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| Gov. Chet Culver (D) |
| Senate: 32 Democrats 18 Republicans |
| House: 56 Democrats 44 Republicans |
| Enrollment: 472,628 |
| IOWA | Despite difficult budget circumstances, Iowa lawmakers were able to provide a modest boost for education programs, including community colleges and early-childhood education, in their recently concluded session.
Iowa will invest nearly $3.4 billion in fiscal 2011 in its education system, including K-12. That includes a net increase of $60 million for K-12 public schools. And lawmakers provided the final installment of a four-year commitment to increase funding for prekindergarten programs, enabling 12,000 children to attend 100 new preschools, according Gov. Chet Culver.
The Hawkeye State also is putting $16 million more into community colleges and job-training programs. And the legislature provided $1.9 million to help implement the Iowa Core Curriculum, which is intended to help ensure more uniform, rigorous standards. The state also provided another $1.9 million to improve math and science education programs
