Rob Sand Meets With Area Educators in Cedar Rapids to Discuss Public Education in Iowa

CEDAR RAPIDS, IA – Yesterday, candidate for governor Rob Sand sat down with about a dozen parents, current and former educators, and members of the community to discuss the state of education in Iowa. 

The educators shared with Rob their frustration on the lack of support from current leaders, including Governor Reynolds and the Department of Education, concerns with student readiness, and the lack of transparency with the voucher program that gives private schools public tax dollars with no accountability as public schools already struggle with limited resources. Nearly every teacher discussed the personal funds they use to pay for classroom supplies or food for their students.

As governor, Rob will work to better support Iowa’s public schools, teachers, and students by investing in – not defunding – Iowa’s public schools, increasing transparency for the school voucher program, and ensuring that teachers’ voices are always heard. 

Read more about the event below: 

• The Gazette: Educators discuss Education Savings Accounts, school funding at Cedar Rapids roundtable with gubernatorial candidate Rob Sand

  • The group discussed their concerns about Iowa’s education system, including state funding and how that affects pay for teachers and paraeducators. 

  • Sand, in response to a question about his views on Education Savings Accounts, said he doesn’t believe it’s realistic to promise to get rid of the program as governor, given the Republican majorities in both the Iowa House and Senate. However, he said he believes there are ways to make the program better by increasing the accountability of private schools that use the program.

• KGAN: State auditor Rob Sand discusses educational reform in Cedar Rapids town hall

  • The discussion held in Cedar Rapids focused on education, where participants brought up worries about low wages, lacking resources and issues with curriculums.

  • Teachers in different departments were at this roundtable along with community members and they all shared their concerns with State Auditor Sand.

  • Sand says there’s plenty of room for improvement in education, and he says he will mainly focus on helping kids in lower grades so that they can meet the expectation set for them as they move up the educational ladder.

• Iowa Starting Line: Rob Sand, Democratic candidate for Iowa governor, spoke with teachers Thursday afternoon in Cedar Rapids.