Education for a Lifetime
Chet Culver's Action Plan for Excellence in Iowa's Schools
I. Early Childhood Education
A. The Best Investment We Can Make
Sometimes it takes a sophisticated study just to remind us of a truth we already know. Every Iowan knows that it’s better to do something right the first time than to try to fix it later. Every
Iowa
family knows that it’s important to start children off right. But, maybe we needed to be reminded that investing in children from the very start could be the best investment we ever make.
Two professors from the
University
of
California
decided to take a look at the economics of investing in pre-school education.1 They examined early childhood education offerings in
Illinois
in particular. Last year they released their report. They found long-lasting and important impacts. For example, children who were enrolled in early childhood programs demonstrated:
- Greater likelihood of graduating high school;
- Improved reading scores as late as age 14;
- Lower risk of having been held back a year;
- Reduced use of special education services;
- Lower likelihood of being arrested or incarcerated; and
- Lower risk for being abused or neglected.
These benefits were particularly pronounced for at-risk children. But perhaps the most surprising result was the extent to which we all benefit from making sure that children receive early childhood education. After synthesizing and reviewing 48 different studies, they found that for every dollar spent on early childhood education, there would be on average $2.62 of net benefits. They estimated that this amounted to an extra $7,000 in net benefits per child. Interestingly, they may have been too cautious. The
Illinois
program they studied actually yielded benefits of $7.14 for every dollar spent. They also found that the benefits seem to keep increasing as the former students get older. For example, the net benefits from a
Michigan
program were 9-to-1 at age 27, but increased to 17-to-1 at age 40. Early childhood programs are smart because they produce a significant return on investment.
Early childhood education also has important immediate economic development impacts by: allowing more women to return to the workforce, reducing absenteeism, and reducing social costs.
In 1980, only ten states offered any publicly funded preschool. Today, 38 states offer such programs. Most target disadvantaged children. For example,
Iowa’s
Shared Visions program recently provided slots for 2,355 children.2 By law, 80% of these children were required to live in households with income less than 130% of the federal poverty line. Total state funding was approximately $6.8 million. The federal Head Start program provided $51 million in funding for 7,775 children.
Currently, six states have "universal" preschool:
Georgia
,
New York
,
Oklahoma
,
West Virginia
,
Massachusetts
and
Florida
. In fact, none of these programs is fully-funded.
Oklahoma
runs one of the most effective state programs of early childhood education.3 Since its founding in 1998, the
Oklahoma
program has been extremely popular and has expanded rapidly. Today, more than 90% of
Oklahoma
school districts offer early childhood education. It covers 59% of the state’s four-year olds. Children who were enrolled were found to be more school-ready, exhibited better skills with math and numbers, better pre-reading skills and better pre-writing skills. The program was successful across ethnic lines and across the economic chasms that leave so many children unprepared to enter school.
B. Chet Culver’s Action Agenda for Early Childhood Education
The first part of my Action Agenda has a very simple focus: Kids count. They are our single best investment. As Governor, I will make sure that we invest in, and expand, our early childhood programs. Here is my investment plan:
1. Building Towards
Universal
Pre-School
In 2005 and 2006,
Iowa
took major steps forward in developing an early learning system, with significant increases in funding for pre-K programs. Governor Tom Vilsack led this effort by making pre-K one of his top priorities and proposing additional funding for pre-K and other early childhood services. With bipartisan support, the General Assembly appropriated more than $22 million in new funds for early childhood programs in 2005, including $4.6 million dedicated to expanding pre-K access. Then, in 2006, funding was expanded to allow more of our youngest students access to the system. The investment this year of $35 million in two phases begins our effort to meet that goal. All of the funding will be distributed by Community Empowerment Boards which, like Smart Start agencies, fund local 0-5 programs in their communities. Governor Vilsack has laid the groundwork and is to be commended for the leadership he has shown recently in this area.
We will make sure there is an accredited ECE program in every school district. Now, fewer than 60% of districts have one. I will build a public-private partnership to grow an early childhood education program that will quickly become available to every child in
Iowa
. As Governor, I will jump-start the existing program with a minimum $7 million additional commitment to assure that
Iowa
takes the next steps to make the program universal. We will then work with the private sector to jointly build a program that will eventually cover every four-year old in the state.
