Iowa’s public schools will split 150-million dollars over the next four yearsto reduce class sizes and improve reading skills in early elementary grades.Governor Vilsack signed the bill into law this morning at a public school inDes Moines.As envisioned, schools will be able to either hire new teachers or spend themoney training existing teachers in new methods. First Lady ChristieVilsack, a part-time teacher, was on hand for today’s bill signing. She saysit’s difficult to teach children when they’re are too many in one classroom.Senator Matt Mc-Coy, a democrat from Des Moines, called the bill a “greatfirst step.The bill received nearly-unanimous approval from the legislature. Criticssaid it was wrong for lawmakers to micro-manage schools and they argued forsending the money to schools with no strings attached.
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