The Iowa House of Representatives approved Area Education Agency (AEA) reform on a 53-41 vote yesterday (Thursday), but the bill is starkly different from the changes proposed by Gov. Kim Reynolds at the beginning of the 2024 Legislative Session. Reynolds’s initial plan would have significantly pared back AEA services not directly related to special education funding and give districts more control over how state and federal money is allocated. District 11 Brian Best of Glidden, who previously indicated he did not support the governor’s plan, says the House version takes a much less heavy-handed approach.
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Best says his initial opposition to the reforms was due to how it could affect smaller, rural school districts.
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The AEA task force will consist of two special education instructors and two superintendents from schools above and below 1,000 students, parents, and a non-public accredited school administrator. This group will use the next year to review AEA performance and recommend changes for FY26. While the original bill faced significant pushback from the AEAs, teachers, parents, and administrators, Best says those groups found the House version much more acceptable.
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He adds the AEA initially opposed the legislation but changed its position to neutral following the House’s amendments. The Iowa Senate is working on its own version, and Best says he may not support what comes from the other chamber.
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Gov. Reynolds released a statement following the passage of the House bill, saying, “Thank you to House leadership and House members for making progress on this important piece of legislation. The AEA system is failing our students, national and state test scores show it and the U.S. Department of Education tells us that too. Improving student outcomes has always been at the forefront. The system must provide transparency and accountability to school districts, those closest to our students, and drive consistency across the AEA regions to improve services for students with disabilities. That’s what I’ve heard from over 100 school districts as I’ve traveled the state, and I look forward to more conversations as the legislation moves forward.” Best says the governor’s and legislators’ focus is entirely on improving outcomes for Iowa’s special education students.