Longtime school superintendents move toward retirement; latest on health insurance

COMING UP ON KCCI. EIGHT NEWS. CLOSE UP. TWO IOWA SUPERINTENDENTS ARE TAKING THEIR FINAL BOW. WAUKEE’S DOCTOR BRAD BUCK AND OTTUMWA’S MIKE MCCRORY. CLOSING OUT THE SCHOOL YEAR WITH BIG LEGACIES. BOTH SHARE WHAT’S NEXT AFTER RETIRING FROM PUBLIC EDUCATION. PLUS A MAJOR HEALTH INSURANCE DEADLINE JUST PASSED IN CONGRESS. LEFT TOWN WITHOUT A DEAL. WHAT IT COULD MEAN FOR MILLIONS OF AMERICANS MONTHLY BILLS. YOU’RE WATCHING KCCI EIGHT NEWS CLOSE UP. GOOD MORNING. THANKS FOR JOINING US FOR KCCI EIGHT NEWS CLOSE UP. I’M CHIEF POLITICAL REPORTER AMANDA ROOKER. IF YOU GET YOUR HEALTH INSURANCE THROUGH THE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT THIS PAST WEEK DECIDED HOW MUCH YOU’LL PAY FOR COVERAGE. OPEN ENROLLMENT JUST CLOSED. AND AFTER WEEKS OF FIERY DEBATE, CONGRESS LEFT TOWN WITHOUT EXTENDING ENHANCED ACA SUBSIDIES. THAT LEAVES ROUGHLY 20 MILLION AMERICANS FACING HIGHER PREMIUMS, IN SOME CASES MORE THAN DOUBLING. U.S. LAWMAKERS ARE HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS, BUT THE DEBATE OVER HOW AMERICANS PAY FOR HEALTH CARE IS FAR FROM OVER. RIGHT NOW, MILLIONS OF PEOPLE WHO BUY INSURANCE THROUGH THE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT GET EXTRA TAX CREDITS. THAT LOWERS THEIR MONTHLY PREMIUMS. THE GOVERNMENT HELPS COVER PART OF THE COST, SO HEALTH INSURANCE IS MORE AFFORDABLE. SOME OF THOSE CREDITS EXPIRE AT THE END OF THE YEAR, AND CONGRESS DID NOT RENEW THEM BEFORE LEAVING WASHINGTON. THE ISSUE HAS SPARKED AN INTENSE BACK AND FORTH ON CAPITOL HILL. DEMOCRATS SAY IF NOTHING CHANGES, MANY PEOPLE COULD SEE THEIR PREMIUMS SPIKE NEXT YEAR. SOME PEOPLE COULD BE PRICED OUT OF COVERAGE ALTOGETHER. THAT’S ALL WE’VE BEEN ASKING FOR, IS TO GIVE US A CHANCE TO VOTE ON A BILL THAT PROTECTS MORE FAMILIES FROM THESE OUTRAGEOUS HEALTH INSURANCE PREMIUMS. I WOULDN’T WANT TO BE A REPUBLICAN GOING HOME AND TRYING TO EXPLAIN MY OPPOSITION TO THAT. BUT REPUBLICANS SAY THE DEBATE IS BIGGER THAN JUST SUBSIDIES. THEY SAY OBAMACARE HASN’T MADE HEALTH CARE MORE AFFORDABLE, AND THAT EXTENDING THE CREDITS ONLY HELPS ABOUT 20 MILLION AMERICANS WITHOUT LOWERING COSTS FOR EVERYONE ELSE. I THINK THE IDEA OF EXTENDING THE PROGRAM WHERE THE INSURANCE COMPANY GETS ALL THE MONEY ALL THE TIME, IS NOT GOOD POLITICS. LAST WEEK, THE HOUSE PASSED A REPUBLICAN BACKED HEALTH CARE PLAN LED BY IOWA CONGRESSWOMAN MARIANNETTE MILLER-MEEKS. INSTEAD OF EXTENDING ACA SUBSIDIES, THE BILL FOCUSES ON OTHER WAYS REPUBLICANS SAY COULD CUT COSTS. THE BILL INCLUDES MONEY FOR COST SHARING REDUCTIONS AND NEW REQUIREMENTS FOR THE MIDDLEMEN WHO NEGOTIATE DRUG PRICES. IT ALSO WOULD EXPAND ASSOCIATION HEALTH PLANS. THOSE LET SMALL BUSINESSES BAND TOGETHER TO BUY INSURANCE, LIKE HOW LARGE EMPLOYERS DO, OFTEN AT LOWER