School board hears of possible homeschool funding limits
By: Health Insurance
Submitted: 2009-12-21 18:16:26 | Word Count: 397
Board of Education received an update on the school district's Home Assistance Program from Director Jan Childress during its meeting Monday. After the state legalized home schooling in 1991, the state created home school assistance the next year by funding school districts 60 percent for students in the program.
Andrea Farrier, a supervising teacher in the Mid-Prairie program, said such programs took a hit in 2008 when state aid was cut to 30 percent. Now the Iowa Department of Education, said Farrier, is trying to limit what the remaining funding can be spent on. The proposed new policy would limit spending to teacher pay, travel expenses and training materials. It would not cover, she said, such things as desks, book cases, secretary salaries or the expense to lease space for the programs.
It appears the matter will go before the Iowa Legislature for the 2010 Session. She asked school board members to contact their state legislative representatives about the issue.
Iowa State Rep. Larry Marek (D-Riverside) was in attendance at the school board meeting and stated he would look into the matter.
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Childress noted that there are approximately 30,000 students being home-schooled in Iowa, with about 5,000 in programs such as the one at Mid-Prairie. Because Mid-Prairie has such a good reputation, she added, they have students from 12 other school districts and from as far away as Bennett.
The program is headquartered at the Washington Township Elementary School, which includes a library with 12,000 items geared toward home-schooled students and the adults supplying the instruction.
Superintendent Mark Schneider signed a statement of commitment for the 2010-11 school year in regard to his current joint administration duties at Mid-Prairie and the Keota Community School District. Keota began sharing the superintendent, as well as the business manager, this school year.
The board approved a early separation policy for classified employees, those who work 40 hours a week. Employees who qualify will receive a set amount per month for health insurance until they are eligible for Medicare.
