Education State of the States

Iowa

By Robert C. Johnston — January 19, 2005 1 min read
  • Save to favorites
  • Print

Gov. Tom Vilsack urged Iowa lawmakers and local school officials to take bold steps to improve education at the preschool and at high school levels in his annual Condition of the State Address.

Gov. Tom Vilsack

The second-term Democrat dedicated a significant portion of his Jan. 11 speech to backing the recommendations of the 38-member Iowa Learns Council, which for more than a year studied ways for Iowa to provide a “world-class and seamless educational learning opportunity for our children,” he said.

Among the panel’s ideas that the governor pledged to support in his forthcoming fiscal 2006 budget plan are expanding financial assistance to working parents for child care, creating a rating system for child-care facilities, and expanding access to preschool.

Read or watch Governor Vilsack’s 2005 Condition of the State Address. ()

“Most Iowans would be surprised to learn that less than 20 percent of our children have access to accredited quality preschool,” the governor declared.

At the other end of the K-12 education spectrum, Gov. Vilsack said the state should follow the panel’s recommendations to make the high school curriculum more rigorous, toughen graduation requirements, and tighten relationships between high schools and higher education.

Locally, he said communities with declining revenue and enrollments should consider sharing administrative staffs and consolidating school districts.

He pledged to offer incentive funding in his budget for such actions. “The time to make this commitment is now,” he said.

A version of this article appeared in the January 19, 2005 edition of Education Week

Events

Artificial Intelligence K-12 Essentials Forum Big AI Questions for Schools. How They Should Respond 
Join this free virtual event to unpack some of the big questions around the use of AI in K-12 education.
This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
School & District Management Webinar
Harnessing AI to Address Chronic Absenteeism in Schools
Learn how AI can help your district improve student attendance and boost academic outcomes.
Content provided by Panorama Education
This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
Science Webinar
Spark Minds, Reignite Students & Teachers: STEM’s Role in Supporting Presence and Engagement
Is your district struggling with chronic absenteeism? Discover how STEM can reignite students' and teachers' passion for learning.
Content provided by Project Lead The Way

EdWeek Top School Jobs

Teacher Jobs
Search over ten thousand teaching jobs nationwide — elementary, middle, high school and more.
View Jobs
Principal Jobs
Find hundreds of jobs for principals, assistant principals, and other school leadership roles.
View Jobs
Administrator Jobs
Over a thousand district-level jobs: superintendents, directors, more.
View Jobs
Support Staff Jobs
Search thousands of jobs, from paraprofessionals to counselors and more.
View Jobs

Read Next

Education The Education Word of 2024 Is ...
Educators, policymakers, and parents all zeroed in on students' tech use in 2024, which prompted this year's winner.
5 min read
Image of a cellphone ban, disruption, and symbol of AI.
Laura Baker/Education Week via Canva
Education Opinion The Top 10 Most-Read Opinions on Education of 2024
Look back at what resonated with readers the most this year.
1 min read
Collage illustration of megaphone and numbers 1 through 10.
Education Week + Getty
Education Quiz Education Week News Quiz: Dec. 12, 2024
Test your knowledge on the latest news and trends in education.
1 min read
Sets of hands holding phones. Scrolling smartphones, apps mail, applications, photos. cellphone camera.
Vanessa Solis/Education Week + iStock/Getty Images
Education Quiz Education Week News Quiz: Dec. 5, 2024
Test your knowledge on the latest news and trends in education.
1 min read
President Donald Trump listens during a "National Dialogue on Safely Reopening America's Schools," event in the East Room of the White House, on July 7, 2020, in Washington.
President Donald Trump listens during a "National Dialogue on Safely Reopening America's Schools," event in the East Room of the White House, on July 7, 2020, in Washington.
Alex Brandon/AP