2. Accredited Pre-K Program in Every
School District
I will also make sure that we focus on the quality, not just the quantity of early childhood programs. The programs that we will build will have accreditation that ensures that every child has access to a trained, talented and loving teacher. I will supplement Early Childhood Grants and School Ready Grants to create accredited pre-K programs and to expand existing ones with an additional $4 million in state funding, spread across Iowa’s school districts to give all Iowa’s kids - rural, urban and suburban - a great start with accredited teachers.
3. Restore Federal Cuts to Head Start
Earlier this year, the Federal Government is proposed reducing
Iowa’s
allotment for Head Start Programs by $4.8 million. We should fight these cuts as they are counterproductive and do not reflect
Iowa
values. I will make sure that the state makes up for any shortfall in the event we cannot persuade the federal government to continue funding this critical program.
II. Child Care for
Iowa’s
Working Families
A. Our Working Families Need Child Care
In
Iowa
, many young children live have two working parents – more than in almost any other state in the union.
Iowa
is second in the nation in the number of working families with children under the age of five.4
Iowa
is first in the nation in the number of working parents with school-age children. Currently, 69% of
Iowa’s
children who are under the age of six have mothers who work5. When combined,
Iowa’s state and federal early childhood programs allow only 8% of eligible children in
Iowa
to receive child care assistance
One result of this is that between 10% and 20% of stay-at-home mothers do not look for jobs because of the lack of accessible and affordable childcare. Academic studies show that a 10% reduction in the price of child care increases the probability that a mother will work by 2% to 8%.6 I believe that for
Iowa’s families and
Iowa’s
economy, expanded child care is a win-win situation.
B. Chet Culver’s Action Agenda for Child Care
Recently, Governor Vilsack expanded opportunities for child care in
Iowa
. I support the child-care providers who work hard for comparatively low wages and provide a critical service to
Iowa’s kids. I want to expand this important first-step program. Whether kids are cared for by a family member, neighbor or in a community child-care center should not make a difference in the quality of the care received. Here’s my plan:
1. Cutting the Cost of Care
First, we will increase the direct financial assistance to working parents by $11.8 million. This will let Iowa’s working families breathe just a little bit easier, and operate as an incentive for moms who choose to go back to work with a young child at home.
2. Improving Quality
Second, we will make sure that quality counts. We will allocate $1.7 million to create and establish a quality rating system. Then we will work with child care providers to reach the goal we all share, which is that every child has a safe, healthy and stimulating environment.
3. Increasing Learning and Training
Finally, we will significantly enhance the professional and developmental opportunities for child care workers. These proposals will help care for child, help parents rejoin the workforce and help our
Iowa
businesses grow along with the best workers in the world. We can utilize school districts, Area Education Agencies and community colleges as partners in this new training initiative to give care providers the most up to date social science and the best strategies for stimulating our youngest minds.
III. Restoring Excellence to
Iowa’s
Primary & Secondary Education System
A. Rededicating Ourselves to Great Schools
In the long run, our state’s economic future will be determined by the quality of our schools. The good news is the performance of
Iowa’s
primary and secondary students is among the best in the nation. A recent study found
Iowa
students had the highest average SAT scores in the nation.
The same study also indicated that 82.4% of our students finish high school and earn their diplomas. In fact, we are 5th in the nation in actually graduating our students.
Iowa
ranks 6th in Science on the ACT and 10th in mathematics according to the National Assessment of Education Progress.
This is a record of which we should be proud – but not satisfied. There was a time when jobs were plentiful for high school graduates and one income was enough to support a family. For most Iowans, that time is past. Schools must do a better job of training students to be part of the workforce of the future.
Iowa’s
kids no longer compete solely with graduates from the other states of the union. Today, our competitors are global. Unfortunately, American schools, including those in
Iowa
, are lagging our international counterparts. On virtually every test of math or science, American students fall below the average of Europe and
Asia
.7 In fourth grade and eighth grade, American students are significantly below their international peers. These differences continue through high school. One of the primary reasons for this gap is the instructional quality in our class rooms. Investors and capital move around the globe at astonishing rates. Companies may be choosing between
Iowa
and
India
when setting up operations. We must win that competition or face an ever-dwindling job base. The challenge is immediate, and the stakes couldn’t be higher. We simply cannot afford to fail.
