Superman’s mom is running for the Iowa state legislature.

Katie Routh, a semi-retired schoolteacher from Norwalk, will run for the new 25th House District, which covers all of Madison County and part of Warren County in central Iowa.

One of Routh’s sons, Brandon Routh, is an actor who played Superman in the 2006 film “Superman Returns.”

“My son may be a movie star, but I’m an ordinary Iowan and mother of four who wants to improve life for all families in Iowa,” Routh said in a statement. “I’m excited to meet the people of District 25 at their doorsteps and hear their ideas and concerns.”

In her statement, Routh, a Democrat, said she was committed to strengthening the economy and ensuring high-quality education and health care for Iowans.

She worked for 34 years as an elementary-school teacher in the Norwalk Community School District, and was named district teacher of the year in 1994. She is now co-director of ASK Learning Center, a private alternative school in Norwalk.

The new District 25 includes much of the area now included in the 73rd District, held by Rep. Julian Garrett, R-Indianola. The district numbers and boundaries changed due to redistricting.

Thomas is currently serving his seventh term in the Iowa House. He serves as the Ranking Member of Economic Growth and Rebuild Iowa committee, and holds positions on Agriculture, Veterans Affairs, and Ways and Means committees, as well as the Transportation Committees and Infrastructure and Capitals Appropriations Budget Subcommittee.

Thomas graduated from Valley Community School in Elgin and entered the United States Air Force. After serving our country, Thomas returned his family to Iowa to start a small business in Wadena. Thomas and his wife, Rosemary now live on the family farm west of Elkader. They have three grown children and four grandchildren. Thomas attended Upper Iowa University in Fayette with a Bachelor of Science in Public Administration. In recent years, Roger was a business consultant for Iowa Workforce Development in Decorah.

Due to redistricting required every ten years by the United States Census, Representative Roger Thomas and Representative Andrew Wenthe were placed in the same legislative house district. Representative Wenthe has decided not to seek re-election. Thomas is familiar to the new district having already previously served the people of Fayette for two terms.

“I’m proud of my work helping people in Muscatine get the skills they need to land a good-paying job, continue their education, or start their own business. Community colleges are the key to growing Iowa’s skilled workforce and strengthening the middle class,” said Dabeet, a Democrat. “My top priorities in the Iowa House will be making sure every Iowan gets a world class education from preschool to higher education and helping local communities create jobs.”

Now in his 17th year at Muscatine Community College, Dabeet teaches economics and statistics in addition to his duties chairing the Business Department. He is also the student government advisor and serves on Eastern Iowa Community College district wide globalization initiative as well as the student council. Dabeet is also an adjunct professor at Iowa Wesleyan College in Mt. Pleasant.

“As state representative, I will put aside the partisanship and listen to the people of our community. I look forward to engaging the citizens of Muscatine just like I engage my students in the classroom and seek their input on the critical issues our state faces. It’s a humbling experience to run for state representative and I’m excited to meet Muscatine residents at their doorstep,” said Dabeet, who received the Excellency in Volunteerism Award from the Greater Muscatine Chamber of Commerce and Industry in 2002-2003.

Dabeet, a Christian, is currently serving as President of the national Americans & Palestinians for Peace organization and has been involved in a host of other activities and organizations in Muscatine. He is Past President of Muscatine Sister City Association and former Chair of the Diversity Service Center of Iowa, which is based in Muscatine. For eight years, he served on the Board of Directors for the Greater Muscatine Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

John and his wife, Abeer, have two twin boys, Nabeel and Anton, who are three years old. He received Sister Cities International 50th Anniversary Distinguish Volunteer Award in 2006, was nominated by his students for Who’s Who of America’s Best Teachers, and received the Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Teaching at MCC.

For more information, contact:

Tina Hoffman, Iowa Economic Development Authority

Phone: 515.725.3150 or Cell: 515.783.8225

communications@iowa.gov

Economic Development Board Announces Largest Capital Investment in History of Iowa

February 17, 2012 (DES MOINES, IA) – The Iowa Economic Development Authority (IEDA) board today awarded financial assistance to four companies for job creation and expansion projects.  Today’s awards will assist in the creation of 254 new jobs, retention of three jobs and will account for $1.3 billion of new capital investment to the state.