RATES. HOUSE REPUBLICANS HAVE OFFERED LEGISLATION TO BEGIN FIXING WHAT IS BROKEN AND TO RESTORE INTEGRITY TO OUR NATION’S HEALTH CARE SYSTEM. REPUBLICANS HAVE MADE THEIR INTENTIONS CLEAR. THEY DON’T WANT TO SEE THE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT TAX CREDITS EXTENDED BECAUSE THEY DON’T SUPPORT PROVIDING AFFORDABLE HEALTH CARE TO EVERYDAY AMERICANS. THE BILL EASILY CLEARED THE HOUSE, BUT IT’S UNLIKELY TO PASS IN THE SENATE. SO FOR NOW, AMERICANS ARE LEFT IN LIMBO WITH TWO COMPETING APPROACHES AND NO IMMEDIATE SOLUTION. JUST AS MILLIONS ARE LOCKING IN THEIR HEALTH INSURANCE FOR THE YEAR AHEAD, I TALKED WITH REPRESENTATIVE MILLER-MEEKS ABOUT THE REPUBLICAN HEALTH CARE PLAN THAT SHE LED THROUGH THE U.S. HOUSE. IT DOES NOT EXTEND THE ACA HEALTH CARE SUBSIDIES, BUT SHE SAYS IT WOULD LOWER PREMIUM COSTS FOR ALL AMERICANS. I ASKED HER HOW THAT WOULD WORK. HOW WOULD YOU EXPLAIN THIS TO YOUR CONSTITUENTS ON YOU KNOW, HOW IT GOES ABOUT MAKING HEALTHCARE MORE AFFORDABLE? IN ESSENCE, YOU’RE BROADENING THE RISK POOL SO MORE PEOPLE BEING ABLE TO GET TOGETHER, TO GROUP TOGETHER TO PURCHASE INSURANCE LOWERS THE COST BECAUSE IT DIVERSIFIES THE RISK POOL. IN ADDITION TO THAT. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WAS IN PLACE BEFORE OBAMACARE OR THE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT WAS PASSED IN 2010 WAS STOP LOSS INSURANCE. AND THIS IS SOMETHING WHEN YOU TALK TO SMALL BUSINESSES, SMALLER EMPLOYERS, THEY WERE ABLE TO HAVE PREMIUMS AND PROVIDE HEALTH CARE FOR THEIR EMPLOYEES. BUT IF THERE WAS A CATASTROPHIC EVENT, THEY HAD A STOP LOSS INSURANCE SO THEY COULD HAVE LOWER PREMIUMS BUT BE ABLE TO TAKE CARE OF THE REALLY BAD THINGS THAT WERE VERY EXPENSIVE IN THE MEDICAL REALM. AND SO STOP LOSS INSURANCE IS A VERY IMPORTANT COMPONENT OF THIS. WALK ME THROUGH YOUR THOUGHT PROCESS ON WHY THERE WAS NOT AN EXTENSION IN ANY FORM OF THESE ENHANCED SUBSIDIES INCLUDED IN THE BILL YOU LED? WELL, THE ENHANCED PREMIUM TAX CREDITS, AS YOU KNOW, WERE PUT IN PLACE IN 2021, IN THE ARPA FUNDING. AND THAT WAS, YOU KNOW, AN ATTEMPT TO HIDE THE FACT THAT PREMIUMS HAD BEEN SKYROCKETING YEAR AFTER YEAR AFTER YEAR. AND SO OBAMACARE, WHICH PROMISED TO BEND THE COST CURVE DOWN AND TO REDUCE PREMIUMS BY $2,500, NEVER MATERIALIZED. SO AS PREMIUMS CONTINUE TO GO UP, THEY DID THESE ENHANCED PREMIUM TAX CREDITS, WHICH HAVE NO INCOME LIMIT. AND AGAIN, THESE SUBSIDIES DIRECTLY GO TO VERY PROFITABLE INSURANCE COMPANIES. DO YOU HAVE A MESSAGE TO THE IOWANS WHO HEAR THAT? IT MAY UNDERSTAND THAT, BUT ALSO ARE ARE SEEING THEIR PREMIUMS AND THE COSTS THAT THEY’RE GOING TO HAVE TO PAY IN THE NEXT FEW WEEKS, SINCE THEY ARE FRUSTRATED THAT MORE IS NOT BEING DONE, YOU KNOW, TO STOP THAT. YEAH, AMANDA, THAT’S A GREAT QUESTION. THE REALITY IS, EXTENDING THE TAX CREDITS DOES NOTHING TO LOWER