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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
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