Governor Kim Reynolds came to City High to present the Future Ready Iowa Alliance recommendations in a public listening post. Many of those who attended are administrators and special education instructors from the Iowa City School District. The Future Ready Iowa plan is intends to bring Iowa’s high school graduation percentile up to 70% by 2025 and increase opportunities for disabled teens.

“I’m supportive of any and all efforts from the state level for more comprehensively preparing students for their futures,” said Lisa Glenn, Special Education Director of the Iowa City School District. “That should be a shared partnership between school and state.” The state funding from Future Ready Iowa supplements aids for disabled students, similar to the General Obligation Bond.

“I do think that she’s putting forth a good post-secondary program that she’s going to be talking about today, but if that undermines K-12 education, then she’s working against herself,” said Karen Nichols, a protester. Nichols is against a state-funded voucher program. “She’s very pro-voucher.”

Vouchers are subsidies that are given straight to the parents of the student for spending on any schooling. The reason Nichols dislikes vouchers is that “[a voucher program] looks like a good idea, but it defunds public education.” The funding for vouchers comes directly out of public education.

“I think [Future Ready Iowa] is a good start, but I think it lacks depth,” said Amelia Morrow ‘18. “It’s a two way street; it can’t just be helping students. We need to give incentives to employers in order to make sure that students and adults with disabilities get employment opportunities.”

More coverage to follow in The Little Hawk’s next print issue.