B. Chet Culver’s Action Agenda for
Iowa’s
Schools
I know something about K-12 education. I was a teacher in the Des Moines Public School System, at
Hoover
High School
and
Roosevelt
High School
. In fact, I will be the only Governor in the nation who has been in the classroom in the last twenty years. I know what it is to teach 150 students per day, in six class sessions, with an athletic practice before school, and one after. I have seen the immediacy of the challenges we face.
I'm committed to our schools and our students, and I know that for
Iowa
to compete we must expect the highest-quality standards in both. My action agenda will build off Governor Tom Vilsack's success in promoting higher teacher standards and attracting better-qualified teachers with new initiatives to improve teacher pay and creating expanded enrichment opportunities for all kids.
Maybe you remember a teacher who made a difference in your life. Every one of us can recall a teacher who opened a door to a new world or encouraged us to do our best. When it comes to education, teachers can make the difference. Teacher quality is the single most important factor, after innate student traits, in explaining student performance. There is a 39 percentage point difference in student achievement between classrooms with a “most effective” teacher and classrooms with a ‘least effective” teacher.8 During the course of a single school year, students with a “most effective” teacher improved by 53 percentage points, while classrooms with a least effective teacher improved by only 19 percentage points. Yet we are facing increasing challenges in attracting and retaining qualified teachers. Our problem is particularly acute in math and science subjects and for teachers in underserved rural and urban areas.
Over the next ten years, more than 2 million new teachers will walk into a
U.S.
classroom for the first time. Within three years, more than one-third of those teachers will leave teaching. The high rate of teacher attrition costs American schools $2.6 billion every year. We will save money and keep better teachers if we start to pay teachers what they are worth. We will also make sure that new money goes directly into the classroom. This is my plan to make sure that our children and grandchildren have the best education, and the best teachers, that we can provide:
1. Attracting and Retaining the Best and Brightest Teachers
As Governor, I will implement a minimum of $15 million in additional targeted salary bonuses, support and benefits to bring the best and brightest graduates of our Colleges of Education in
Iowa
into our schools. We will use innovative programs including targeted loan forgiveness and support for mortgage forgiveness to help buy homes that will encourage them to stay living in our state and teaching in our schools.
We will give preference to graduates of
Iowa’s
public and private colleges and universities so that the teachers we train do not become part of an educator brain drain. We will target rural districts and small districts which have the most difficult time attracting and retaining teachers. This will provide immediate assistance to rural school districts struggling with a nearly $11,000 gap in starting pay between the smallest and largest school districts in
Iowa
. We can level the playing field and guarantee a good education to every
Iowa
student. This program will focus on teachers with three to five years experience and those in critical technical subjects of math and science. The goal is an equitable curriculum no matter the size of the school district or its geographic location.
2. Keeping the Best Here In
Iowa
by Increasing Teacher Salaries to the National Average
Teachers work long hours. Their jobs do not end when the school bell rings. Instead, they take work home. Our teachers grade tests at home. They prepare lesson plans after their own children go to bed. If our teachers worked in manufacturing, this sort of employment obligation outside of the workplace would be shocking. But for teachers, we simply assume that that they will work after hours and in their own homes. I believe that we will lower attrition and retain our best teachers by showing that we respect and honor their contributions. Many teachers use a second job or take on coaching or driver’s education duties with the primary motivation of supplementing an income that is less and less in line with their professional abilities.
The 2006 legislation was a real step forward, which is expected to move
Iowa
teachers from 41st in the nation up to 32nd over time. However, a ranking in the lower third among states in teacher pay does not respect
Iowa’s
tradition of excellence in education. As Governor, I will immediately commit an additional $20 million for teacher salaries in addition to the planned increase of approximately $105 million, and begin the process of respecting the professional contributions of our best educators. We will monitor
Iowa’s
average teacher salary until it reaches the national average at a minimum. No lesser standard can be justified.
