EIGHT NEWS AT SIX. TONIGHT. WE’RE HEARING FROM TWO SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENTS ON THE CHANGES TO A CRITICAL EDUCATION BILL. IOWA LAWMAKERS ARE CONSIDERING MAJOR CHANGES TO THE STATE’S AREA EDUCATION AGENCIES. KCCI CHIEF POLITICAL REPORTER AMANDA ROOKER TELLS US WHY THESE SCHOOL LEADERS DISAGREE OVER WHETHER THOSE CHANGES WILL HELP OR HURT. IOWA HOUSE LAWMAKERS PASSED ANOTHER ROUND OF CHANGES TO THE STATE’S AREA EDUCATION AGENCIES LAST THURSDAY. THE LATEST IN A BACK AND FORTH BETWEEN THE HOUSE, THE SENATE AND THE GOVERNOR’S OFFICE OVER HOW TO REFORM THE STATE’S EA’S NOW, SOME SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENTS ARE URGING THE SENATE TO PASS THE BILL, WHILE OTHERS WARN THE CHANGES COULD CAUSE DAMAGE FOR YEARS TO COME. WHEN YOU DEAL WITH UNCERTAINTY WITH PEOPLE’S KIDS, UM, AND YOU CARE ABOUT PROVIDING QUALITY SERVICE THAT IS SCARY. WOODWARD GRANGER, SUPERINTENDENT MARK LANE SAYS HIS DISTRICT RELIES HEAVILY ON THE HEARTLAND AEA. WHAT’S YOUR PERSPECTIVE ON THOSE PROPOSALS TO REFORM AREA EDUCATION AGENCIES? FRANKLY, THEY SCARE ME. UM, THEY MAKE AN UNPREDICTABLE FUTURE FOR US. STARTING IN THE FALL OF 2025. THE LATEST HOUSE BILL WOULD SEND SCHOOLS 10% OF SPECIAL EDUCATION FUNDING AND 100% OF GENERAL ED AND MEDIA FUNDING. BUT LANE SAYS THAT MEANS AEAS WOULD HAVE LESS MONEY TO PAY FOR THINGS LIKE TECHNOLOGY SERVICES THAT SUPPORT STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES IS MONEY THAT COULD HAVE GONE TOWARD PAYING THE SALARY OF A SPEECH LANGUAGE PATHOLOGIST IS NOW GOING TO NEED TO GO TOWARDS SOMEBODY WORKING BEHIND THE SCENES WITH TECH SUPPORT, BUT OKOBOJI SUPERINTENDENT TODD ABRAHAMSON, WE FEEL AS A DISTRICT THAT WE CAN DO BETTER FOR OUR STAFF AND OUR KIDDOS, SAYS SOME PARENTS AND STUDENTS IN HIS DISTRICT ARE STRUGGLING TO GET THE SERVICES THEY NEED FROM THEIR AEA. IT GETS FRUSTRATING SOMETIMES WHEN YOU GOT TO GO THROUGH THE MINUTIAE OF THE RED TAPE, WHEN YOU KNOW EXACTLY WHAT THIS KIDDO NEEDS. IF YOU CHOOSE TO STAY WITH THE AA, GREAT. IF YOU WANT PARTIAL SERVICES, GREAT. UM, BUT IT FOR THOSE DISTRICTS THAT REALLY WANT TO GO DOWN ANOTHER AVENUE AND PROVIDE THEIR OWN SERVICES WITH THOSE DOLLARS, I THINK WE SHOULD BE GIVEN THAT OPPORTUNITY. THE BILL IS NOW WAITING FOR DEBATE IN THE SENATE. IT WOULD HAVE TO PASS WITHOUT ANY OTHER CHANGES BEFORE IT COULD BE SENT TO THE GOVERNOR’S DESK TO BE SIGNED INTO LAW FROM THE STAT