The bill that revamps Iowa’s teacher pay system has cleared an initial hurdle at the statehouse. The House Education Committee approved the bill today. Republicans and democrats say more revisions are ahead. Republican Representative Danny Carroll of Grinnell says work started on the bill last fall. Representative Phil Wise, a democrat from Keokuk, says the bill’s flawed because it doesn’t raise the minimum teacher salary. He says we are losing the struggle to keep teachers in Iowa. The Committee did vote to get rid of a provision in the bill that would have let college grads who don’t have a teaching degree take a 12-week course to get a “provisional” license. Representative Mary Mascher, a democrat from Iowa City, says that was too controversial. The House Education Committee will consider a bill tomorrow that covers the alternative teaching license issue.