3. $40 Million in Relief for Local Communities
I understand our families. I know that every
Iowa
family is doing all they can to support our schools. When I sit down at the kitchen tables of
Iowa
, the families I talk with tell me that they need more help from the state government to lessen their tax burden. I want my neighbors to know that I am listening. As Governor, I will increase the state’s share of school support by an additional $40 million. We will make the school funding formula more fair and allow local school districts to provide local property tax relief based upon the addition funds they receive from the state. We will also use these new funds in part to reward voluntary partnerships with local community colleges, which will expand course offerings for all students. We will direct these additional resources into the classroom where they belong, so that teachers have the tools they need to teach and are not forced to fund their curriculum out-of-pocket.
My plan will also help lessen the imbalance when property-poor and kid-rich districts try to provide the same services as other districts which have higher property valuations or fewer students, or both. We have been over relying on the property tax to fund K-12 education for too long. I want our local school districts and our local taxpayers to have a little bit more breathing room. When I am Governor, the state will do its fair share to provide some relief to local school districts and I will make a $40 million commitment to lessen the local burden in my first year in office.
4.
Iowa
Starts with Innovation
Iowa
has always been a center for innovation and creativity. We have a proud heritage of finding imaginative solutions to new problems. We can bring this same creativity to the classroom and to the schoolhouse. As Governor, I will allocate $4 million over four years to support pilot programs and educational innovations, with a focus on cooperation among schools, private businesses and community colleges so that our students graduate from high school with the skills they need to compete for the jobs of the future. Schools can be laboratories of innovation and provide
Iowa
the path to a better prepared workforce, the lynchpin of a vibrant economy, for a fraction of the cost of retraining a worker later in life.
5. Prepare Students for Careers
School must be the start of a lifelong process of learning - and our schools need to be better connected to that entire process. My plan will implement the acclaimed "High Schools That Work" model in schools and districts with particularly challenging student demographics and achievement levels. We will restructure career & technical education to promote both occupational and academic skills acquisition, and prepare the way for post-secondary education and career success. Finally, we'll create cutting-edge technical schools within institutions of higher education.
6. Students Earn College Credit in a Senior Year Plus
Virginia Governor Mark Warner has instituted a program in which high school students can access college course offerings in their own high school classrooms (through distance learning programs) and/or at local community colleges.
This program provides high school students with an opportunity to earn up to a full year of college credit by the time they leave their high schools. The “Senior Year Plus” program makes available all of the college freshman-level courses, at very low or no cost to the high school student who demonstrates an ambition and a commitment to achieve first year college level course work. Students, the local school district and the state share the expenses of the course work. For example, students purchase their own books for many courses.
I will invest up to $3 million in an
Iowa
Senior Year Plus program. I will bring together local school districts, Community Colleges,
Iowa’s private colleges and major Universities and state government to set protocols on who pays for the transfer of college level credits when a student graduates from high school and chooses a college in
Iowa
. Whether the college a student chooses is public or private, the goal is maximum transferability of credit hours. My administration will develop an equitable cost share formula for interested local school districts and the state Department of Education. Under the Iowa Senior Year Plus program, high school students will be allowed to pursue academic coursework or selected advanced technical training in the field of his/her choice. For example, a student interested in dentistry could begin work toward a certificate in dental assisting, a good way for students to help pay for some of the costs of their own education.
Many first year college students actually enroll in courses that offer high school review as a way to obtain skills or background that they did not obtain in high school. Up to 50 percent of first-year students take some form of remedial class. Senior Year Plus will help those students access the rigorous curriculum they will need to succeed in college, prior to the completion of high school.
Students also will be required to abide by program requirements including an agreement (signed along with their parents) not to have law violations and to follow through and attend an
Iowa
college or university.
Iowa’s
high schools should be encouraged and rewarded for developing college credit opportunities for their students. Local community colleges can help attract bright, local high school students who may decide to enroll full time after graduation. Students and their families will have an opportunity to pursue college credits at low or no cost and get a head start on their college education. I believe the
Senior Year Plus program will create a win/win situation for all participants. My administration will make a financial commitment of $3 million to get the program started in my first year in office.
