(Radio Iowa) – The Iowa Board of Regents has voted to remove the A-C-T and S-A-T requirements for admission to the state’s public universities. The requirements were temporarily waived in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic and Regents Chief Academic Officer Rachel Boon says it gives the three state schools more options.

“Having an alternative pathway that will really just give the admissions offices great flexibility in making admission decisions in the absence of an A-C-T of S-A-T score,” she says. The University of Iowa, Iowa State University, and the University of Northern Iowa use what’s called the Regent Admission Index (RAI) for classifying students. Boon says that won’t really change.

“It uses the same factors that it has for several years now — which is mainly the high school G-P-A, the number of core college prep courses taken, and an A-C-T score. That is going to continue to be the primary pathway for automatic admission for Iowa residents to all three of our institutions. Boon says they’ve been studying the use of the college entrance exams for some time. “And our findings continue to indicate that the tests do have some value in predicting first-year G-P-A, but ultimately have sort of a limited relationship to the likelihood of graduation,” Boon says.

She says high school grades remain a big factor in admissions. “High school G-P-A actually showed a stronger relationship to graduating in four years — which is, of course, the outcome that is most desirable,” according to Boon. “I want to be clear — this does not mean the A-C-T has no value. We continue to believe that the A-C-T does have value. But it does mean that in the absence of an A-C-T score, admissions offices can still use the G-P-A and other academic information to still make really well-informed admissions decisions.”

The change still needs to be approved by the Iowa Administrative Rules Review Committee.

DES MOINES – Secretary of State Paul Pate today (Thursday) announced the creation of a statewide alliance with Iowa’s business community to end human trafficking in the state. Several of the state’s largest trade organizations have already joined the Iowa Businesses Against Trafficking (IBAT) coalition.

Membership in IBAT is open to any business or nonprofit organization that operates in the State of Iowa and shares a commitment to taking steps to promote awareness of human trafficking and the Iowa Safe at Home program. Safe at Home is an address confidentiality program for survivors of human trafficking and other violent crimes. Both IBAT and Safe at Home are administered by Secretary Pate’s office.

“My office is the business portal for the State of Iowa, and we’ll be inviting every business in the state to join this effort,” Secretary Pate said. “We are going to build a statewide, grassroots coalition that will unite with one common mission: to make Iowa a trafficking-free state.”

The announcement by Secretary Pate was made during a ceremony on Thursday at the State Capitol with Governor Reynolds and the Iowa Network Against Human Trafficking and Slavery. “We are grateful to have been invited to collaborate with the Secretary of State in the design and creation of the IBAT program,” said George Belitsos, chair of the Iowa Network Against Human Trafficking and Slavery. “Secretary Pate is to be commended for launching IBAT and giving all of Iowa’s businesses the opportunity to join the fight to end modern slavery and human trafficking in our state.”

Businesses that join IBAT are asked to complete two tasks each year: “Learn Something” and “Do Something”. Businesses will commit to “Learn Something” by educating employees, customers, and industry partners on the signs and impact of human trafficking in Iowa. Businesses can “Do Something” by empowering more people to take action to prevent human trafficking in Iowa.

“Human trafficking is a form of modern slavery, and it must end,” Secretary Pate said. “It affects thousands of people across the U.S., and it happens right here in Iowa. Whether it’s a large corporation or a mom and pop store on Main Street with one employee, every business can join, and every business can make a difference.”

Businesses can learn more about IBAT and apply for membership at IBAT.Iowa.gov. Members receive a window decal of the IBAT logo to place in their business. The logo is available for your use at this link.

(DES MOINES, Iowa) – Today (Thursday) the Iowa Department of Human Services announced a $30 million recruitment and retention bonus program to help Iowa’s child care providers attract and retain workers. To date the state has invested $480 million dollars to support child care since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Governor’s Child Care Task Force report recommended the establishment of a recruitment and retention bonus program in their report released in November. Governor Kim Reynolds convened the task force to improve the child care system in Iowa. In recent years, parents have struggled to find to quality, safe, and affordable child care. The COVID-19 pandemic has only exacerbated these challenges. Additionally, nearly every economic sector in the state has struggled to find qualified employees.

“Child care providers are a critical piece of the workforce shortage solution, providing the care and resources so many families rely on daily,” said Reynolds. “Because of their work, parents are able to return to or remain in the workforce. Their hard work and dedication deserves recognition and appreciation.”

“Child care is the backbone of our economy,” said DHS Director Kelly Garcia. “This recruitment and retention program will help bolster Iowa’s child care workforce and help support the families that rely on it. This is a significant investment in our state and in our future.”

“Professionalizing the state’s child care workforce starts with investing in providers,” said task force chair Emily Schmitt of Mason City. “That’s going to encourage those employees to see there’s a viable future in the profession. Every business is struggling with labor. Supporting child care will not only enable those Iowans but ultimately help the workforce.”

