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CLOSE UP. THE CANDIDATES ARE GONE AND ALL EYES ARE NOW ON NEW HAMPSHIRE WITH THE IOWA CAUCUS. RESULTS MEAN FOR THE REST OF THE REPUBLICAN RACE FOR PRESIDENT. AND TURNOUT WAS HISTORICALLY LOW. BUT THOUSANDS OF CAUCUS GOERS STILL BRAVED BELOW ZERO TEMPERATURES. WE’LL TAKE YOU INSIDE A WEST DES MOINES CAUCUS SITE AND. A SPECIAL EDUCATION BATTLE. THE MAJOR CHANGES IN THE WORKS FOR IOWA’S AREA, EDUCATION AGENCIES AND THE FLOOD OF FEEDBACK PROMPTING LAWMAKERS TO TWEAK THEIR PLANS. THIS IS IOWA’S NEWS LEADER. THIS IS ����vlog EIGHT NEWS. CLOSE UP. GOOD MORNING AND WELCOME TO CLOSE UP. I’M CHIEF POLITICAL REPORTER AMANDA ROOKER. THE 2024 IOWA CAUCUSES. NOW ALMOST ONE WEEK BEHIND US, THE HAWKEYE STATE NARROWED THE FIELD WITH MORE THAN A DOZEN CANDIDATES INITIALLY IN THE RACE AFTER CAUCUS NIGHT. IT’S NOW DOWN TO FOUR. IOWA REPUBLICAN DELIVERED DONALD TRUMP A LANDSLIDE VICTORY. THE FORMER PRESIDENT HAD BEEN LEADING IN THE POLLS THROUGHOUT HIS IOWA CAMPAIGN. THE QUESTION MONDAY NIGHT, THOUGH, CAME DOWN TO WHO WOULD COME IN SECOND AND HOW CLOSE THEY COULD COME TO TRUMP. TRUMP WON 51% OF THE CAUCUS VOTE. HE ALSO WON IN 98 IOWA COUNTIES, ONLY LOSING JOHNSON COUNTY BY ONE VOTE. AND IN A TONE OF UNITY THAT’S RARE FOR THE FORMER PRESIDENT, HE THANKED HIS SUPPORTERS, PRAISED RON DESANTIS AND NIKKI HALEY, AND CALLED FOR THE PARTY TO COME TOGETHER TO BEAT JOE BIDEN IN NOVEMBER. I WANT TO THANK EVERYBODY. THIS HAS BEEN SOME PERIOD OF TIME AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, WE WANT TO THANK THE GREAT PEOPLE OF IOWA. THANK YOU. WE LOVE YOU ALL. WHAT A TURNOUT. WHAT A CROWD. AND I REALLY THINK THIS IS TIME NOW FOR EVERYBODY IN OUR COUNTRY TO COME TOGETHER. WE WANT TO COME TOGETHER, WHETHER IT’S REPUBLICAN OR DEMOCRAT OR LIBERAL OR CONSERVATIVE. IT WOULD BE SO NICE IF WE COULD COME TOGETHER AND STRAIGHTEN OUT THE WORLD AND STRAIGHTEN OUT THE PROBLEMS AND STRAIGHTEN OUT ALL OF THE DEATH AND DESTRUCTION THAT WE’RE WITNESSING. THAT’S PRACTICALLY NEVER BEEN LIKE THIS. IT’S JUST SO IMPORTANT. AND I WANT TO MAKE THAT A VERY BIG PART OF OUR MESSAGE. WE’RE GOING TO COME TOGETHER. IT’S GOING TO HAPPEN SOON TO CAN I HAPPEN SOON. I WANT TO THANK SOME OF THE GREAT PEOPLE. WE HAVE SO MANY SENATORS. IF I GO THROUGH EVERY NAME, WE’LL BE HERE ALL NIGHT AND EVERYBODY’S GOING TO GET ANGRY AT ME. BUT THE SENATORS, THE CONGRESSMEN FROM WASHINGTON, THEY CAME DOWN FROM ALL DIFFERENT STATES. I WANT TO THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I WANT TO CONGRATULATE RON AND NIKKI FOR HAVING A GOOD A GOOD TIME TOGETHER. WE’RE ALL HAVING A GOOD TIME TOGETHER AND I THINK THEY BOTH ACTUALLY DID VERY WELL FOR RON DESANTIS FINISHED IN SECOND AT 21%. THAT’S STILL 30 PERCENTAGE POINTS BEHIND DONALD TRUMP. BUT DESANTIS TOLD HIS SUPPORTERS THAT