Public commenters urge Bettendorf board to press state for 5% funding increase, urge caution on anti‑private‑school language

Public commenters and several trustees urged the Bettendorf Community School District Board of Directors to adopt a resolution asking the state to increase supplemental school aid by at least 5% and to address the diversion of public dollars to private‑school vouchers and Education Savings Accounts (ESAs).

At the public-comment period, Deb Temperley, a teacher-librarian at Burke Middle School, introduced students who advanced from district to state competitions and joined other speakers in urging board support for the resolution. A retired Bettendorf High School math teacher told the board: “When you hear people say that they're teaching to hate America ... they're wrong,” and argued the district should defend public education and oppose policies that divert funding.

Parents and community members described the National History Day program’s role in building students’ research and communication skills and asked the board to use that success in recruiting families. One public commenter summarized the resolution’s core ask: “The resolution before you urges the state to provide a minimum 5% increase in state supplemental aid to keep up with inflation.”

Board discussion focused on two lines of concern: pushing for predictable funding and making the resolution politically effective. One trustee argued private schools that accept public funds are “not held to the same accountability, transparency, and legal standards,” and urged the board to press the legislature for funding and fewer unfunded mandates. Another trustee cautioned that portions of the draft resolution “start to kinda drift into some of the ideological or political advocacy” against private schools and recommended striking language that could make the measure polarizing, suggesting a narrower focus on public funding, special education funding and teacher shortages.

A trustee who reviewed multi-state cost comparisons noted wide variation in per‑student spending and asked whether districts can reduce overhead to preserve programs amid funding pressures, saying he supported advocacy but was uncertain the state would deliver the full 5% increase. Speakers noted at least 14 Iowa districts have already taken similar action.

Board members and staff agreed to return the item with a chance for amendments and to take an up-or-down vote at the May 27 meeting. No formal board action was taken at this session.