With the 2024 Legislative session finished in Iowa, some legislators are looking back on the session.

Representative for District 23 says that when looking at what the biggest bills were, there was one in particular that “took the auction out of the building.” He tells Raccoon Valley Radio that the Area Education Agency Bill was by far what took the most time, and was the most discussed. He explains what the bill ended as.

“It creates a legislative task force. Money for media, educational services and special education services stops at the school district in years (20)25-(20)26 school year. Schools may use media services and AEA’s from ‘25 and ‘26 and beyond. Schools may use educational services from AEA’s in the 26-27 year and beyond. Schools must use special ed(ucation) services from AEA’s in all years.”

Sorensen mentions that the bill also doesn’t allow AEA’s to receive funds for shared operations, restructures the AEA chief salaries, and includes the non-public public education task force. He adds that the State Supplemental Aid and Teacher Pay bills were also added on to the AEA bill to help get them passed.