ACSD Superintendent Dave Herold speaks at May 11 Allamakee Democrats meeting


Allamakee Community School District Superintendent Dave Herold was the featured speaker at the May 11 meeting of the Allamakee Democrats. Herold spoke on school funding and the impact of recent legislation on collective bargaining in addition to answering other questions from those in attendance. Submitted photo.

Dave Herold, Superintendent of the Allamakee Community School District (ACSD), was the  guest speaker at the Allamakee Democrats’ monthly meeting held Thursday, May 11. He gave a presentation on school funding and how the restrictions and changes to Chapter 20 (Collective Bargaining) affect the local school district.

In light of the Republican-controlled State House and State Senate recently passing a school funding bill with a 1.1%  increase, which is the third lowest in Iowa’s history, and the cost of living index being listed at four percent, the result is a substantial budget shortfall for schools in Allamakee County. To address this shortfall, Herold outlined three options: cut staff, cut programs, or increase the property tax levy.

Herold said decreases in programs are already taking place, explaining that money saving measures have been implemented and include sharing personnel across the school districts in Allamakee County and with North Winneshiek School District. Herold further explained that “sharing of personnel” is possible due to legislation sponsored by former State Representative Patti Ruff and former State Senator Mary Jo Wilhelm, who worked with both Democrats and Republicans to get such a measure passed.

Why the State budget is “tight” relates back to the tax credits to corporations and the cutting of commercial property taxes, explained Herold. As a result, the State’s revenue is lower than projected and budget cuts were made. Herold pointed out that corporate tax credits have significantly outpaced school aid over the last eight years.

Herold also spoke about the State House and State Senate passing drastic changes to Chapter 20’s Collective Bargaining Law, and how this has had a negative impact on educators and school districts across the state. He explained that administration and educators had previously been able to respectfully negotiate with one another over wages, benefits, health insurance, and leaves of absence. Now, Herold said, there is uncertainly what can be negotiated and whether Iowa will be able to attract educators given the changes and uncertainty.

Herold expressed his concerns that this will lead to a teacher shortage and that new teachers are looking for jobs in other states with higher wages and predictable benefits. He said college students are not majoring in Education in the numbers they did in the past related to the high costs of tuition and the low starting salary for teachers. Herold stated that the Allamakee Community School District has teaching positions open but has received only a handful of applications for them, having advertised in the LaCrosse, WI and Rochester, MN newspapers and not receiving even one response.

Considering the underfunding of schools and the elimination of major collective bargaining rights, teachers in attendance at the May 11 meeting questioned whether  legislators are sending a message that they do not value public education or educators. Herold reflected back to previous legislatures where there was “checks and balances” because of two-party rule; Republicans and Democrats had to compromise and work together. He said those “checks and balances” no longer exist with both the House and Senate being controlled by one party.

During the question and answer period of the meeting, a concerned citizen asked whether the continued underfunding of schools would eventually lead to Waukon, Lansing and Postville schools being consolidated into one big school district because each small district would not be able to afford to keep its schools open. Herold answered the question with a simple “Yes.”

Another question pertained to school vouchers, which was brought up by Republican legislators but later tabled. School vouchers would divert taxpayers’ money to private schools and homeschoolers. Herold said he thought there was a good possibility that school vouchers or school savings accounts would again be brought up in the next legislative session. He explained that if vouchers or school savings accounts were enacted into law, more taxpayer money and state funding would be diverted away from public schools, resulting in an even greater financial strain on the schools.