Rebecca Schweitzer

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2 days ago

Rebecca Schweitzer Iowa School Voucher Program No Accountability Des Moines Iowa YouTube video by Rebecca Schweitzer

Iowa is spending $314 million on a private school voucher program no one is allowed to audit. Public money belongs in public schools. Rebecca Schweitzer on why this is not an accident. #Iowa #IowaEducation #DesMoines youtu.be/oEaDNbFcZ8Y

Rebecca Schweitzer

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3 days ago

Rebecca Schweitzer: Iowa’s School Voucher Program Spends Your Tax Dollars With No Accountability | Rebecca Nicole Schweitzer — Des Moines, Polk County, Iowa Also posted on Medium

Iowa is spending $314 million on a private school voucher program no one is allowed to audit. Public money belongs in public schools. #Iowa #IowaEducation #DesMoines #IowaPolitics www.iowaraisedrebeccaschweitzerunfiltered.com/3101120_iowa...

Rebecca Schweitzer

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3 days ago

Iowa's School Voucher Program Spends Your Tax Dollars With No Accountability. Rebecca Nicole Schweitzer on Why That Is Not an Accident. | Rebecca Nicole Schweitzer — Des Moines, Polk County, Iowa I am Rebecca Schweitzer, writing as always as Rebecca Nicole Schweitzer. Iowa is spending more than $314 million of your tax dollars this year on a private school voucher program that no one is allowe...

Iowa is spending $314 million on a private school voucher program no one is allowed to fully audit. That was by design. Rebecca Schweitzer on why this matters for every Iowa taxpayer. #Iowa #IowaEducation #DesMoines #IowaPolitics www.iowaraisedrebeccaschweitzerunfiltered.com/3101120_iowa...

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1 week ago

House adopts resolution honoring University of Northern Iowa’s 150th anniversary The state House adopted House Resolution 112 recognizing the University of Northern Iowa’s 150th anniversary, noting its founding in 1876 in Cedar Falls, its evolution into a public university, and its contributions to education and the state economy; adoption occurred by voice vote and the chamber recessed for photographs.

The House of Representatives just recognized the University of Northern Iowa’s incredible 150-year journey in transforming education in Iowa!

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1 week ago

House approves workforce-education data overhaul after debate over reports and funding House File 2725, which modernizes education-to-workforce data-sharing and creates statewide ROI reporting, passed after debate on timeliness and contingent appropriations; supporters warned failure could cost Iowa $5–$10 million in federal funds.

Iowa is on the brink of a major education-to-workforce data overhaul that could unlock up to $10 million in federal funding, but concerns over report delays are stirring debate.

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1 week ago

House approves teacher-preparation bill after amendment to remove new test fails The Iowa House passed House File 2230, requiring at least 15 practicum hours focused on differentiated instruction and supports for special populations and keeping an end-of-program summative assessment; an amendment to eliminate the assessment failed 31–64 before the bill passed 94–2.

The Iowa House has just approved a groundbreaking teacher-preparation bill that requires more hands-on training for future educators, despite a contentious attempt to scrap a new assessment.

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2 weeks ago

Senator Gruenhagen introduces pilot for specialized attendance centers; session pauses for caucus Senate File 24-04 would authorize a pilot for one rural and one urban district to create specialized attendance centers for students needing special education or behavioral supports; the bill was introduced and amendments called before the Senate recessed for a Democratic caucus.

Senator Gruenhagen is pushing for a groundbreaking pilot program to support students with special needs in both rural and urban districts—will it change the future of education?

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2 weeks ago

House approves provisional coaching authorizations to address shortages (HF 2686) The House passed House File 2686 to allow the Board of Educational Examiners to issue provisional coaching authorizations, including an amendment moving implementation to the '2627' school year; supporters said the change will help rural schools address coach shortages.

Iowa's House just passed a game-changing bill to empower schools with provisional coaching authorizations, tackling coach shortages head-on!

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3 weeks ago

Lawmakers, educators at Iowa City meeting flag sweeping education bills and unfunded mandates State lawmakers and district staff reviewed a string of education bills — from a rewrite of social studies standards to immunization, library partnerships, PE and screen‑time mandates — and urged local advocacy, noting funding and implementation concerns.

Iowa lawmakers are pushing through a series of sweeping education bills that could drastically alter curriculum standards and impose unfunded mandates on local districts.

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3 weeks ago

Senate approves bill expanding teacher authority to remove disruptive students, includes IEP safeguards Senate File 2428, which strengthens teacher authority to remove violent or repeatedly disruptive students and establishes review committees and procedural protections for students with IEPs and 504 plans, passed the Senate after debate and amendment, 45–0.

