Iowa’s candidates for governor traded sharp words during a debate on Tuesday evening hosted by KWQC in Davenport. They also laid out different ideas for improving public schools.
Democrat Rob Sand says during his first year as governor, he wants to increase funding for public schools by 5 percent. The legislature passed 2 percent this year.
“We have gone from in 2018 ranked fifth for public education in the country, to now being ranked in the bottom half and losing to Nebraska, that's a problem," Sand said.
Republican Zach Lahn says more money won’t fix the problem. He wants schools to have more freedom to try innovative ways of teaching.
“We have too much red tape in our public schools. We don't have the ability for teachers to meet the needs of students like they like to. If you want evidence of this, all you have to. Look at is that the rate at which teachers are leaving the profession at year one, two, or three," Lahn said.
He supports education savings accounts, which help pay for private school tuition. Sand wants income limits and more oversight.
That was the first of four debates, with the next one to be held in Sioux City on October 14.
As the campaigns move towards the November 3 election, Lahn is having a public event in Orange City in Sioux County on Thursday.