PREMIUM COSTS. WE NEED SOMETHING THAT IS GOING TO LOWER PREMIUMS AND HEALTHCARE COSTS FOR EVERYONE. AND THIS IS SUBSTANTIAL REFORM IN OUR BILL. SO WHAT I WOULD SAY TO PEOPLE IS THAT IF YOU WANT TO LOWER YOUR HEALTH CARE PREMIUMS AND YOU WANT TO LOWER HEALTH CARE COSTS, PLEASE ASK YOUR SENATORS TO VOTE FOR LOWERING HEALTH CARE PREMIUMS FOR ALL AMERICANS ACT. THERE WERE A HANDFUL OF MODERATE REPUBLICANS IN THE HOUSE WHO ARE FACING SOME REALLY TIGHT ELECTIONS COMING UP IN 2026 THAT HAVE BEEN PUSHING FOR EXTENDING THE ACA SUBSIDIES, EVEN TO THE POINT OF SIGNING ON TO THAT DISCHARGE PETITION TO FORCE A VOTE. YOU’RE ALSO IN A VERY COMPETITIVE DISTRICT, BUT YOU’VE CLEARLY TAKEN A DIFFERENT PATH. EVEN BEING THE LEAD SPONSOR OF THIS ALTERNATIVE HEALTH CARE PLAN. WALK US THROUGH YOUR THOUGHT PROCESS ON WHY YOU FEEL LIKE THIS IS THE BEST PATH. THIS IS NOT POLITICAL FOR ME. REGARDLESS OF WHAT ELECTION RESULTS ARE. I KNOW THIS BILL IS THE FIRST BILL THAT GETS AT SOMETHING THAT WILL ACTUALLY LOWER COST, THAT WILL LOWER PREMIUMS. IT IS SO IMPORTANT THAT WE PASS THIS WHEN I KNOW PEOPLE ARE STRUGGLING. I HAVE A DISTRICT WHERE WE HAVE HIGHEST RATE, HIGH RATES OF UNEMPLOYMENT, WHERE WE HAVE LOWER WAGES. PEOPLE ARE STRUGGLING. IT’S NOT ENOUGH TO JUST SAY POLITICALLY, I’M GOING TO PASS SOMETHING SO I CAN GET REELECTED. IT IS MORE IMPORTANT THAT WE PRIORITIZE PUTTING THE AMERICAN PEOPLE, THAT WE PUT PEOPLE AND DOCTORS IN THE DRIVER’S SEAT, THAT WE PUT THEM FIRST OVER PROFITABLE INSURANCE COMPANIES AND OVER GETTING REELECTED. NOW IT EASILY CLEARED THE HOUSE, BUT IT DOESN’T LOOK GOOD IN TERMS OF JUST HOW DIFFICULT THAT PATH FORWARD IS. IS THERE ANYTHING, YOU KNOW? IS THERE ANY HOPE FOR THIS GETTING THROUGH THE SENATE WHEN WHEN LAWMAKERS RETURN IN JANUARY? WHAT’S YOUR GAME PLAN? WELL, IT’S A VERY GOOD BILL. AND OUR GAME PLAN IS TO CONTINUE TO TALK WITH INDIVIDUALS, TALK WITH PEOPLE WITHIN WITHIN THE DISTRICT, WITHIN THE STATE. WHEN YOU ASK ME IF I’M HOPEFUL. I WOULD SAY, YOU KNOW, THAT THAT NOTHING THAT IS DIFFICULT HAS NOT BEEN WORTH TRYING. AND SO IT’S ONLY IMPOSSIBLE IF YOU DON’T TRY TO MAKE IT POSSIBLE. SO I’M GOING TO CONTINUE TO WORK HARD BECAUSE I BELIEVE IN THIS BILL. I BELIEVE THAT WE AS MEMBERS OF CONGRESS SHOULD BE WORKING TO BRING DOWN HEALTH CARE COSTS FOR ALL AMERICANS, REGARDLESS OF THEIR INCOME LEVEL, REGARDLESS OF WHERE THEY LIVE, REGARDLESS OF WHETHER THEY’RE IN THE EXCHANGE OR NOT. WE SHOULD BE WORKING TO BRING DOWN HEALTH CARE COSTS FOR EVERYONE, AND WE SHOULD BE PUTTING PATIENTS AND DOCTORS IN THE DRIVER’S SEAT, NOT INSURANCE COMPANIES. THIS MORNING, I’M JOINED BY DEMOCRATIC STRATEGIST JEFF LINK AND REPUBLICAN STRATEGIST TYLER CAMPBELL TO TALK ABOUT THE POLITICAL FALLOUT FROM THIS FIGHT OVER HEALTH CARE. BUT FIRST, WE JUST HEARD REPUBLICANS PITCH. JEFF. WHAT ARE DEMOCRATS SAYING ABOUT ALL