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Advocacy

The Linn-Mar Community School District Board of Directors is committed to advocating on behalf of the students, staff, and community and takes all debates, policies, and laws that impact the success of Iowa’s public education systems seriously.

The board has two members that serve as legislative liaisons. These members provide updates to the board throughout the legislative session, lead discussion on legislative priorities, and work with the superintendent to stay in contact with elected officials on education issues at the state and federal level.

LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES 2026-27
The Linn-Mar Board of Directors selected the following priorities to submit to the Iowa Association of School Boards Legislative Advocacy Committee for vote at the IASB delegate assembly in November. 

Note: They are not in any certain order as all are deemed equally important to the success of the students and district.

DROPOUT/AT RISK PREVENTION
School boards strive to provide every student with the services they need to remain in school, progress, and graduate to become productive citizens. We support state policies to:​

  1. Include dropout prevention and funding for at-risk students in the foundation formula and the socio-economic status as a factor in determining a student's at-risk status; 
  2. Equalize the ability of all districts to generate dropout prevention funds; and
  3. Increase district participation in statewide programs that serve at-risk students.

PRESCHOOL
Research demonstrates that children who take part in early childhood education are more likely to succeed in school. We support state policies to:

  1. Ensure all school districts have the capacity to serve all 4- and 5-year-olds;
  2. Provide resources for districts to provide services such as full-day programming, transportation, and wraparound care; 
  3. Provide support and resources to support the behavioral and educational services for preschool-aged students; 
  4. Cooperate and coordinate with community partners to ensure all 4-year-olds have access to quality preschool programming including accredited nonpublic schools, Head Start, Shared Visions, Early Childhood Iowa, and other qualified providers; and
  5. Expanded access to the State's voluntary preschool program should supplement, not supplant, existing state and federal funding sources.

SCHOOL FUNDING POLICY
Schools and school boards have a longstanding commitment to provide students with the programs and services they need to be successful. We support state policies on public school funding that:

  1. ​Sufficiently supports the ability of local districts to meet parent and community expectations and provides a world class education to all students;
  2. Equalize per-pupil funding for all program areas;
  3. Maintain the funding mechanism for transportation costs that reduces the pressure on the general fund and addresses inequities between school districts;
  4. Include factors based on changes in demographics, including socio-economic status, remedial programming, and enrollment challenges;
  5. Reflect actual costs for special education services;
  6. Support flexibility in the use of voter and board-approved special levy funds;
  7. Incorporate categorical funding in the formula within three years;
  8. Include a mix of state aid and property taxes; and
  9. Increase the budget guarantee to 103% to provide additional stability to support student achievement for districts with declining enrollment.​​

STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT
Iowa students benefit from rigorous content standards and benchmarks that reflect the real-world knowledge and skills students need to graduate from high school prepared for college, trade school, military service, or to enter the workforce. We support state policies to:

  1. Provide technical assistance for school districts to fully implement the Iowa Content Standards which define what students should know and be able to do in math, science, literacy, social studies, and durable skills;
  2. Support adoption of curriculum content standards by the Department of Education with stakeholder input rather than through the legislative process;
  3. Ensure research-based professional development that provides educators with training, support, and time to work together;
  4. Support intensive, high-quality tutoring to improve student literacy and math proficiency;
  5. Continue evidenced-based literacy materials to help improve student achievement;
  6. Expand programming for career and technical education and apprenticeships;
  7. Ensure assessments are aligned to high expectations, improve and align instruction, and quality professional development;
  8. Support curriculum decisions that are made by locally elected school boards;
  9. Allow a consideration process that engages stakeholders, the Department of Education, and the State Board of Education in new graduation requirements; and
  10. Provide full access to technology and online learning through infrastructure investments including: 
    • ​​Provide incentives to expand service with a priority on those areas with access to the slowest speeds;
    • Guarantee minimum download and upload speeds as a condition to receive grant funding or other financial incentives.

BOARD STATEMENTS AND ADVOCACY LETTERS

Throughout the legislative sessions the LMCSD Board of Directors may choose to send letters advocating on certain bills and providing perspective on the impact of proposed legislation. The board may also choose to offer statements addressing topics, events, or important information regarding pending legislation.

STATE AND FEDERAL REPRESENTATIVES

The Linn-Mar Community School District has residents in multiple school districts. Currently, the following are the elected officials representing the Linn-Mar community: 

STATE LEVEL

FEDERAL LEVEL

  • Representative Ashley Hinson (Contact)
  • Senator Joni Ernst (Contact)
  • Senator Charles E. Grassley (Contact)

Click here for more information on the Iowa Legislature