying strategy is the grassroots involvement of members in every corner of the state. Although ISEA's full-time lobbyists play a key role during the session, legislators want--and need--to hear how their actions will impact children and education back home.

Lobbying isn't hard--and it can be fun. You don't have to be an expert on school finance or anything else but you are the expert on how legislation will affect your students and your school.

Here are some tips for effective lobbying:

• Keep on top of the issues by regularly visiting our Web site and by subscribing to the ISEA Hotline electronic newsletter.

• The most effective member-lobbyists are those who have developed a personal relationship with their legislators. Plan to keep in touch throughout the session via letters, phone calls, or personal visits when they are home for the weekend.

• If you plan to meet with your legislator at the Capitol during the legislative session, be sure to schedule an appointment in advance. If you plan on taking them to lunch, remember that they will probably want to pay their own way--Iowa law prohibits them from accepting gifts valued at more than $3.

• Personal letters are always appreciated. Remember to stick to only one or two issues at a time, provide real-life personal examples, and be polite. Also, don't forget to carefully proofread your letter. Send your letter, addressed simply to: "Dear Rep." (fill in the name) or "Dear Sen." (fill in the name), Iowa Senate or Iowa House of Representatives, State Capitol Building, Des Moines, IA 50319.

• Every lawmaker now has an e-mail address and many even prefer this method of communication. You can send an e-mail to your legislator directly through the ISEA's Legislative Action Center. Keep in mind, however, that most legislators prefer to use e-mail for quick and simple messages. If you have a detailed message, it's probably best to send it via regular mail. Before you use your school e-mail account to correspond with your legislator, be sure to check your school district's policy on personal use of e-mail.

• When speed is of the essence, you can always phone a quick message in to your legislator by calling 515-281-3371 (Senate) or 515-281-3221 (House).

Phoning Legislators

Fri, 29 Jun 2007 04:00:00 GMT

Successful lobbying | Writing your legislators | Phoning your legislators

Tips on phoning your state legislators

To find your state legislator's phone number, you may use our searchable online Iowa Legislature Directory or call the Senate switchboard at 515-281-3371 or the House switchboard at 515-281-3221.

Keep in mind that most telephone calls are taken by a staff member and not the actual legislator. If they are not available, you may also leave a message. If you speak with someone other than your legislator, take down their name.

Upon reaching your state legislator on the phone, it's easiest to follow these four basic steps:

IDENTIFY yourself by name and the organization (if any) that you represent or the town from which you are calling.

EXPLAIN why you are calling: "I am calling to support/oppose HF____/SF____." Be polite and concise. Creating 1 or 2 talking points will focus the content of your message. Too much information may confuse your message. Ask your legislator his/her position on this issue. Don't assume that your legislator has prior knowledge of your issue. Be calm, respectful, and be prepared to educate, using local examples to accentuate your point. If the legislator requires further information, provide it as soon as possible.

THANK the person who took the phone call for their time and consideration.

About ISEA-PAC

Tue, 23 Aug 2005 04:00:00 GMT

About ISEA-PAC

Your voluntary contribution to our political action arm, ISEA-PAC, gives us the strength and political influence we need to make a difference for students and public education in Iowa. It helps us elect candidates who have their priorities straight and who are willing to back up their talk with positive action.
What's more, ISEA-PAC contributions help us help Iowans get beyond the campaign rhetoric and better understand what's really at stake.

In short, your voluntary contribution is an investment in your career and helps ensure that your students will continue to receive the best possible education.

Here's how ISEA-PAC works
Through an extensive interview and recommendation process, we identify candidates who truly support educators and public education. Then, we disseminate that information to help our members -- and the public -- make informed decisions on election day.

If you have questions about ISEA-PAC, contact Brad Hudson.

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ISEA Legislative Update for Major Education Bills - 2010

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Successful lobbying | Writing your legislators | Phoning your legislators

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Successful lobbying | Writing your legislators | Phoning your legislators

Tips on successful lobbying

Phoning Legislators

Successful lobbying | Writing your legislators | Phoning your legislators

Tips on phoning your state legislators

About ISEA-PAC

About ISEA-PAC

ISEA Legislative Update for
Major Education Bills - 2010