“I am very excited to announce that with action today from the Iowa Economic Development Board, Iowa is one step closer to landing the largest capital investment project in the history of the state of Iowa,” said Governor Terry Branstad.

“In addition to the significant investment Iowa Fertilizer Company’s proposed project would make in southeast Iowa, it will also bring good, high-paying jobs to an area of our state that has had its share of challenges,” said Lt. Gov. Kim Reynolds.

Iowa Fertilizer Company is a subsidiary of Orascom Construction Industries, which is one of the world’s largest fertilizer producers.  The IEDA Board approved direct financial assistance as well as tax incentives for a proposed project to build a new large-scale fertilizer plant in Wever, located in Lee County.  The company is also expected to receive local financial assistance from Lee County and the IDOT board will consider infrastructure assistance.  The new plant would supply needed ammonia and other nitrogen fertilizers to farmers in Iowa and the Midwest.  The project represents an investment in excess of $1 billion and is expected to create 165 permanent jobs.

In addition to the permanent jobs the project would create, approximately 1,500-2,000 construction-related jobs would also be expected.  Debi Durham, director of the Iowa Economic Development Authority, said, “Iowa Fertilizer Company’s proposed project could have a huge impact for our entire state that will benefit us for years to come.  Economic development takes many forms but is best achieved when the assets of the location align perfectly with the strengths of the company making the investment.” She continued, “That is exactly why it is essential we have the right tools to continue to compete for global projects of this magnitude.”

The board also approved assistance for planned or proposed projects located in Cedar Falls, Riverdale, and Burlington.

Cedar Falls web strategy company expanding operations

Tactical 8 Technologies LLC (d/b/a T8 Webware), a financial web strategy and personalized services firm, was awarded $45,000 in direct assistance to expand their Cedar Falls facility to develop and implement new products.   The company, based out of Cedar Falls, is a provider of custom mobile applications, personalized payment card services and websites to financial institutions.  The project is expected to create 15 new jobs and represents a $75,000 capital investment.

Schebler continues to innovate

The Riverdale-based Schebler Company, a leading specialty manufacturer that provides industrial chimney systems, specialty fabrication services, residential and commercial heating/cooling solutions and food manufacturing equipment, was awarded tax benefits through the High Quality Jobs Program.  The company proposes to purchase a fully-automatic fabrication system to roll and laser-weld their chimney products that will allow the company to capture additional business from new products, grow their market share of historical products and ultimately enhance overall efficiency and expand capacity.  The $1.5 million capital investment is expected to create three new jobs and retain three jobs.

Burlington manufacturer proposes $25.8 million project

The board awarded Winegard Company tax benefits through the Enterprise Zone program.  The Burlington company is a leading manufacturer of TV reception products and has outgrown its current facility.  As a result, the company is considering the purchase and redevelopment of the Fairway Shopping Center for additional manufacturing and warehouse capacity.  The additional capacity will also allow the company to increase market share and provide better process efficiencies.  This project is expected to create 71 new jobs.

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“As owner of a local pharmacy for over 30 years, I understand how important small businesses are to our economy and I will do all I can in the Iowa House to help other small businesses expand to create new jobs,” said Forbes.  “Now more than ever, our state needs strong leaders who will put politics aside and work together to do what’s best for Iowa.”

Forbes is a member and Past President of the Urbandale Chamber of Commerce and also serves on the Urbandale Library Foundation Board. He has served as President of the Iowa Pharmacy Association and is a member of the Des Moines Area Metropolitan Advisory Committee.  Forbes received the 2011 Heroes of the Heartland award from the American Red
Cross and also helped organize Honor Flights to take veterans to the WWII Memorial in Washington DC.

“It’s a great honor serving the people of Urbandale on the city council and I’m ready to serve them in the Iowa House,” added Forbes, who also serves on Iowa’s Medicaid Medical Advisory Committee.  “We need a state legislature more in-tune with the daily lives of Iowans and I will bring together people on both sides of the aisle to find common ground.”

Forbes and his wife, Cindy, have two grown children and are members of St. Pius X Catholic Church in Urbandale.

“As a working mother of three, I know the challenges, middle class families face every day. We need world class schools and thriving local communities to keep young people in rural communities like ours,” said Ruff. “Working with farmers every day, I also understand how critical a strong ag economy is to our community.”

