School districts across Iowa have felt the blow to enrollment this year, mostly due to the global pandemic, which has caused concern among public schools and funding they receive.

Greene County School District Superintendent Tim Christensen says the Iowa Department of Education is gathering data from a survey regarding how districts have fared with the financial impacts of the pandemic. He points out he’s had initial conversations with area legislators about funding for public schools.

“We’re kind of beating the drum a little bit in terms of, will you (the legislature) hold us harmless with funding in terms of homeschool and enrollment being down. So hopefully that’s something they take up immediately and have that conversation.”

District 24 Senator Jesse Green says school funding will be the most important, and sensitive topic, this legislative session. He believes this topic changes all the time, but they will address it as sensitively as they can. Green shares what his focus will be. 

“Finances should not be the hindering part of the equation. It’s a matter of what’s best for our parents and what’s best for our children to move forward. It’s parents want to homeschool or go to a private school to best suit their needs, we shouldn’t allow resources and money to be the barrier to allowing that to happen.”

Part of the funding for public schools comes from the State Supplemental Aid, which the Iowa Legislature is supposed to set that level of funding within the first 30 days of the session, which begins January 11th.