Published: September 23, 2006 12:02 am            

Providing a safe and secure future for Iowa children

Iowa families expect that our local schools will be an important part of providing a secure future for their children.

Good schools get our children and grandchildren off to a positive start in life. High-quality elementary schools help prepare students to be successful in high school, college and the workplace.

Schools also are important to our economy. Iowa employers hire skilled, dedicated workers. People thinking about moving to our state to accept employment are attracted by the fact that their children will attend Iowa’s first-rate schools.

As we start another academic year, here’s a quick look at what the Legislature did in 2006 to support and improve Iowa schools:

• Provided another $29.3 million to keep class sizes small for early grades and to support reading programs. I want Iowa students to have as much individual time with their teachers as possible.

• Approved a three-year, $210 million plan to boost teacher pay. The first step is this year’s increase of $35 million. Moving up the pay of Iowa teachers to the national average is crucial to keeping the best teachers in our classrooms.

• Invested in basic student achievement. We increased per-pupil funding for K-12 by $205 for 2007-2008 for a total of $117.7 million. Part of these funds go to increase the number of years schools receive additional money to help English language learners from three to four.

I’ve been visiting schools and talking with parents, teachers and students about what should be on the education agenda for next year. Here are some of the things I’m hearing:

• Continue to provide the funding necessary to keep Iowa’s reputation for “good local schools” a reality. That means continuing the push to bring average teacher salaries — now 41st in the nation — up to the national average. It also means providing reliable, basic support to increase student achievement.

• Good classroom discipline creates an environment where students and teachers can do their best. Helping students learn more is also a big reason for a non-discrimination policy for our schools.

• When parents are involved, students perform better in school. A Family and Education Leave Act has been proposed. This legislation would allow parents to take up to 20 unpaid hours off of work each school year to support their children’s activities and become more involved at their school.

Continuing to improve our schools will be a big issue in the next session of the Legislature. I’d be interested in your ideas on how to keep “good local schools” in Iowa and to make sure our schools are part of our plan to provide a secure future for all Iowans.



Defending against computer predators starts at home

My town hall meeting at Clinton Community College regarding Internet predators was very informative. The presentation by Steve Bogle, director of the Department of Criminal Investigation, was excellent. I want to thank Jack Pringle, Clinton Police Chief Brian Guy and Clinton County Sheriff Rick Lincoln for their participation.

With the advent of the Internet, Iowans have easy access to a wealth of information and resources. Unfortunately, the Internet also carries risks, particularly for young users.

In a recent survey, 71 percent of teens said they have received messages online from someone they don’t know; 45 percent have been asked for personal information by someone they don’t know; and 14 percent have actually met face-to-face with a person they’ve only spoken to over the Internet.

The good news is that the Iowa Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force is on the job, participating in more than 80 arrests so far this year. I support efforts to provide more resources to the Task Force in an effort to protect children across our state.

However, we need more than law enforcement agencies to protect Iowa children. With more than 30 million children going online nationwide, Mike Morris, of Iowa’s Division on Criminal Investigation, says that parents and schools must be the first line of defense against Internet predators.

Unfortunately, one-third of teens say their parents know little or nothing about what they do online. What can you do to help your kids stay safer on the Internet?

• Talk to your child about online dangers and responsible use of Internet resources.

• Take control by using blocking software, keeping the computer in a common room in the house and maintaining access to your child’s online account.

• If you suspect online “stalking” or sexual exploitation of a child, report it to your local law-enforcement agency.

For the most up-to-date resources on Internet safety, go to www.netsmartz.org.

Iowa is a great place to live and work, and we want to make sure it remains a safe place to raise a family.

Roger Stewart, a Democrat from Preston, is a member of the Iowa Senate representing District 13.

        

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