1. United States
2. Iowa
3. Letter

Personal Impact After nearly three decades in the classroom, l've seen firsthand how lowa's strong public education system is built on collaboration-not competition-among teachers. Pay for performance undermines that by reducing education to test scores and forcing teachers to compete against one another, instead of working together for our students' success. IPERS, meanwhile, is financially sound. It is solvent, stable, and responsibly managed. It's not just a promise to educators; it's a significant economic engine for lowa, pumping hundreds of millions of dollars into local communities each year through retiree spending. Many small towns especially depend on that steady, reliable income. Changing IPERS now would not only break trust with long-serving public employees but also harm lowa's economy. Key Ask I respectfully ask you to oppose pay-for-performance measures and protect IPERS in its current form. These proposals will not improve education-they will drive experienced teachers away, weaken retirement security, and damage local economies across the state. Closing Thank you for your time and for listening to someone who has committed her life to lowa's students. I hope you'll stand with educators and protect both our profession and the retirement system we have earned.