Governor Kim Reynolds’ DOGE Taskforce is approaching the final phase of its work, with a wide-ranging agenda aimed at making Iowa’s government more efficient, accountable, and responsive. While the taskforce was initially formed to help identify opportunities to ease the burden of property taxes, its recommendations extend far beyond that, also addressing education, regulatory reform, the structure of state and local government, and pension reforms.
The taskforce’s stated mission is to “continue reducing the cost of government, maximizing the return on taxpayer investment, and leveraging new technology at all levels—federal, state, and local.” Over the past several months, the 15-member panel has been developing bold, forward-looking reforms across a variety of policy areas.
In its most recent meeting, the taskforce reviewed 45 preliminary recommendations, which are expected to be finalized in September before being submitted to Governor Reynolds by the September 29 deadline.
In a new series of articles, ITR Foundation will spotlight several of the taskforce’s most significant reform ideas—focusing on proposals related to education, local government, regulations, and public pensions.
The DOGE Taskforce recognizes that school districts are not only the primary driver of property tax bills, but that Iowa’s educational outcomes are falling short despite significant taxpayer investment.
One of the taskforce’s key recommendations for improving outcomes is the implementation of merit pay for teachers. Under a merit-based system, teacher compensation would be directly linked to student achievement. “Our current system rewards teachers and administrators based on seniority or the duties they take on, with no connection to student success. This system does not reward excellence in education,” noted committee member Terry Lutz.
While former Governor Terry Branstad proposed a similar merit pay model that would have tied teacher salaries to student test scores, the plan ultimately failed to gain traction. Lutz argues that now is the time to revisit the idea as a way to increase accountability in public education.
“The current education funding model is not working,” he said, pointing to Iowa’s decline in national rankings: 24th in math, 26th in reading, and 28th in science. One out of three third graders in Iowa cannot read at grade level. Meanwhile, many students are graduating without even a basic understanding of American history or government.
“As one of our largest statewide expenditures, we are not getting acceptable returns on our educational investment,” Lutz added. Public education is not only the biggest line item on a taxpayer’s property tax bill, but it also consumes more than half of Iowa’s General Fund budget.
To support transparency and improvement, ITR Foundation recently launched ITR Report Card, a tool designed to give parents, school board members, and taxpayers access to clear, easy-to-use data on student achievement and school spending across Iowa. The platform allows users to compare academic performance, track trends, and begin conversations that drive improvement while ensuring accountability for public dollars.
The DOGE Taskforce’s Return on Investment Committee has recommended the creation of online dashboards that compare key student outcomes to school spending. Lutz emphasized that the goal is not simply to cut costs but to pursue performance-based reforms. The dashboards would help “track progress and build accountability into the entire educational system, rewarding those who are making an impact.”
Lutz is right: Iowa needs greater transparency and accountability in education. Spending increases alone will not improve outcomes.
Beyond any of the specific proposals emerging from the DOGE Taskforce, Iowans should be encouraged by the broader effort to identify areas where government can be more efficient, accountable, and effective. Whether or not each idea becomes law, the real value lies in highlighting opportunities for reform and sparking conversations that can lead to meaningful change. Combined with Governor Reynolds’ commitment to limiting the size and scope of government, this work lays a strong foundation for thoughtful policymaking in the 2026 legislative session and beyond.
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