Lawmakers of both major parties predict that next year schools will get early word about state funding .
It’s mandated by Iowa law, but the law has sometimes been disregarded.
The law requires the legislature to approve basic state aid in the first 30 days of the legislative session.
At a Greater Des Moines Partnership forum, Democratic Senate Majority Leader Mike Gronstal predicts the law will be followed when lawmakers reconvene in January:
“We're hopeful we will fund that early in the session so that school districts can plan their budgets,” Gronstal says. “I think both sides are inclined to do that.”
Republican House Speaker Kraig Paulsen is also optimistic.
“House Republicans and all four caucuses are committed to getting a number to the school districts as quick as we can,” Paulsen says. “The target we laid out is try to get that to them the first 30 days of the session.”
Democrats last year approved the early funding, but Republicans held out until agreement could be reached on other parts of the budget. During the recession, lawmakers did not comply with the law after school officials asked them to wait until revenues improved.
The 30-day law was passed when lawmakers got rid of automatic increases in state aid for schools.