Ruff is currently the President of the MFL Mar-Mac School Board and works at Bunge North American in McGregor. She works with local farmers and co-ops to sell and transport grain down the Mississippi River to other states as well as exporting grain overseas.

“Like many Iowa families, my husband and I both work outside the home.  As a member of the MFL Mar-Mac School Board, I listened to the concerns and struggles of working parents who needed more child care options and quality early childhood education options. I’m proud of our work opening early childhood and day care centers next to the schools in McGregor and Monona,” said Ruff, who has served on the school board for nine years. “Not only have the child centers made life easier for working families, we’ve made them an asset to our community by bringing more young families to Northeast Iowa.”

Patti and her husband, Dan, both grew up in Northeast Iowa and graduated from Mar-Mac High School. They have three children Tucker, 4, Bryar, 12, and Liam, 15. They are members of St. Mary’s Catholic Church in McGregor. Patti is a graduate of Loras College in Dubuque.

“In addition to boosting Iowa’s skilled workforce, I will work together across party lines to build consensus and do what’s best for us. The state should be a strong partner with us in local economic development, tourism, revitalizing our Main Streets, and helping local businesses expand to create new jobs,” said Ruff.

Brenneman, who is running as a Democrat, states “I believe the next generation of leaders must put the future well being of the State of Iowa above partisan politics, I feel this can be accomplished through actively listening to the public and working with conviction to find solutions for our difficult problems.  I believe these results will create a solid foundation for continued growth and success for the State of Iowa.”

Brenneman is a professional Fire Fighter who both lives and works in the City of West Des Moines with his wife, Melanie, a licensed physical therapist at a Des Moines hospital.  Brenneman attended The University of Iowa, and completed his Master’s Degree in Public Administration at The University of North Dakota.  Eric serves locally as board member with the International Association of Fire Fighters, and has been involved with the Habitat for Humanity, The Muscular Dystrophy Association, and the Shriner’s Burn Foundation.  Eric and Melanie both regularly attend the Lutheran Church of Hope in West Des Moines.

Born and raised in Iowa, Brenneman’s family still runs and operates a manufacturing business started by his grandfather.  Both of his parents have a long history in serving the public, his father being a Professional Fire Fighter and Battalion Chief, and his mother a schoolteacher.

“In the months ahead I am truly looking forward to meeting the people of District 44 to see how I can assist them.  I’m a firm believer that education is the best way to create well paying and solid jobs to help grow Iowa and increase living standards for all Iowans for years to come.  We must work as one to develop and create a highly educated and strong workforce, by continually striving to have the best education system in the United States,” said Brenneman.

“The Republican education budget is a failure for Iowa students and the future of our economy,” said House Democratic Leader Kevin McCarthy of Des Moines. “Now more than ever, the strength of Iowa’s economy is dependent on a highly-skilled workforce that can compete with workers from around the globe. The Republican budget guarantees that fewer Iowans will get the skills they need to land a good-paying job.”

The budget documents produced by the non-partisan Legislative Services Bureau show Republicans cutting over $80 million from Governor Branstad’s proposal. In addition to zeroing out $17 million for education improvements requested by the Governor, Republicans also slashed $62 million in support for students at community colleges, state universities, and private colleges.

“After working together for months, I’m deeply disappointed that House Republicans won’t provide a single dollar for education reform efforts,” said State Representative Sharon Steckman of Mason City, Ranking Member of the House Education Committee. “While I’m committed to working together to improve education, this is a devastating blow to our efforts this year.”

“With Iowa students already carrying the 4th highest debt load in the country, the Republican budget puts one more burden on the middle class while putting college out of reach for too many Iowans,” said Rep. Cindy Winckler of Davenport, the lead Democrat on the education budget committee.

Every taxpayer with a 2010 Adjusted Gross Income of $57,000 or less may utilize free preparation and e-filing for their federal tax returns at no cost at www.IRS.gov/freefile. This service is made possible through a partnership between the IRS and the Free File Alliance, a coalition of industry-leading tax software companies.

More than 33 million returns have been filed through IRS Free File since its inception. For more information on the program, visit www.freefilealliance.org.