FINISH GAVE HIM ENOUGH MOMENTUM TO STAY IN THE RACE. DESANTIS HAD CAMPAIGNED HEAVILY IN IOWA, GETTING THE ENDORSEMENTS OF MAJOR CONCERN LIKE GOVERNOR KIM REYNOLDS AND FAMILY LEADER CEO BOB VANDER PLAATS. BUT DESPITE THAT SUPPORT, DESANTIS BARELY BEAT NIKKI HALEY. I AM NOT GOING TO MAKE ANY EXCUSES AND I GUARANTEE YOU THIS I WILL NOT LET YOU DOWN. THANK YOU ALL. GOD BLESS YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH. APPRECIATE. YOU. THE NEXT REPUBLICAN CONTEST IS IN NEW HAMPSHIRE. VOTERS THERE WILL CAST THEIR BALLOTS ON TUESDAY, BUT DESANTIS IS LARGELY SKIPPING THE GRANITE STATE. INSTEAD, HE’S FOCUSING HIS ATTENTION ON SOUTH CAROLINA. AND THAT’S NIKKI HALEY’S HOME STATE. ITS PRIMARY ISN’T UNTIL FEBRUARY 24TH. A POLL BY SAINT ANSELM COLLEGE IN NEW HAMPSHIRE MAY SHOW WHY IT SHOWS DESANTIS WITH ONLY 8% SUPPORT AMONG NEW HAMPSHIRE VOTERS, GOING. INTO TUESDAY’S VOTE. THAT’S SOMETHING NIKKI HALEY IS POUNCING ON. WHEN YOU LOOK AT HOW WE’RE DOING IN NEW HAMPSHIRE, IN SOUTH CAROLINA AND BEYOND, I CAN SAFELY SAY TONIGHT I ASHAWA MADE THIS REPUBLICAN PRIMARY A TWO PERSON RACE GOING INTO MONDAY’S CAUCUS. POLLS SHOWED FORMER SOUTH CAROLINA GOVERNOR NIKKI HALEY RUNNING SECOND TO TRUMP. BUT SHE ONLY EARNED 19% OF THE CAUCUS VOTE, PUTTING HER BEHIND DESANTIS IN THIRD. HALEY TOLD SUPPORTERS MONDAY NIGHT YOU HEARD THERE THAT THAT FINISH STILL GIVES HER ENOUGH MOMENTUM TO MOVE ON TO NEW HAMPSHIRE, TELLING THEM SHE BELIEVES SHE’D BE BETTER THAN TRUMP WHEN IT COMES TO BEATING JOE BIDEN. IN NOVEMBER. AND MEANWHILE, THE KEVIN CRAM SWAMI MADE HISTORY IN IOWA, TRAVELING TO ALL 99 COUNTIES TWICE BEFORE MONDAY’S CAUCUSES. BUT THAT WASN’T ENOUGH TO GET HIM OUT OF SINGLE DIGIT SUPPORT OR PLACE HIM IN THE TOP THREE FINISHERS. HE CAME IN FOURTH WITH JUST UNDER 8% OF THE VOTE, AND HOURS AFTER THOSE RESULTS CAME IN, HE SUSPENDED HIS PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN. HE THEN ENDORSED FRONT RUNNER DONALD TRUMP TONIGHT, I CALLED DONALD TRUMP TO TELL HIM THAT I CONGRATULATED HIM ON HIS VICTORY AND NOW GOING FORWARD, HE WILL HAVE MY FULL ENDORSEMENT FOR THE PRESIDENCY. AND I THINK WE’RE GOING TO DO THE RIGHT THING FOR THIS COUNTRY. AND SO I’M GOING TO ASK YOU TO FOLLOW ME IN TAKING OUR AMERICA FIRST MOVEMENT TO THE NEXT LEVEL. RAMASWAMI WAS CAMPAIGNING IN NEW HAMPSHIRE LAST WEEK, BUT THIS TIME FOR DONALD TRUMP, TELLING CROWDS THAT TRUMP WAS THE COMMANDER IN CHIEF. THIS COUNTRY NEEDS ANOTHER CANDIDATE NO LONGER IN THE RACE, ASA HUTCHINSON. HE ANNOUNCED HIS RUN FOR PRESIDENT BACK IN APRIL, AND WHILE HE INITIALLY GOT ENOUGH SUPPORT TO GAIN A SPOT IN THE FIRSTRILLIONEPUBLICAN PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE, HE FELL SHORT OF THE POLLING REQUIREMENTS TO GET ON THE DEBATE STAGE. AFTER THAT, HIS SIXTH PLACE SHOWING CAUSED HIM TO DROP OUT OF THE RACE AFTER THE