Condition of the State: Key Takeaways

Governor Reynolds’ Condition of the State
January 10, 2023

State ranked #1 for opportunity
Prioritize quality education
- Funding isn’t the answer
- Not about public versus private
Comprehensive Education Reform Package
- School choice bill
  - Education savings account for private schools
    - $7,598/pupil
    - For students already attending private, phase them in over three years, focusing on families with lowest income levels
- Leader in work-based learning
  - Highest number of new apprenticeship programs
  - Last year, launched nation’s first teacher apprenticeship programs
    - Expected to have 1,000 by next year
  - Iowa Workforce Development (IWD)
    - Establish the Iowa Office of Apprenticeship
    - Moving to IWD:
      - Secondary CTE
      - Work-based Learning Intermediary Network
      - Adult Education – Literacy and ESL
      - PACE Regional Sector Boards
- Some schools consistently test in bottom 5%
  - Department of Education to provide tailored support
    - Specialized training on science of reading to improve early childhood literacy
    - Provide curriculum
    - Experts on the ground, talking to teachers/administrators and observing classroom instruction
      - Provide recommendations
Iowa Code
- Eliminating redundant reporting requirements
  - Giving schools more opportunity to take advantage of dual enrollment
- Currently, $100million earmarked for programs unspent in school districts
  - Give schools freedom to use funds to increase teachers’ salaries
Increase funding for the health care apprenticeship program created last year from $3 to $15 million
- Adding apprenticeships for emergency medical services, mental and behavior health, and direct support professionals
Currently have 37 executive branch cabinet members
- Eleven agencies currently operate some kind of workforce program (more than 100 professional licensing functions)
- Reduce the number of cabin-level departments (37 down to 16) by aligning agencies with similar business operations to leverage shared services, improve efficiency, and decrease costs.
  - Centralized similar programs:
    - Department of Inspections and Appeals
    - Expand Administrative Hearings Division
    - Create a new Professional Licensing Division to include health and occupational licenses
  - Department of Corrections will merge with Community-Based Corrections
  - The following departments will move to Department of Education:
    - Board of Educational Examiners
    - STEM Advisory Council
  - The following departments will move to the Department of Health and Human Services:
    - Department of Aging
    - Early Childhood Iowa
Administrative Code
- Currently has 20,000 pages and 190,000 restrictive terms
- Executive Order
  - Puts a moratorium on new rulemaking
  - Directs state agencies to assess their existing rules
  - Must meet standard or rules will be repealed