CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (KCRG) — Proposed legislation would require Iowa teachers to post lesson plans months in advance for parent review.

As an elementary music teacher, Erin Bunge knows firsthand how much work goes into lesson planning. She worries that this new bill will hurt teacher retention in Iowa.

“Work-life balance is very stressful. I think it will absolutely add to that,” she told TV-9.

The one word she used to describe the extra work: useless.

“Teachers are, districts are already doing the work to align the curriculum with national standards. National standards, our state standards, they’re all there for you to look up on the internet,” Bunge said.

The Solon School District says parents can already access many of the materials their students use in the classroom.

“We haven’t posted them, but we’re open to anyone who wants to look at our textbooks or the materials we use in our teaching and in our classrooms,” Superintendent Davis Eidahl said.

He says he’s not opposed to this bill, and if it’s something parents want, they should have access to it.

“It’s really very minimal and I think it’s just a big step in building trust at school and at home so that we can continue to have these strong partnerships,” Eidahl said.

The Legislative Services Agency says if such a bill becomes law, it will cost districts a combined $27.4 million to pay substitute teachers while teachers download materials.

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