CAUCUSES, HUTCHINSON, ALONG WITH FORMER PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE CHRIS CHRISTIE, HAD CONSISTENTLY CRITICIZED TRUMP ON THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL. HE CONDEMNED TRUMP’S ACTIONS BEFORE AND DURING THE JANUARY 6TH ATTACK ON THE CAPITOL AND ATKINSON’S CONCESSION STATEMENT. YOU CAN SEE THERE, HE SAID. THAT MESSAGE, ALONG WITH BEING A, QUOTE, PRINCIPLED REPUBLICAN, DIDN’T SELL WELL WITH IOWA REPUBLICANS, BUT HE SAID HE STANDS BY HIS CAMPAIGN. AND RYAN BINKLEY, WHO HAD BEEN POLLING IN LAST PLACE FOR SEVERAL MONTHS, EDGED OUT HUTCHINSON FOR A FIFTH PLACE FINISH. BUT STILL, BINKLEY EARNED LESS THAN 1% OF THE VOTE. HE SAYS HE’LL STAY IN THE RACE AND HAS NOW MOVED HIS CAMPAIGN TO NEW HAMPSHIRE. HE’S HOLDING SEVERAL EVENTS THERE BEFORE TUESDAY’S VOTE. NOW, WHILE IOWA PLAYS A SIGNIFICANT. ROLE, SENDING THE FIRST SIGNAL ABOUT WHO REPUBLICANS WANT IN THE WHITE HOUSE, LAST WEEK’S CAUCUSES WERE JUST THE FIRST STEP IN A LONG PROCESS OF PICKING THE REPUBLICAN NOMINEE. MONDAY’S VOTE WAS FOR A SHARE OF IOWA’S 40 DELEGATES TO WIN THE GOP NOMINATION. TRUMP WON 20 OF THOSE. DESANTIS NINE. HALEY GOT EIGHT. RASMUSSEN. HE RECEIVED THREE. HOWEVER, THAT IS AN INCREDIBLY SMALL SHARE OF THE 1215 DELEGATES NEEDED TO WIN THE NOMINATION. STILL TO COME ON CLOSE UP A LOOK AT THE CAUCUS PROCESS ITSELF HERE. WHAT DROVE VOTERS TO BRAVE DANGEROUS WEATHER TO CAST THEIR BALLOT AND GOVERNOR KIM REYNOLDS PLAN TO REFORM IOWA’S SPECIAL EDUCATION SYSTEM HAS HUNDREDS OF PARENTS, TEACHERS AND STUDENTS ACROSS THE STATE CONCERNED. WHAT THE GOVERNOR’S PROPOSAL WOULD ACTUALLY DO AND HOW THE FEEDBACK IS PROMPTING CHANGE. ONE OF THE BIGGEST QUESTIONS GOING INTO LAST MONDAY’S CAUCUS WAS HOW MANY IOWANS WOULD TURN OUT. TEMPERATURES AT NIGHT WERE AROUND NEGATIVE TEN, WITH WIND CHILLS AS LOW AS 40 DEGREES BELOW ZERO. THAT BROKE THE RECORD FOR THE COLDEST IOWA CAUCUS IN RECENT HISTORY. 2004 HELD THE PREVIOUS RECORD. IT WAS TWO DEGREES ON CAUCUS NIGHT THAT YEAR. NEGATIVE TEN. BLOWS THAT OUT OF THE WATER. THAT DANGEROUSLY COLD WEATHER LIKELY KEPT PEOPLE HOME. MONDAY NIGHT, LEADING TO LOW TURNOUT AROUND. 110,000 IOWA REPUBLICANS CAUCUS THIS YEAR. YOU CAN NOTICE THAT IS FAR LOWER THAN THE RECORD NUMBER OF REPUBLICANS WHO TURNED OUT IN THE LAST CONTESTED PRIMARY IN 2016. THAT YEAR, 187,000 IOWANS CAST THEIR BALLOTS MONDAY NIGHT. TURNOUT WAS ALSO LOWER THAN 2012 AND 2008, BUT AT SOME CAUCUS LOCATIONS, YOU COULD NOT TELL ROOMS WERE STILL PACKED WITH HUNDREDS OF IOWANS EAGER TO MAKE THEIR PICK FOR PRESIDENT. ����vlog’S ERIK HANSON AND PHOTOJOURNALIST CORTNEY KINTZER WENT TO DMAX WEST DES MOINES CAMPUS, WHERE THREE PRECINCTS MET ON MONDAY. NIGHT. I WOULD CLARE YOUR BUSSEY. OH YEAH. NO NO NO. HERE, MAN, THIS GENTLEMAN, I CAN KIND OF GUESS. BUT TELL ME WHO YOU’RE SUPPORTING TONIGHT AND WHY