• Home
  • News
    • Politics & Government
    • Business & Economy
    • Crime / Courts
    • Health / Medicine
  • Sports
    • High School Sports
    • Radio Iowa Poll
  • Affiliates
    • Affiliate Support Page
  • Contact Us
    • Reporters

Radio Iowa

Iowa's Radio News Network

You are here: Home / Education / State’s largest school district hires legislative lobbyist

State’s largest school district hires legislative lobbyist

November 29, 2012 By Matt Kelley

Iowa’s largest school district is hiring its own lobbyist. The Des Moines School Board has agreed to pay $30,000 a year to a Des Moines firm to persuade state legislators about the district’s special needs. Des Moines Schools’ spokesperson Phil Roeder says demographics in Iowa’s largest city present special school challenges.

“Because of the size of Des Moines public schools, which is twice as large as the second largest district in Iowa, we see a great amount of diversity and complexity and issues with our students,” Roeder said. “We could better serve them if we just have some additional flexibility and options that are afforded to us by the state.”

With the exception of Des Moines, the Iowa Association of School Boards does the lobbying for Iowa’s 350 school districts. IASB executive director Tom Downs hopes other districts don’t follow suit. “Des Moines, to my disappointment, has not been a member of the IASB for the past two years, and therein lies my concern -that we speak with strength with one voice,” Downs said.

“If we become competing voices, I think we have the potential of sending mixed messages to legislators.” Downs is hoping the move by the Des Moines School District doesn’t encourage other urban districts to split the association’s traditional coalition with smaller, rural districts.

Share this:

  • Facebook
  • Twitter

Filed Under: Education, News, Politics / Govt Tagged With: Legislature

Featured Stories

Congresswoman Axne favors Biden pandemic relief plan, Hinson not ruling out a ‘yes’

DOT plow crews struggling against blizzard conditions

Death penalty proposed for specific child murder cases

Iowa delegation breaks along party lines on Trump impeachment vote

Two northeast Iowa men admit to illegally harvesting ginseng

TwitterFacebook
Tweets by RadioIowa

UNI adds two nonconference games to basketball schedule

Iowa State-Kansas postponed

Iowa-Michigan State postponed

Fire damage to Riverfront Stadium electrical system will cost Waterloo thousands

Iowa State at Kansas State postponed

More Sports

eNews and Updates

Enter your email address:

Delivered by FeedBurner

Archives

Copyright © 2021 ยท Learfield News & Ag, LLC