ISEA releases report linking education to economic development

The leader of the state’s largest teacher union released the results of a national study today showing the impact of education on jobs. Iowa State Education Association (I-S-E-A) president John Hieronymus unveiled the results in Cedar Rapids, as the fight for more education funding continues at the state capitol.He says the basics of the study say if you invest in education, it grows the economy. He says it grows the economy in particular in the ways people care about — it creates jobs, creates additional income, and it reduces the gap between the rich and the poor. Hieronymus says the report by the National Education Association, evaluated three major studies on jobs and education.He says they would hope both the state and federal government would pay attention to the information that shows if you invest in education, it will grow the economy. He says, “you couldn’t ask for a better deal than that.” Hieronymus says this report shows some new information on the importance of education spending. He says it shows that in Iowa, a two-percent increase in funding would create 16-hundred new jobs, and generate 32-million dollars in increased personal income. He says that two-percent greater than what’s required for just inflation. Hieronymus says this report is being unveiled for the first time in Iowa. He says they’re putting it out because the impact on Iowa’s economy. He says other parts of the country will be interested too. He says hopefully if the legislature’s interested in investing 30-million dollars to save 450 jobs, hopefully they’ll be interested in investing to save two-thousand teaching jobs. He was referring to money the legislature’s already spending for economic development projects. The I-S-E-A represents 32-thousand teachers in Iowa.