Iowa has become the first state in the nation to receive a federal education funding waiver, giving state leaders new flexibility in how federal school dollars are spent. IPR’s Sheila Brummer joins the program to break down what that means for schools, students and educators across Iowa — from classroom instruction to local district autonomy.
Later in the hour, we look at the pressures facing Iowa farmers as trade wars persist and rising costs strain rural economies — and why mental health hotlines are ringing more often for those in agricultural communities.
And five years later, we revisit Iowa’s connection to the Capitol insurrection and discuss how NPR is preserving the historical record of that day.
Guests:
- Sheila Brummer, western Iowa reporter, IPR News
- Cami Koons, reporter, Iowa Capital Dispatch
- Marissa Payne, reporter, Des Moines Register
- William Morris, reporter, Des Moines Register
- Tom Dreisbach, reporter, NPR
- Cece Mitchell, Studio One host, IPR
