At Monday’s meeting, the South Tama County school board approved a resolution urging increased state funding for public schools, while also receiving updates on facilities planning and news of a statewide award.

Public comments at the South Tama County school board meeting centered on the Public School Strong resolution.

Dixie Forcht, president of the South Tama County Education Association, urged the board to adopt the resolution, which calls on the Iowa governor and state legislature to fully fund public schools and phase out Education Savings Accounts (ESAs). Forcht said the resolution specifically requests “a minimum annual five percent increase in state supplemental aid, adjusted for inflation,” while also asking lawmakers to maintain an income cap on ESAs, phase out the program over the next five years, and “use public funds for public schools only.”

Forcht told the board the resolution was intended to support public education statewide and to ensure that school districts have the resources needed to plan effectively for the future. She also noted that many districts across Iowa are facing similar challenges related to staffing, inflation, and long-term financial stability.

Berleen Wobeter also spoke in favor of the resolution, emphasizing the long-term impact of insufficient funding.

“If we don’t get that funding, it creates an atmosphere of fear and hesitation,” Wobeter told the board. “Who wants to be on the school board when decisions feel that risky?”

She added that chronic underfunding often leads to “planned failure of sorts, work half done,” and urged the board to support the resolution as a signal of commitment to students and the broader community.

Later in the meeting, the board discussed the resolution and voted to approve it. Board member Megan Thiessen made the motion to approve the resolution, which was seconded by Joe Hanus. During discussion, board member Rick Hopper said there were portions of the resolution he did not fully agree with, but acknowledged its overall intent in supporting the district and its students.

“You don’t have to agree with everything all the time,” Hopper said.

Superintendent John Cain addressed the proposed funding increase, noting that while a five percent increase may sound significant, it reflects historical precedent. Cain pointed out that “years ago, five percent was the norm,” contrasting that with the much lower increases Iowa public schools have received in recent years.

In other business, Cain announced that he and maintenance director Steve McAdoo will tour the former middle school property with the Tama County Board of Supervisors on Feb. 2. The tour will allow county officials and district leadership to assess the building and explore potential future uses for the property.

Cain said the visit is intended to give supervisors an overview of the facility and help determine whether the building could serve a purpose moving forward. Board members were invited to attend, with Cain noting that participation would be limited to comply with open meetings requirements.

The board also learned that the district has been selected to receive the State Auditor’s PIE Award, which recognizes public entities for innovation and efficiency. Cain said the award reflects ongoing energy-efficiency improvements across the district, including LED lighting upgrades and operational changes associated with the district’s transition to the new middle school.

“This doesn’t happen every day,” Cain said, noting that the district demonstrated measurable improvement on the state’s energy-efficiency indicators.

He said the award will be formally presented on Friday. To mark the recognition, Cain announced that pie will be served districtwide. Pie will be available following the award presentation on Friday, and students and staff across the district will be served pie during lunch on Monday as part of the celebration.

The next board meeting is scheduled for Feb. 9.