Advocacy Center: Be a Voice for Iowa Public Schools

The need for advocacy on behalf of Iowa public schools has never been greater. The decisions made by the Iowa General Assembly and at the national level impact your school district and the education of Iowa's 486,000 public school students. As our state strives to implement far-ranging educational reforms, with limited resources—we must stand together. IASB is here is help you be a strong and effective voice for public education with our advocacy toolkits, powerful coalitions with other education organizations and engagement in national issues. Together, we can make your message heard on issues that matter for Iowa students.

Call for Priorities

This annual process provides boards an opportunity to review our legislative platform and choose IASB's priorities for the next legislative session. The information we gather helps guide our advocacy efforts and show legislators what is important to their local school districts. Submit your priorities today!

Guide to the Legislative Recess

Summer is the perfect time to get in contact with your legislators, show them all the good things your district is doing, as well as your challenges, and make the connections that are so important once the legislature convenes in January. Use this guide to learn specific asks you can make of your legislators and get ideas for effective engagement within your community.
Legislature Look up (external link)

Advocacy 101

Learn the tips and tricks to being an effective advocate for Iowa public education.

Advocacy in Action


Issue Toolkits

IASB has developed these resources to assist members with district-specific information related to current legislative issues.

Items in the State Penny Sales Tax for School Infrastructure (SAVE) toolkit can be used to help craft your own message when communicating the importance of SAVE to the legislators that represent your school district.

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Use the SSA toolkit to help you talk to your legislators about the importance of setting a state aid rate as it allows your district to plan for the future.

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The District Cost Per Pupil (DCPP) toolkit provides details on the amount of per pupil funding that generates spending authority and revenue for the regular program and other programs for all school districts.

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The transportation toolkit provides information to help in advocating for changes that will create more equity in school transportation funding without impacting educational programs.

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The ESA toolkit provides resources to help spread awareness about the negative impact of ESAs.

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The English Learners Funding Toolkit provides information on the importance of funding specialized services for English language learners.

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