Steve Peterson is a former teacher from rural Winneshiek County.

Decorah has a long tradition of strong public schools. But budget shortfalls have eroded what our school can provide for our students and our community. In our case, fewer elementary teachers already mean larger class sizes for our youngest students. But I fear the worst is yet to come. 

Districts across the state are grappling with how to deal with a decade of underfunding and a more than $300 million a year voucher program that siphons off public money to fill the balance sheets of private schools. 

Cuts don’t discriminate–rural, urban, or suburban. Our public schools are in trouble. And the pain is being felt across the board. Once again, the Iowa legislature failed our public schools this session, approving yet another meager 2 percent increase in state funding per pupil, which fails to keep up with rising costs. The shortfalls that follow have forced a record 200 districts–or two-thirds of Iowa’s schools–onto a “budget guarantee” that ensures school districts with declining enrollment will see only a 1 percent increase in yearly funding, even as costs rise well beyond that figure.

To offset losses, Cedar Rapids plans to cut 20 teachers, with most coming from elementary schools. Urbandale is being forced to trim $1.5 million from its budget, with eleven staff positions on the chopping block. The band and vocal and library programs both face reductions. In Keokuk, board members have proposed eliminating a kindergarten, first, and second grade teacher, as well as doing away with the district’s science and automotive programs. And that’s just to name a few.   

Yet, our elected representatives have made it clear: they aren’t interested in making good on the will of Iowans, a vast majority of whom support our public schools and want to give them the tools to thrive. When they thrive, our communities and youth thrive. Instead, elected officials have sold our state to the highest bidders, and Iowans are the ones who pay. 

To reverse the downward spiral of our politics, I joined Public School Strong. It’s a campaign led by Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement that is all about giving the power back to everyday Iowans who value their public schools. 

As we head into November, it’s time we hold Iowa legislators accountable and elect candidates who will be champions for our public schools–the fabric of our communities. A dozen school districts have now signed onto a resolution demanding fully funded public schools and the phasing out of vouchers, including my school district in Decorah. 

Decorah hasn’t yet announced cost-saving measures, but we know they are coming. 

We have a rich history of strong elementary education and excellent arts, music and speech programs. There are college prep courses, as well as ag and career tech opportunities and “everyone is welcome” athletics. Yet, our lawmakers through their actions tell us our kids can no longer have robust education. Some things have to go. And it’s students who pay the price. 

Meanwhile, public money flooded the local private Catholic K-8 school, which prompted it to raise tuition from nearly $3,000 to $8,400 in the three years since the voucher program began, according to its meeting minutes. All this public money also is allowing the church to reduce its financial commitment to its own school by $200,000 per year, with plans to reduce it more in future years. 

We need to elect candidates who will fully fund our public schools and end the school voucher program. There needs to be transparency and accountability for how private schools use hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars. 

Iowa lawmakers, who have voted time and time again to shortchange Iowa’s youth by handing them fewer opportunities, need to know we watched. We took names. And we will carry them with us to the polls come November.