Iowa Test of Basic Skills may be on way out

By MIKE WISER Globe Gazette Des Moines Bureau | Posted: Sunday, February 5, 2012 8:01 am | (0) Comments

DES MOINES – Thousands of Iowa students will pick up their No. 2 pencils to fill in tiny circles this month in a school-year ritual that may be as foreign to their children as desktop inkwells were to their parents.

The circles are synonymous with standardized testing and, in Iowa, that’s been synonymous with the Iowa Test of Basic Skills.

But last week, Department of Education Director Jason Glass told lawmakers that it was time to get rid of the Iowa Test of Basic Skills in favor of the still-under-development Smarter Balanced Assessment.

It’s a move some educators say is overdue and one that Glass forecasted this summer when he got the OK from Gov. Terry Branstad and State Board of Education President Rosie Hussey of Mason City to make Iowa a governing member of the Smarter Balanced Consortium, which is expected to introduce a new national testing system by the 2014-15 academic year.

It also comes at a time when ITBS has made moves to better align its test questions to the Iowa Core and to provide students, parents and teachers more information about each individual test-taker.

But it may be too little, too late for ITBS.

“They go beyond just memorizing and regurgitating facts. Smarter Balanced assessments are computer-adaptive, so we get results much more quickly than is possible with paper and pencil, bubble-sheet tests,” Department of Education spokeswoman Staci Hupp wrote in an email.

“These new assessments can be completed faster by the student, resulting in more time for instruction. The assessments also will allow for state-to-state comparisons, which have been difficult with a patchwork of state standards and tests across the country.”

Norm and criterion

The Iowa Test of Basic Skills is a norm-referenced test. That means students are compared to other students who take the test, and results come out on a bell curve.

The Smarter Balanced Assessments are set up to be criterion-referenced tests. Those measure the students against a set of standards, and the results come out more like a yard stick.

The move toward criterion-referenced tests goes back decades but really got a boost with the federal No Child Left Behind Act and the move toward a nationwide Common Core.

As that push toward criteria testing came, ITBS has tried to adapt, said Catherine Welch, a professor at the University of Iowa who also works for Iowa Testing Programs, which is responsible for ITBS.

“We have aligned to the Iowa Core in reading, math and (English language arts),” Welch said. “There’s a one-to-one ratio, so each question is directly related to one of the standards.”

Because of this, students will get individual Iowa Core reports when their results come out.

ITBS also has expanded its college readiness report to include grade 6 through 11, and there’s new student growth information that charts a student’s progress over time and predicts where he or she should be on future tests.

Welch said she understands there is a significant push by the governor and the department of education away from the ITBS.

“I hope that the discussion will continue and we can be a part of that discussion,” she said.

Looking ahead

Sioux City Community School District Superintendent Paul Gausman said he was happy “to learn that the state was participating so vigorously” in developing the Smarter Balanced Assessment.

“It’s very important for us to have a criterion-based test,” said Gausman, who also serves as chairman of the Urban Education Network, an organization representing the 17 largest school districts in the state.

Sioux City students take the ITBS in March.

He said the ITBS is good for what it is and the testing service has been as responsive as it can be, but the test doesn’t give teachers and administrators the measures they need.

“It provides a good snapshot, but what they are trying to do with Smarter Balanced is just much more comprehensive than what they can do with ITBS,” he said.

Jane Lindaman, associate superintendent of educational services at the Waterloo School District, agreed.

“They haven’t been able to produce a criterion-referenced test,” she said of Iowa Testing Programs. “And that is very important because under No Child Left Behind, we need something that shows if our schools and our students are making adequate yearly progress against the standards.”

Waterloo students take their test in March.

Still, it’s up to the Legislature if ITBS stays or goes.

“I think we have to be careful,” said Sharon Steckman, D-Mason City, a former teacher and ranking member on the House Education Committee. “We don’t know what Smarter Balanced is going to look like because no one has seen it yet.”

Jean Hessburg, spokeswoman for the Iowa State Education Association, said the union doesn’t have a position on the test.

“If Smarter Balanced turns out to be as good as it’s billed to be, it’s great,” she said. “But we don’t know what it will be.”

Read more: http://globegazette.com/news/local/iowa-test-of-basic-skills-may-be-on-way-out/article_3667b230-4fc0-11e1-a680-0019bb2963f4.html#ixzz1lcs4AzhI