Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1518718
ISEA Communiqué • isea.org April/May 2024 3 OPINION Demand accountability By Mike Beranek, ISEA president, mike.beranek@isea.org The recent decisions made by the Iowa Legislature are truly concerning. The long- term consequences of the AEA overhaul bill signed by Gov. Kim Reynolds will reverberate across the state. The salary component of the law addresses a long-overdue issue. But it does not go far enough in providing the necessary resources for all our educators who serve our students and communities. The appropriation of 2.5% new money for Supplemental State Aid (SSA) falls far short of what is necessary to address the years of neglect and underfunding. When each school district's inflation rate is compounded yearly, the resources required to operate continue to spread thin. Do not accept the narrative that public education funding has increased each year. While overall funding may look to grow, it has not kept up with inflation. At a time when the Iowa Treasury has a surplus of over $2 billion, there is no excuse to consistently underfund our public schools. Adding to the practice of not committing the necessary dollars to public education is the continued siphoning of public tax dollars for private schools. The new money appropriated through increased SSA also benefits private schools that receive vouchers. In other words, a shell game is happening with dollars being directed to our schools. A second component of the new legislation is the direct attack on Iowa's AEA system, the staff they employ, and the students they serve. This year, Iowa legislators encountered one of the most extensive advocacy campaigns they have ever witnessed. As with the voucher debate, the majority party in the Legislature chose to ignore the public outcry and disregard the thousands and thousands of emails, phone calls, and personal conversations. This is unacceptable and squarely places public education at the center of decisions being made for political reasons. I bristle to my core when I hear folks say they are uninterested in politics and want to teach. I, too, am an educator and want to focus only on the job I was hired to do. However, too many outside entities are trying to dictate what I teach, how I teach it, and if my district can afford to continue to employ me. The root of what is happening in this long, systematic attack on public education comes directly from the former United States Department of Education Director Betsy DeVos and right-wing think tanks that wealthy contributors financially back. Privatization of public services, such as education, is at the core of a philosophy that will fundamentally change our future. The message is becoming increasingly clear as our days pass into months and years and legislation is replicated across the country. As ISEA Executive Director Coy Marquardt told me on the day the governor signed the AEA and compensation bill, the 2024 fall election campaign has kicked into high gear. Iowa's educators are angry. Iowa's citizens have been held at arm's length, and their input has been ignored. Iowa's economic engine of public education is under attack, and thus, so is the future of Iowa. April/May 2024 – Vol. 61 No. 6 The ISEA Communiqué (ISSN 0019-0624) is published seven times a year (monthly except July & August; plus combined in October/ November, December/January, and April/May) by the Iowa State Education Association, 777 Third St., Des Moines, IA 50309, 515-471-8000 or 1-800-445-9358. $3.87 of membership dues is for a year's subscription; for nonmembers, the annual subscription is $10. Periodical postage is paid at Des Moines and additional mailing offices. Postmaster: Send address corrections to ISEA Membership Records, 777 Third St., Des Moines, IA 50309. Advertising: To advertise, contact Kimberly Knight at 515-471-8000 or email kimberly.knight@isea.org. ISEA makes no representations regarding advertised products or services that are not endorsed by ISEA or NEA Member Benefits. Duplicate mailings? To stop duplicate mailings to the same household, contact the membership department at 515-471-8000 or email isea.membership@isea.org. President: Mike Beranek Vice President: Josh Brown Treasurer: Kelly McMahon Senior NEA Director: Rachella Dravis NEA Director: Sara Earleywine Executive Director: Coy Marquardt Editor: Mike Wiser Editorial Assistant: Kimberly Knight Visit us on the web at isea.org Cover by Robin Blake When each school district's inflation rate is compounded yearly, the resources required to operate continue to spread thin. Do not accept the narrative that public education funding has increased each year. Tips to close out the school year successfully Count it down: Give students something to look forward to each day when they come to school by doing an activity that lets them count down the days until summer break. Stay in your routine as long as possible: Any experienced teacher will tell you maintaining your routine is one of the best ways to navigate all the end-of-year craziness. That said, it doesn't hurt to add some fun games to your classroom routine! Get organized: Among all the finals, overdue homework, grading, and lessons you're still completing, your desk can pile up quickly at the end of the year. Staying organized and tracking progress on work tasks are key to finishing the year strong and getting final grades in on time. Carve out some time for yourself: Although you want to stay on top of your work, try not to spend every night hunkered down in your classroom attempting to get everything done all at once. Finding some time for self-care is important, especially during the end of the year when you feel like your to-do list is a mile long. Allow time to go home and relax, take a walk outside, play with your children, read, take a bath, etc. This may seem counter-intuitive, but you will be able to release your stress and have more energy for the final push as the last day of school nears. Reflect on the successes of your year: Take some time, with or without your students, to reflect on the past school year--what they've learned, what their favorite lessons were, the friendships that were built and the strong bond you all have formed as a class. Celebrate student successes, laugh at funny moments, and don't forget to give yourself credit for all you have accomplished as an educator.