A Deeper Dive

Reckless, needless tax cuts currently making their way through the state legislature would not only reduced revenue — but will jeopardize much-needed aid to states and local governments provided in the American Rescue Plan. Anne is joined by colleagues Mike and Peter to unpack these harmful proposals and their implications for Iowans.

We’re eight weeks into the 2021 legislative session, and lawmakers at the Capitol continue to push bills — some good, some bad and a few...downright awful. Mary Nelle, Mike, Sheila and Natalie join Anne to give a status report on bills they’re tracking: voting rights, child care, education funding, tax policy, food assistance and more.

SHOW NOTES

Senate switchboard: 515-281-3371

House switchboard: 515-281-3221

Find your legislator: https://www.commongoodiowa.org/get-involved/find-your-lawmakers

Official Iowa legislative website: https://www.legis.iowa.gov/

After almost of year of pandemic, public schools across Iowa are trying to find a new normal that best meets the needs of their students. But both chambers of the Iowa legislature are advancing bills that would only increase the challenges school districts — and their students — face.

Joining Anne on the podcast is Melissa Peterson of the Iowa State Education Association and Margaret Buckton, who represents the Urban Education Network and Rural School Advocates of Iowa. They unpack some key threats to local public schools: funding that fails to meet the unprecedented need, private school vouchers and charter schools.

Said Peterson: “Given the pace at which some of these pieces of legislation are moving, it makes it hard not to think public education is under attack.”

Here we go! The 2021 Iowa legislative session kicked off earlier this week as lawmakers returned to the Capitol and Governor Reynolds gave her Condition of the State speech. In this episode, Anne is joined by Sheila, Mary Nelle and Mike to unpack the governor’s proposals — as well as the policies and legislation we know are needed to support kids, families and communities, especially in light of the continuing pandemic.

It's common for Iowa youth and young adults experience trauma during their childhood: physical, emotional or psychological. But through authentic relationships and, for some, art, these young Iowans can learn to overcome their past and create better lives for themselves. Christine Her, executive director at ArtForce Iowa, an organization transforming at-risk youth through art, opens up about her journey from trauma to healing — and how adults can help youth in Iowa find healing, too.

For all of us, our past and present affect our future — for better or for worse. And the same is true for kids. Trauma experienced during childhood — known as adverse childhood experienced or ACEs — can cause health problems and learning challenges. But ACEs aren’t final; healing — and prevention — are possible.

Lisa Cushatt and Sarah Welch with Iowa ACEs 360 talk with Anne about their coalition’s work to put systems in place that help all Iowa children thrive, even if they’re experiencing trauma. They also breakdown the encouraging findings in “Healing Iowa: 2020 ACEs Report” that point to progress made in our state.

SHOW NOTES

Find the report here: https://www.iowaaces360.org/2020-iowa-aces-report.html

Head Start, Iowa’s beloved early childhood education program, has been operating under a “new normal” since the pandemic hit our state earlier this year. As educators and kids alike head back to school, how are programs across the state working to keep kids healthy, safe and learning?

Anne is joined by Carrie Sodders (Mid-Iowa Community Action) and Melissa Nelson (North Iowa Community Action Organization) — both experts on Head Start — to discuss how the statewide early childhood program has adapted since March — and what’s in store for the fall.

Today, the Senate voted on the GOP’s “skinny” Covid-19 relief package, which fell way short of addressing the needs of Iowans facing a pandemic and natural disaster.

It didn’t pass.

What do Iowans need to get through this crisis? Anne and a host of colleagues and partners discuss what a substantial package from Congress would look like — and why it matters, more than ever.

It’s a race against time to ensure a complete, accurate Census count in Iowa. With the U.S. Census Bureau concluding its outreach efforts at the end of September — a month earlier than planned — nearly 30 percent of Iowans have yet to be counted. Which begs the question: Is a complete count possible?

Joining Anne are two members of the Complete Count Commission, Iowa’s statewide committee working to achieve a high response rate. Deann Cook (United Ways of Iowa) and Bill Menner (Iowa Rural Development Council and Iowa Rural Health Association) discuss strategies the Commission is using to get the word out about the Census, why being counted matters — and how Iowans can respond.

SHOW NOTES

Learn more about the Commission's work: https://www.iowadatacenter.org/2020census/committees

Find out who serves on the Commission: https://governor.iowa.gov/2019/12/gov-reynolds-names-members-of-iowa-2020-census-complete-count-committee

On Monday, after months of delay, the U.S. Senate released its proposal for the next round of Covid-19 relief, which utterly fails to meet the challenge of the unprecedented crisis we face. So does it constitute a “relief” package? We’ll find out after the Senate, House and White House negotiate in the coming days and weeks.

In the meantime, Center and IPP staff join Anne on the pod to discuss what the Senate bill should’ve been — and what’s needed to help Iowans get to the other side of this once-in-a-lifetime crisis.