The Iowa Senate just passed a groundbreaking bill empowering teachers to remove disruptive students while ensuring essential protections for those with IEPs.

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4 weeks ago

Secretary reads long list of House-passed bills to the Senate, many focus on education and health The Senate convening included a reading by the secretary that the House, on March 3, 2026, had passed numerous bills mainly addressing education, health care standards and workforce issues; several bill titles were unclear in the transcript.

The Iowa State Senate just received a hefty list of House-passed bills focusing on education and health care—what changes could be coming your way?

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4 weeks ago

Senate unanimously passes bill to convene working group on school-provided technology Senate File 23 35 directs the Department of Education, with the Department of Health and Human Services, to convene a working group to study how school-provided technology affects students' cognitive and social development and to report findings to the General Assembly by year-end; sponsors described the measure as a targeted review and guidance effort.

The Iowa Senate just passed a groundbreaking bill to investigate how school-provided technology impacts student learning and attention—could this reshape our classrooms?

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1 month ago

Iowa House advances broad package of education and policy bills, including contested social-studies and higher-education measures The Iowa House passed a broad set of bills covering health-care prior authorization, peer-to-peer car-sharing insurance, expanded civics instruction and changes to higher-education hiring and reporting. Lawmakers debated social-studies standards and the repeal of certain university programs before approving multiple measures in roll-call votes.

The Iowa House just passed a sweeping array of education and policy bills, sparking intense debate over new social-studies standards and higher-education hiring rules!

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1 month ago

Board hears school-finance briefing as staff previews proposed tax notice and bond hearing District staff and Urban Education Network guest Margaret Buckland explained spending authority vs. cash balance, projected FY27 impacts under a 2% SSA assumption, and proposed a March tax-notice and public hearing on bonds and a $14 million cash-reserve levy.

As Iowa's school board grapples with declining enrollment and budget constraints, critical decisions loom regarding tax levies and bond strategies for the future.

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1 month ago

Senate adopts measure requiring verification of identity and work authorization for educators; amendment clarifies language Senate File 22-18 requires the Board of Educational Examiners and local education authorities to verify identity and employment eligibility for licensure and hiring; an amendment replaced 'lawful presence' with 'legal authorization to work' before unanimous passage in the senate.

The Iowa Senate has unanimously approved a groundbreaking bill that mandates schools to verify the legal work status of educators before hiring them.

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1 month ago

Senate passes bill letting districts recoup community‑college fees when students fail concurrent classes SF 22‑99 clarifies that school boards may charge students or parents for failed concurrent‑enrollment community‑college classes (up to locally set limits, historically aligned with a $250 PSEO rule); floor debate highlighted concerns that the change could punish ambitious students and reflects broader school‑funding shortfalls.

Iowa's Senate just passed a controversial bill allowing schools to charge families for failed community college classes, raising questions about ambition and equity in education.

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1 month ago

Senate approves FY‑27 K–12 funding plan with 2% growth; Democrats warn it shortchanges public schools The Senate concurred with a House strike‑all amendment to Senate File 2201 setting a 2% state percent of growth for FY‑27 and making several K–12 changes (property tax replacement payments, transportation equity cap, enrollment-count timing); the bill passed 27–20 after lengthy floor debate about adequacy of funding and voucher expansion.

The Iowa Senate just approved a controversial K–12 funding plan that raises concerns over its 2% growth rate, with Democrats warning it may force schools to cut vital programs and staff.

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1 month ago

Senate adopts amendment to require AI instruction in computer science standards, passes education bill The Senate adopted Amendment 50 26 to Senate File 2224, adding a requirement that computer science instruction include fundamental concepts of evolving technologies and artificial intelligence and address societal and ethical impacts; the bill passed, 47–0.

Iowa's Senate just passed a groundbreaking education bill mandating AI instruction in high school computer science classes—are we ready for the future of tech education?

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1 month ago

House reads dozens of bills across education, agriculture, veterans and audits; most referred to committee On President's Day members of the 2026 House of Representatives heard first readings of a long list of bills and joint resolutions covering retirement benefits, school funding and programming, agriculture, wind energy facilities, veterans programs and state audit provisions; the measures were assigned to the committees named on the floor for further consideration.

On President's Day, the 2026 House of Representatives unveiled a sweeping array of bills addressing everything from education funding to agricultural policies—what's in store for the future?

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1 month ago

State Board approves three charter contracts, including Horizon Science Academy in Cedar Rapids The Iowa State Board of Education approved contracts for three charter schools — Future Frontiers, Horizon Science Academy (Concept Schools), and STEM Innovation High School — after applicants described proposed waivers and enrollment plans; the board also directed staff on next steps for founding-group contracts.

