(Radio Iowa) – The non-union association for teachers is joining other groups that represent educators to warn of a teacher shortage in Iowa. Nathan Arnold is director of legal services for Professional Educators of Iowa, a group formed in 1981 as an alternative to the state teachers union.

Arnold says it’s not just about training new teachers, but keeping teachers from leaving the profession.

Arnolds made his comments this week at a statehouse hearing about the G-O-P proposal to provide a three percent increase in next year’s state funding formula for public schools. The group is not registered for or against that level of spending on public schools.

Senate Republicans have voted for the three percent spending increase and House Republicans are likely to pass the bill early next week — to provide about 106 million dollars more to Iowa’s public schools for the next academic year.