by Amanda Rink, Editor
The Clarion-Goldfield-Dows School Board met Thursday, February 13 at 4 P.M. The district’s financial outlook was a key topic, especially concerning impending legislation.
The board received the first proposal from the Clarion-Goldfield-Dows Education Association (CGDEA), which requested a 5% increase in the total dollar amount for teachers, with no other changes to contracts or the staff handbook. The association is open to discussion on how the increase will be distributed among licensed staff, to ensure that “everyone is taken care of from 0-25 years,” according to Loren Lindaman with the CGDEA Bargaining Team.
In terms of the district’s finances, Board Secretary Anita Frye provided a detailed initial budget for the board to review. The district is not expecting any new money coming in, with management funds needing to increase due to rising insurance costs. The district will need an additional $250,000 in the management fund compared to last year in response.
The final budget will be proposed at the first public hearing on March 27 at 4:00 P.M. at the district office. With the district facing rising costs and limited new funding, the conversation turned to how pending state legislation could further impact CGD’s financial outlook.
The board discussed concerns over how pending state legislation could impact the district’s budget. One of the main issues is the 2.25% State Supplemental Aid (SSA) increase proposed by Iowa Legislators for fiscal year 2026 and a senate study bill that would require a base minimum pay for teachers across the state.
Frye expressed concerns that the percentage would not be enough to keep up with rising costs, including the requirements for minimum salaries.
“If the district automatically agreed to the 5% increase the CGDEA requested, the 2% SSA would leave the district almost $200,000 short in meeting that request—just for certified staff,” Frye explained to The Wright County Monitor. “There would still need to be an increase in wages for the rest of the staff for FY26. Additionally, while some one-time state funding has been allocated to help meet the new minimum salary requirements, it is not distributed equally among districts and does not provide a long-term solution for covering these higher wages in the future.”
Senate Bill 1100 proposed a new minimum salary requirement for Iowa teachers. Under the bill, teachers with at least 12 years of experience would earn a minimum of $62,000 a year. Retired teachers who are returning to the classroom after a “bona fide retirement” would earn at least $50,000. “First-year teachers, including those under the threshold right now will make the minimum of $50,000.00 starting July 1, 2025,” Frye explained further.
While the bill aims to improve teacher retention, it raises concerns about long-term funding.
The state sends one-time payments to ensure staff are at a higher wage, but districts are then left wondering how they will sustain these salaries in the future.
Frye noted that under the current funding proposals, CGD will get $37,470 less in state funding for the upcoming fiscal year. If the 2.25% SSA is approved, the district would still see a decrease in funding of $19,002.
“The district does have the option to shift Categorical General Fund dollars to cover certain expenses,” Frye said. “This is a local board decision, but at what point do programs that were previously funded by the legislature become less important, and those funds get repurposed? Having flexibility is great—until it starts impacting students or staff who benefit from those funds.” Concerns about state funding are shared by other districts across the state.
“I know that people in my position statewide recognize that this is not enough of an increase to meet district needs,” Frye stated. She pointed out that many districts have faced declining enrollment in recent years, which has led to further budget issues. In a recent newsletter, State Representative Mark Thompson outlines the state’s funding approach, explaining that in 2024, K-12 education accounted for 46% of Iowa’s budget. The proposed total funding increase includes a 3.93% when factoring in other budget items.
Frye said she appreciated Thompson’s transparency in explaining the funding breakdown but she doesn’t agree that 2% or 2.25% SSA is sufficient to meet our district’s growing financial needs.
“I have learned to work with the SSA amount given each year, but I would have liked to have seen at least 3% this year,” Frye said. “We need an amount that allows the district to meet all its obligations without depleting resources.” Despite concerns, Frye emphasized that she respects public officials and understands the challenges they face. “They are trying to do the right thing for all involved, but they will not be able to please everyone with their decisions.”
The board also reviewed the latest IASB Data Boost on English Learners (EL) for FY25. The report tracks EL student growth across Iowa, using October 1 enrollment data.
According to the report, CGD’s percentage of EL learners is 24.2% in grades K-12. Frye explained that this category is overspent, and the district must request approval from the School Budget Review Committee (SBRC) to recover excess spending.
In other business, the board approved purchasing a new school bus for $148,000. The new bus includes air conditioning, making it more suitable for summer sports and activities. “A few years ago, you could buy two buses for this price,” Frye remarked, highlighting the rising costs for the district across all areas.
The next regular board meeting is scheduled for March 13, 2025, at 4 p.m. The first public hearing for the FY26 Budget Proposed Tax Rate will be held on March 27, 2025, at 4 p.m.