I AM SUPPORTING, UM, DONALD TRUMP. BECAUSE. BECAUSE HE PROVED WHAT HE COULD DO WHILE HE WAS IN OFFICE. WE HAD A WE HAD A SECURE BORDER. WE HAD A FANTASTIC ECONOMY. AND OTHER COUNTRIES RESPECTED OUR LEADER. AND WHEN HE SAID SOMETHING, THEY WOULD LISTEN AND WE WERE SAFE. TELL ME ABOUT THIS PROCESS YOU’RE IN THE ROOM WITH SO MANY DIFFERENT PEOPLE HASHING OUT THE FUTURE OF OUR COUNTRY. DESCRIBE WHY YOU’RE HERE AND WHY THAT’S SO COOL TO BE ABLE TO DO. I STARTED PARTICIPATING IN CAUCUSES BACK IN 1988, SO A LOT OF PEOPLE DON’T GET INVOLVED WITH THE CAUCUS. YOU KNOW, UM, I THINK IT’S LIKE 20% OF THE VOTERS. IT’S VERY SMALL. BUT, YOU KNOW, THIS IS THE ONE TIME WHEN THE SPOTLIGHT IS ON IOWA AND THE WHOLE NATION IS LOOKING TO US, WHEN MOST OF THE TIME THEY COULD CARE LESS WHAT WE HAVE TO SAY. BUT RIGHT NOW, YOU KNOW, THIS IS THE GRASSROOTS OF IOWA WHERE YOU GET TOGETHER WITH YOUR YOUR COMMUNITY, YOUR PRECINCT, AND YOU TALK ABOUT THINGS, YOU TALK ABOUT ISSUES, YOU TALK ABOUT THE PLATFORM, UM, AND YOU, YOU IT’S IT’S NOT JUST A SECRET BALLOT WHERE YOU JUST YOU’RE IN AND OUT. IT’S A COMMUNITY COMING TOGETHER TO MAKE DECISIONS. I THINK IT’S ONLY VIVEK RAMASWAMY. I THINK HE IS ONE OF THE FEW THAT CAN SPEAK THE TRUTH. BE ELOQUENT ABOUT IT AND STAND ON MORALS. BUT YET BE OPEN TO EVERYONE. AND HE HAS, I THINK, A WAY ABOUT HIM THAT IS MUCH LIKE PRESIDENT TRUMP, BUT, UM, NOT QUITE SO CRASS. I’VE REALLY BEEN UP UNTIL TODAY, I’VE BEEN BACK AND FORTH BETWEEN TRUMP AND VIVEK. SO WHAT KIND OF TIPPED YOU THAT WAY? UM, YOU KNOW, IT’S REALLY ABOUT YOU’RE ALWAYS. SAYING, NOW, I CAN’T VOTE FOR A THIRD PARTY BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, IT’S A WASTED VOTE. AND I THINK THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY. TO STAND ON PRINCIPLES. YOU KNOW, IN 2016, I DIDN’T VOTE FOR TRUMP. I WAS A NEVER TRUMPER. UM, DON’T REALLY LIKE HIM AS A PERSON. BUT I THINK WHAT HE DID FOR THE COUNTRY WAS TREMENDOUS. UM, 2020 I ABSOLUTELY VOTED FOR HIM. BUT NOW COMING AROUND SEEING WHAT’S UP IN FRONT OF US WITH WHAT THEY’RE PUTTING UP AGAINST HIM, I DON’T THINK THERE’S ANY WAY THEY’RE GOING TO LET HIM WIN. I SEE. THE STORY OF HOW THIS ALL HAPPENED. SO I HAVEN’T MISSED A CAUCUS SINCE 2000. I WAS 17, MY. FIRST CAUCUS. UH, BUT I WAS 18 BY THE TIME THE ELECTION CAUCUSED EVERY YEAR. UH, THAT’S OUT THERE. AND, UH, WE WERE IN HOUSTON VISITING SOME FRIENDS. WE WERE SUPPOSED TO COME BACK YESTERDAY, UH, AT LIKE TEN. IT’S LIKE GOT DELAYED, THEN CANCELED. THEN THEY WERE GOING TO SEND A RESCUE PLANE. DELAYED, DELAYED, DELAYED, CANCELED AGAIN. BOOKED A CAR BECAUSE I WASN’T GOING TO MISS A CAUCUS. EVERYBODY READY TO GET THIS THING STARTED? THERE WE GO. DIDN’T EXPECT QUITE THIS MUCH ENTHUSIASM TODAY. VERY NICE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR ALL COMING OUT TONIGHT. WE GOT TO START THIS