OTTUMWA, IOWA -- Governor Chet Culver is looking to give public schools in Iowa a boost. During his Condition of the State address, the governor asked lawmakers to dedicate $100 million from the state's reserve fund to public schools. Any action on the governor’s proposal would require legislative action.
Jon Sheldahl, Superintendent of Ottumwa Schools, said he is looking forward to the possible help from Des Moines. “It’s great that the governor has chosen to make [public education] a priority in this year’s session,” Sheldahl said, "we know that the legislature’s up against some pretty significant financial challenges.”
Although nothing is written in stone, Sheldahl knows this has the possibility to help many students. “Obviously if we’re talking about restoring $100 million, if that’s the case I think that’ll be very significant to all local districts,” Sheldahl said. Sheldahl had planned on a worst-case scenario for the upcoming budget meetings.
If the legislature approves the money, Iowa schools would recover about 40 percent of the money they lost after the governor's 10 percent across-the-board budget cuts.
TV Station Profiles & Public Inspection Files forKTVO