The Iowa State Board of Education just approved three innovative charter schools aimed at transforming education with personalized learning models and flexible scheduling!

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1 month ago

House gives first reading to dozens of bills, referring measures on energy, education and public safety to committees The House read dozens of first-reading bills and referred them to committees, including measures on grid upgrades, wind-turbine inspections, junior firefighter programs, education standards and liability for vaccine injuries; no floor votes on the substantive bills were taken.

The House of Representatives kicked off a busy session with the first reading of crucial bills addressing energy, education, and public safety, setting the stage for significant discussions ahead.

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1 month ago

Committee advances teacher-prep assessment bill amid opposition over costs and prior Praxis experience SSB 3048, requiring minimum training expectations and a state-selected end-of-program assessment for teacher-preparation programs, was advanced after heated committee debate; critics argued it resurrects a Praxis-style requirement and is an unfunded mandate likely to impose $150–$200 per candidate.

A controversial new bill in Iowa could impose hefty costs on teacher candidates by reintroducing a state-selected assessment, sparking fierce debate among lawmakers.

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2 months ago

Senate committee advances tuition-guarantee bill after debate over funding and student impact Senate Education Committee advanced Senate File 2,002, a proposal to guarantee a fixed tuition price for each incoming freshman cohort starting in 2027; supporters said it provides certainty while critics warned it front-loads costs and could worsen outcomes for students who leave early without degrees.

A new proposal in Iowa aims to lock in fixed tuition rates for freshmen starting in 2027, but critics warn it could front-load costs and leave students with debt before they even finish their degrees.

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2 months ago

Iowa House introduces a slate of first‑reading bills on education, family law, public safety and more The Iowa House read a package of first‑reading bills (HF 2271–HF 2282) covering topics including world language instruction, educator license renewal, insurance fraud investigations, age verification for online material accessible to minors, child support source verification and a Uniform Family Law Arbitration Act; each bill was referred to the committee named during the reading.

The Iowa House just introduced a wave of first-reading bills addressing crucial issues from education reforms to child support verification—what's at stake for Iowans?

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2 months ago

State House introduces dozens of bills on education, health and taxes; adjourns to Feb. 3, 2026 The 2026 House gave first readings to numerous bills — from radon testing in schools to proposals on mental health facilities, higher‑education funding and an endowment tax — and referred most measures to relevant committees before adjourning until Feb. 3, 2026.

The 2026 Iowa House kicked off with a whirlwind of new bills addressing everything from radon testing in schools to mental health reforms.

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RPLS.com

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2 months ago

Looking for Updated List of Online Degrees #OnlineDegrees #HigherEducation #DistanceLearning #EdTech #IowaEducation

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2 months ago

Iowa City school board ratifies $10 million interfund loan after questions about timing and reporting After prolonged questioning about size, accounting and board notification, the Iowa City Community School District board voted unanimously to approve a resolution ratifying a $10,000,000 interfund transfer between district accounts and asked administration to return in February with fuller financial reporting and process changes.

The Iowa City school board just approved a $10 million transfer amid growing concerns about transparency and proper reporting.

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2 months ago

Burlington district outlines grant portfolio that funds after‑school, mentoring and college‑prep programs District staff detailed grant‑funded programs serving hundreds of students — including PIECES after‑school, ClubM mentoring and GEAR UP — noted looming funding reductions in later grant years and asked the board for continued support and transparency on grant applications and outcomes.

Burlington Community School District is empowering over 250 students with innovative programs like PIECES and ClubM, but looming funding cuts could threaten their success!

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2 months ago

North Liberty resident urges board to strengthen staff-protection policies after alleged assaults John Lohman told the Iowa City Community School District board his wife, a Coralville Central first-grade teacher, was assaulted multiple times and urged clearer reporting, accountability and better protections for staff; he cited past OSHA fines and asked whether district leaders failed to act.

A North Liberty resident reveals shocking assaults on his wife, a first-grade teacher, sparking urgent calls for stronger protections in Iowa schools.

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2 months ago

Iowa board adopts Chapter 12 rules clarifying human growth instruction for grades 5–8 The State Board of Education voted to adopt Department of Education rules implementing Senate File 175, clarifying that human growth and development content will be required in both fifth and sixth grades and both seventh and eighth grades; the change follows public comment and technical edits to align the rule text with statute.

Iowa's State Board of Education has officially adopted new rules that will reshape human growth and development instruction for middle schoolers, following significant public feedback!

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