WITH OUR FOUR P’S. SO WE HAVE A PRAYER. WE HAVE A PLEDGE. AND THEN WE’RE GOING TO HAVE THE PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES COME UP. I’VE IDENTIFIED FOUR INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE GOING TO COME UP. THEY’RE EACH GOING TO SPEAK FOR THREE MINUTES. AND THEN WE GO TO OUR PRECINCT AREAS. ALL RIGHT. HERE’S THE REPRESENTATIVE FOR FOR VIVEK. WE’LL PUT HIM ON A THREE MINUTE TIMER. I DON’T THINK I’LL USE THREE MINUTES. HI. A LITTLE CLOSER TO THE MIC. MAYBE. IT’S GOOD. HEY, UH, CHAD BRUBAKER HERE. UH, I’M CAUCUSING FOR VIVEK. UH, THERE’S ONE CANDIDATE IN THIS RACE THAT, UH, ACTUALLY WANTS TO DRAIN THE SWAMP AND IS ACTUALLY DRAINING THE SWAMP BY STAYING AGAINST BRUCE RASTETTER SWAMP GAS PIPELINE. HEY, EVERYONE. I AM CONGRESSMAN MIKE WALTZ, UH, FROM THE GREAT STATE OF FLORIDA. ONLY FOR PRESIDENT TRUMP. UH, WOULD I LEAVE THE 72 DEGREES THAT I DID AT, UH, IN SAINT AUGUSTINE? UH, BUT I AM ALSO THE FIRST GREEN BERET EVER ELECTED TO CONGRESS. AND SO I HAVE BEEN THROUGH I HAVE BEEN THROUGH ARCTIC WARFARE TRAINING, UH, WHICH IS COMING INTO GOOD USE. MY NAME IS RON BROWN, AND I REALLY DIDN’T MAKE UP MY DECISION ON WHO I WAS GOING TO VOTE FOR UNTIL LAST NIGHT. I WENT TO THE MEETING WITH NIKKI AND SHE IS DIRECT. SHE IS UPFRONT. SHE IS A PERSON THAT WILL BE A PRESIDENT THAT WILL MAKE THE RHINOS AND EVERYBODY PAY ATTENTION TO HER. SHE’S NOT AFRAID TO STAND UP AGAINST HIM. WE NEED A COURSE CORRECTION AND WE NEED A CHANGE AGENT IN OFFICE. AND I’M SUPPORTING RON DESANTIS BECAUSE I BELIEVE HE’S UP TO THAT CHALLENGE. RON DESANTIS IS A SELF-MADE MAN. HE CAME FROM A WORKING CLASS FAMILY, GRADUATED FROM COLLEGE AFTER WORKING HIS WAY THROUGH IT. HE SERVED IN THE MILITARY, ENLISTED IN THE NAVY, SERVED IN IRAQ. THANK YOU. YOU CAN SEE THE PRECINCT ACTUALLY HERE. 224 JUST STARTING TO BREAK UP HERE IN WEST DES MOINES. THIS AREA OF NEIGHBORS WHO LIVE OVER BY JORDAN CREEK TOWN CENTER, THEY CHOSE DONALD TRUMP TONIGHT, 56 VOTES FOR TRUMP, 41 FOR HALEY, 30 FOR RON DESANTIS, 11 FOR VIVEK RAMASWAMY AND TWO FOR ASA HUTCHINSON. AND THE OTHER TWO PRECINCTS HOLDING CAUCUSES AT THAT LOCATION ALSO WENT TO TRUMP. NOW, FOR MONTHS, WE’VE SEEN POLLING AND ESTIMATES OF WHAT THIS RACE FOR PRESIDENT WILL LOOK LIKE. BUT THE CAUCUSES WERE THE FIRST TANGIBLE SIGN OF HOW VOTERS FEEL. IT’S THE FIRST TIME IN RECENT YEARS THAT A REPUBLICAN CAUCUS WINNER DID NOT VISIT ALL 99 IOWA COUNTIES. TRUMP WON THE CAUCUSES BY A LANDSLIDE DESPITE VISITING THE STATE FAR LESS THAN HIS REPUBLICAN RIVALS. AND WHILE FACING 91 CRIMINAL CHARGES ACROSS FOUR SEPARATE INDICTMENTS, POLITICAL ANALYSTS SAY THE CAUCUS RESULTS WERE A SIGNIFICANT FIRST STEP IN DONALD TRUMP’S EFFORT TO TAKE BACK THE WHITE HOUSE. POLITICAL ANALYST MARK SANDALOW SAYS IOWA GAVE THE FIRST TEST OF HOW REPUBLICANS FEEL ABOUT THE FORMER