College tuition payers beware University education cost spikes projected for next year

The proper balance for education funding has been an ongoing battle at the Iowa Statehouse. As universities attempt to provide more amenities that appeal to prospective students, the check for tuition gets harder and harder for students and parents to write. Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds has proposed a “record-breaking” amount of funding for K-12 education in the 2019 fiscal year—but legislators and educators worry that the funding comes with a hidden cost.

What the state gave, the state takes away Senator Herman Quirmach with the Education Budget Committee is disappointed that some of the funding for the K-12 education in FY19—which includes an additional $54 million from last year—increase is being pulled by the millions from state dollars allocated to universities.

“In recent years the funding for K-12 education has not done well. When the actual dollar amount is compared to inflation costs, you see basically no growth in education funding. You have to look beyond the actual dollar,” said the senator.

Senator Quirmach went on to explain that state universities take a big hit from the reduction of funding. Halfway through the 2018 fiscal year, the state withdrew $11 million from Iowa State University and University of Iowa combined to make a chip in the government’s $144 million deficit.

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