Current child development home operators, licensed child care center staff, and newly hired employees are eligible for the bonus. Each new hire or newly registered child development home meeting eligibility requirements will be eligible for a sign-on bonus 90 days after the date of hire. Six months from the date of sign-on bonus and every six months thereafter, any person meeting eligibility requirements that remains employed at the same child care facility will be eligible for a retention bonus until the funding runs out.

Additional details on eligibility and the application process will be published in February on the Department’s website at https://dhs.iowa.gov/childcare/funding-opportunities as well as communicated directly to providers through our partnership with Child Care Resource and Referral – https://iowaccrr.org/.

(Radio Iowa) – Iowa National Guard Adjutant General Benjamin Corell says the soldiers in his ranks are a wealth of talent for the state not seen since World War II, but during the annual “Condition of the Guard” address this (Thursday) morning at the Capitol, Corell said the Guard is going to lose some soldiers due to the Pentagon’s Covid vaccine mandate.”Let me be clear: federal Covid-19 vaccine mandates will no doubt impact our organization,” he said. “These mandates have already started to create dilemmas within our ranks where our members must decide to get vaccinated or leave military service.”

After the speech, Corell told reporters about 80 percent of the Iowa Army National Guard soldiers and Iowa Air Guard airmen are fully vaccinated. Airmen in the Iowa Air Guard faced a December deadline to get vaccinated. The deadline for soldiers in the Iowa Army National Guard is this summer. Some of the unvaccinated are seeking medical or religious exemptions, which must be approved the secretaries of the Army or Air Force.

Maj. Gen. Benjamin Corell

Corell revealed in early 2021 that he had lingering Covid symptoms after being hospitalized for the virus in November of 2020. He was featured in a state public service announcement encouraging Iowans to get vaccinated. Last year, Corell says 81 percent of Iowa Army National Guard soldiers who faced the decision reenlisted. The rate was higher among Iowa Air National Guard airmen, as 93 percent reenlisted. Soldiers and airmen sign an intial contract to serve eight years and then are given a choice to reenlist every eight years after that.

(Des Moines, Iowa/KCCI) – KCCI in Des Moines reports Police in the Capital City have identified the person who was struck by a vehicle and died, early Wednesday morning. Authorities say 32-year-old William “Cody” Kline died after being struck just before 3 a.m. Wednesday near Martin Luther King Jr. Parkway and Southeast 8th Street. Police said someone in a yellow Chevrolet Cavalier hit Kline and left the scene. No suspect has been identified or charged. They’re still searching for the driver.

Shortly after the crash, police asked for help to find the car. They said someone helped turn it in several hours later. But they are still searching for the driver. Anyone with information regarding the crash, or the identity of the driver is asked to call the Des Moines Police Department Traffic Unit at 515-323-8370. You may also submit anonymous tips through CrimeStoppers of Central Iowa at 515-223-1400, or online at www.crimestoppersofcentraliowa.com.

Reward funds are available.

(Radio Iowa) – The name of the man whose body was found in a central Iowa pond is being released. Authorities in Marshall County have recovered the body of a Laurel man after responding to a report of a vehicle submerged in a rural farm pond. On Tuesday afternoon, sheriff’s deputies responded to the pond between Laurel and Melbourne. When authorities arrived on the scene, they discovered a vehicle that was partially submerged in a body of water. An area dive team was brought in to assist with recovery efforts, at which time authorities found a man’s body inside the vehicle. Authorities later identified the victim as Ricky Pierson, age 60, of Laurel.

The incident remains under investigation. Authorities say foul play is not suspected.

(Radio Iowa) – The first pair of bills to come out of the governor’s child care task force has cleared initial review in the Iowa House. One bill deals with low income families who get government-funded child care assistance or C-C-A. It would let child care centers to collect more money from those low-income parents to help make up the difference between what the government pays and the actual cost. Representative Ann Meyer, a Republican from Fort Dodge, says they’d have to agree in writing to pay extra. “This is not going to be a requirement,” she says. “CCA spots at their current pay rate will still be available. This is an option for families if they choose to take it. It’s not a requirement.”

Democratic Representative Tracy Ehlert of Cedar Rapids, says her child care center took a loss because she accepted families receiving assistance. “But I also was a working single mom who was on CCA myself and had my kids in a program and there’s no way I would’ve ever been able to pay the difference,” she says. “And I did have a co-pay and some weeks that was not manageable for me because it was a decision between am I going to pay the copay or am I going to pay food or am I going to pay a bill?”

A Department of Human Services official says the proposal could put the poorest of the working poor at a disadvantage when it comes to getting child care. The other bill that advanced would loosen the minimum staffing requirements for child care centers, so one worker could care for eight two year olds and the minimum ratio would be one worker for 10 three year olds. Child care advocates say the higher staff-to-child ratios could add to employee burn-out and safety concerns.

(Reporting by Iowa Public Radio’s Katarina Sostaric)