PRESIDENT AND WHETHER HE’S ELECTABLE, DESPITE THE CRIMINAL CHARGES AND ATTACK ADS. AFTER ALL THAT, WHEN IOWA REPUBLICANS SPOKE. HE WON NOT BY 20 PERCENTAGE POINTS, BUT BY 30 PERCENTAGE POINTS. I THINK LAST NIGHT CONFIRMED THAT DONALD TRUMP IS FIRMLY IN CONTROL OF THIS RACE. IOWA KICKED OFF THE PROCESS OF PICKING A REPUBLICAN NOMINEE. THAT MEANS CANDIDATES NOW HEAD TO NEW HAMPSHIRE, THEN ON TO SOUTH CAROLINA AND THERE LIKELY WON’T BE AN OFFICIAL WINNER FOR MONTHS. BUT SANDALOW SAYS TRUMP COULD CEMENT HIMSELF AS HIS PARTY’S PICK TO TAKE ON JOE BIDEN IF TRUMP REPEATS HIS RECORD SETTING CAUCUS WIN. THE TRUMP REPEATS IN NEW HAMPSHIRE NEXT WEEK. WHAT HE DID LAST NIGHT IN IOWA. THIS RACE IS VERY CLOSE TO OVER. STILL TO COME ON CLOSE UP, GOVERNOR REYNOLDS PLAN TO OVERHAUL IOWA’S SPECIAL EDUCATION SYSTEM. HOW REPUBLICANS WANT TO CHANGE THE STATE’S AREA. EDUCATION AGENCIES. NEARLY TWO WEEKS AGO, GOVERNOR KIM REYNOLDS ANNOUNCED PLANS TO CHANGE THE WAY IOWA PROVIDES SPECIAL EDUCATION SERVICES. RIGHT NOW, SCHOOL DISTRICTS ARE REQUIRED TO SEND ALL OF THEIR SPECIAL EDUCATION FUNDING TO ONE OF NINE AREA EDUCATION AGENCIES, OR AAS, UNDER REYNOLDS NEW PLAN, SCHOOL DISTRICTS WOULD CHOOSE HOW TO USE THAT FUNDING. THEY COULD CONTINUE TO USE THEIR LOCAL AEA OR THEY COULD SEND THAT MONEY TO PRIVATE COMPANIES. HUNDREDS OF PARENTS, TEACHERS AND STUDENTS VOICED CONCERNS THAT THE CHANGES MAY LIMIT A RESOURCE AND REDUCE THEIR ABILITY TO HELP STUDENTS AND FAMILIES, STATE HOUSE DEMOCRATS SAY THEY’RE ALSO WORRIED NOT GETTING EMAILS ABOUT THE GOVERNOR’S PROPOSAL TO CHANGE AND GUT THE AAS. WE ARE GETTING NO EMAILS IN SUPPORT OF THAT. THERE ARE NO PUBLIC COMMENTS THAT ARE IN SUPPORT OF THIS ON THE BILL. THIS IS NOT SOMETHING THAT ANYONE HAS ASKED FOR. THIS IS SOMETHING THAT IOWANS ARE ASKING THE GOVERNOR TO STOP. UM, AND I SEE TODAY THAT THE GOVERNOR HAS GOTTEN CAUGHT OUT A LITTLE OVER HER SKIS AND HAS PERHAPS, UH, SEEN WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU DON’T INVOLVE ANYONE IN THE CONVERSATION BEFORE YOU DRAFT A MAJOR PIECE OF LEGISLATION. SHE ANNOUNCED THE LEGISLATION ON ON TUESDAY NIGHT. WE ALL SAW IT FOR THE FIRST TIME ON WEDNESDAY. THAT’S NOT HOW YOU GOVERN. YOU WORK WITH PARTNERS INVOLVED. YOU LISTEN TO STAKEHOLDERS AND YOU CONTINUE THE PROCESS. I WILL TELL YOU THAT THE GOVERNOR IS TODAY TOUTING HER COLLABORATION WITH THE HOUSE AND THE SENATE ON THE BILL. WE SHOULD MAKE CLEAR SHE HAS COLLABORATED WITH THE HOUSE REPUBLIC AND THE SENATE REPUBLICANS. SHE IS NOT ENGAGED WITH US AT ALL. SO IF THIS IS GOING TO BE THE KIND OF BIPARTISAN SPIRIT IN LOOKING AT PUBLIC EDUCATION IN THE STATE, THE WAY THE GOVERNOR SAYS THAT SHE WANTS, THIS IS NOT THE WAY TO DO IT. GOVERNOR. REYNOLDS HAS CLEARLY PLAYED POLITICS HERE. SHE HAD AN OUT OF STATE COMPANY WHO WROTE THIS FOR HER. AND, UH, AND SHE DEPOSITED IT ON OUR DESKS AND ASSUMED THAT WE WOULD ALL JUST GO ALONG. I’VE BEEN HERE A WHILE, AND I KNOW WHEN WE TRIED TO REDESIGN SYSTEMS, WE DID INTERIM STUDY COMMITTEES AND WE BROUGHT ALL THE STAKEHOLDERS TOGETHER TO REALLY DO DEEP DIVES SO THAT WE WOULD HAVE A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT WAS WORKING, WHAT WASN’T, WHAT WE NEEDED TO DO DIFFERENTLY, HOW WE NEED TO SHIFT FUNDING. BUT WE DIDN’T. THAT’S NOT WHAT THIS GOVERNOR DID. AND AND NOW WE ARE WHERE WE ARE. AND I PRAY THAT WE ARE GOING TO DO OUR VERY BEST TO PROTECT CHILDREN BECAUSE THEY NEED IT. THIS HAS BEEN A VERY CRUEL YEAR FOR TOWARD CHILDREN, CONSIDERING WHAT WAS DONE IN THE LAST LEGISLATIVE SESSION TOWARD CHILDREN WHO ARE GAY, TRANSGENDER, BAUER AND NOW NOW IT’S CHILDREN WITH SPECIAL NEEDS. ENOUGH, ENOUGH. I WOULD ADD THAT THE GOVERNOR CAN NORMALLY STAND FIRM WHEN SHE HAS A SPECIAL INTEREST BEHIND HER. IN THE PAST, WHEN SHE’S HAD HER SPECIAL INTERESTS, UH, AND HER, YOU KNOW, LOBBYISTS AND THE FOLKS WHO WERE SUPPORTING HER BEHIND THE SCENES. SHE’S DONE WELL. THERE IS NO ONE ASKING FOR THIS BILL THIS YEAR. SO THERE IS NO CONSTITUENCY WHO IS PUSHING HER OR NO SPECIAL INTEREST GROUP THAT’S PRESSURING HER. SO WHEN THAT HAPPENS, ALL SHE HAS IS THE ARE THE VOTERS TO LISTEN TO. AND SO I THINK IN THIS INSTANCE, YEAH, IT THE VOTERS ARE MAKING CLEAR THE IOWANS ARE MAKING CLEAR THAT THE GOVERNOR GOT OUT TOO FAR ON THIS, AND THEY WANT TO SEE IT SLOW DOWN. AND A LOT OF THEM WANT TO SEE IT STOP. NOW, AFTER THE FLOOD OF PUBLIC COMMENTS, REYNOLDS AND REPUBLICAN STATE LAWMAKERS SAY THEY’RE WORKING TO CHANGE THE PLAN BASED ON THE FEEDBACK THEY’RE GETTING. OBVIOUSLY, AS ONE OF THE DRIVING THINGS THAT’S GOING ON WITHIN THE LEGISLATURE RIGHT NOW, AS YOU SAW IN A RELEASE WITH THE SENATE AND MYSELF AND THE GOVERNOR, WE’VE BEEN WORKING TOGETHER TO TRY TO, UM, ADDRESS THE CONCERNS THAT WE’RE HEARING FROM IOWANS. AND I THINK THE PLAN THAT WE’RE WORKING THROUGH RIGHT NOW, AND NOT JUST AS THE LEADERSHIP LEVEL, IT’S WITH MEMBERS OF THE CAUCUS, THE EDUCATION COMMITTEE MEMBERS AS WELL. WE’RE TRYING TO FIND A A SOLUTION IN WHICH WE CAN STILL ACHIEVE BETTER RESULTS FOR OUR SPECIAL ED STUDENTS AND GIVE MORE ACCOUNTABILITY FOR OUR SCHOOL DISTRICTS WHEN IT COMES TO THAT MONEY. BUT AGAIN, MAYBE DOING A LITTLE DIFFERENT WAY THAN THE ORIGINAL BILL HAD INTENDED. SO HOPEFULLY IOWANS HEAR THAT THE PROCESS IS WORKING THE WAY IT’S SUPPOSED TO BE. WE’RE ALL SITTING DOWN AND TAKING THAT INPUT THAT WE’RE HEARING AND TRYING TO CRAFT A BILL FOR THAT. WE HAVE BILLS ALL THE TIME THAT ARE FILED IN THIS BODY THAT WE KNOW ARE GOING TO, THAT MAY NEED MORE WORK THAT COME OUT, AND MAYBE YOU SEE SOME THINGS THAT YOU WISH YOU COULD HAVE DONE BETTER. THE ONE THING THAT I JUST WANT TO GIVE ASSURANCES TO IOWANS IS OBVIOUSLY, THIS IS THE WAY THE PROCESS IS SUPPOSED TO WORK. WE HEARD FROM THEM, ESPECIALLY OVER THE WEEKEND, AND A LOT OF OUR MEMBERS OF OUR CAUCUS BEING BACK AT THEIR CAUCUSES AND OTHER THINGS HAD A LOT OF FEEDBACK. AND SO WE CAME BACK AND ENGAGED IN CONVERSATION WITH THE GOVERNOR AND THE GOVERNOR, FULLY ENGAGED WITH NOT ONLY AT THE LEADERSHIP LEVEL, BUT MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEES AND THE COMMITTEE CHAIRS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN TRY TO CRAFT A POLICY THAT WORKS BEST TO HAVE ACCOUNTABLE. I-80 FOR OUR LOCAL SCHOOL DISTRICTS AND HAVE BETTER RESULTS. AND I THINK THAT’S THE PATH THAT WE’RE ON. SO WE’VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THE MONEY THAT CURRENTLY FLOWS THROUGH WITHOUT ACCOUNTABILITY FOR OUR SCHOOL DISTRICTS. THAT GOES TO THE AA. THIS BILL WILL STILL HAVE THE COMPONENT IN WHICH THE MONEY STOPS AT THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS TO PROVIDE THE SPECIAL ED SERVICES, AS WELL AS WELL AS THE EDUCATIONAL SERVICES. THE THE AAS WILL STILL HAVE TO PROVIDE THOSE SERVICES IF THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS CHOOSE TO DO SO. IF YOU LOOK AT, UH, YOU KNOW, A TWO WAY SIZED SCHOOL DISTRICT IN SOME CASES THAT ARE IN MY DISTRICT, YOU’RE LOOKING AT, UM, 450 TO $500,000 THAT THEY WOULD BE ABLE TO KEEP AND STILL PROVIDE THOSE SAME SERVICES. THEY WOULD JUST HAVE INPUT ON WHAT THOSE WOULD LOOK LIKE. SO WHERE WE’RE TRYING TO GET TO IS STILL GOING TO BE ACCOUNTABILITY, AND IT’S STILL GOING TO CONTINUE TO BE, UM, A HIGHER LEVEL OF SERVICE. BUT WE REALLY THINK PUTTING THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS IN THE DRIVER’S SEAT TO SEE HOW THEY’RE DELIVERED UNDER THE CURRENT AA SYSTEM, WE HAVE TO BE MINDFUL THAT IT’S MORE OF A COOKIE CUTTER APPROACH. YOU HAVE 50 SCHOOL DISTRICTS, FOR EXAMPLE, WITHIN A REGION, AND EVERY SCHOOL IS GOING TO BE DIFFERENT IN THEIR NEEDS. SO THIS GIVES THE SCHOOLS TO BE ABLE TO TAKE THAT SAME LEVEL OF MONEY THAT EXISTED, THE STATE AND FEDERAL MONEY AND DECIDE WHAT IS THE BEST WAY FOR US TO DELIVER THOSE SERVICES FOR WHATEVER SCHOOL DISTRICT THEY ARE. AND STATE HOUSE REPUBLICANS SAY THE NEW BILL IS NOT SET IN STONE. THEY ARE CONTINUING TO WORK ON IT. FRIDAY, GOVERNOR REYNOLDS RELEASED AN OPEN LETTER EXPLAINING WHAT SHE HOPES TO ACCOMPLISH. IN THAT LETTER, SHE SAYS SINCE THE TIME AEAS WERE CREATED 50 YEARS AGO, THEY’VE EXPANDED THEIR JOBS WELL BEYOND SPECIAL EDUCATION AND THAT SCHOOL DISTRICTS ARE FORCED TO FUND THEM DESPITE POOR ACADEMIC OUTCOMES FOR SPECIAL EDUCATION STUDENTS IN IOWA, REYNOLDS SAYS AEAS WILL CONTINUE PROVIDING SPECIAL EDUCATION SERVICES, BUT THAT HER GOAL IS TO GIVE MORE CONTROL TO IOWA PUBLIC SCHOOLS. WE’LL BE RIGHT BACK. STAY WITH US. THANK YOU FOR JOINING US FOR ����vlog EIGHT NEWS. CLOSE UP. WE’LL SEE YOU BACK HERE NEXT SUNDAY. HAVE A GREAT DAY.