OF THIS AND THE PLAN THAT MILLER-MEEKS JUST DEFENDED THERE? WELL, YOU KNOW, THERE’S 130,000 IOWANS THAT THAT ARE ON ACA INSURANCE PLANS. THEIR PREMIUMS ARE GOING TO JUMP DRAMATICALLY BECAUSE THE REPUBLICANS FAILED TO ACT. AND WHAT MILLER-MEEKS IS BASICALLY SAYING IS KIND OF WHAT HILLARY CLINTON WAS SAYING IN THE 90S WHEN WHEN THE CLINTONS WERE TALKING ABOUT HEALTH REFORM, IS THAT WE HAVE TO MAKE THESE BIG CHANGES AND WE DON’T CARE ABOUT THE POLITICS. AND WHAT SHE’S DOING IS SHE’S IGNORING THE FACT THAT HEALTH CARE COSTS IN HER DISTRICT ARE GOING TO GO UP DRAMATICALLY BECAUSE OF HER, HER CHOICES, AND SHE, IN A TIGHT RACE, AS YOU ASKED HER ABOUT, SHE SHOULD HAVE JOINED THE FOUR REPUBLICANS WHO ARE SAYING, LET’S EXTEND THESE TAX CREDITS WHILE WE’RE WORKING ON THESE REFORMS. WHY NOT DO BOTH? YOU KNOW, THE REPUBLICAN LINE IN ENERGY IS LET’S DO ALL OF THE ABOVE IN HEALTH CARE. YOU SHOULD DO ALL OF THE ABOVE. YOU SHOULD EXTEND THE SUBSIDIES AND WORK ON THE REFORMS. AND SHE’S SAYING IT’S IT’S EITHER OR. AND I THINK THAT’S GOING TO BE A REALLY BAD CHOICE FOR HER. TYLER, WE ONLY HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF TIME LEFT. WE’RE GOING TO HAVE A BROADER CONVERSATION AFTER THIS. BUT IS THERE ANYTHING THAT YOU TOOK AWAY FROM WATCHING HER DEFEND THIS POSITION? SHE’S IN THIS TIGHT RACE, BUT SHE CLEARLY FEELS VERY CONFIDENT IN HER POSITION HERE. YEAH, I THINK CONGRESSWOMAN MILLER-MEEKS HAS A UNIQUE PERSPECTIVE FROM HER TIME AS A PHYSICIAN IN THE HEALTH CARE FIELD AT A HIGH LEVEL, AND SHE UNDERSTANDS THAT THIS IS A LONG TERM ISSUE. THE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT HAS BEEN NOT BUT ANYTHING BUT AFFORDABLE FOR A LOT OF FOLKS IN HER DISTRICT OVER CLOSE TO 15 YEARS NOW. AND SO I THINK SHE’S LOOKING AT HOW TO ACTUALLY LOWER THE COST CURVE AND BRING DOWN PREMIUMS IN THE LONG TERM VERSUS JUST THE SHORT TERM FIX HERE. WELL, WHEN WE COME BACK, WE WILL TALK MORE ABOUT HOW THIS WILL IMPACT. IOWANS WILL HAVE A LARGER CONVERSATION ABOUT THE HIGH STAKES RACES HERE IN 2026. OUR CONVERSATION CONTINUES AFTER THE BREAK. STAY WITH US. WELCOME BACK. LAST WEEK, THE HOUSE PASSED A GOP BACKED HEALTH CARE BILL THAT DOES NOT INCLUDE AN EXTENSION OF EXPIRING TAX CREDITS THAT HELP MILLIONS OF AMERICANS PAY FOR HEALTH INSURANCE UNDER THE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT. THERE’S BEEN QUITE THE BACK AND FORTH ON CAPITOL HILL ABOUT HEALTH CARE. SO THIS MORNING WE HAVE REPUBLICAN STRATEGIST TYLER CAMPBELL, DEMOCRATIC STRATEGIST JEFF LINK WITH US TO TALK ABOUT THIS. THANKS FOR BEING HERE. WE HAVE SOME INCREDIBLY COMPETITIVE U.S. HOUSE RACES HERE IN IOWA COMING UP IN 2026, NAMELY IN IOWA’S FIRST DISTRICT WITH MARIANNETTE MILLER-MEEKS AND IOWA’S THIRD DISTRICT WITH ZACH NUNN. THE WAY THAT THEY HAVE APPROACHED THIS HEALTH CARE ISSUE HAS BEEN SOMEWHAT DIFFERENT. ZACH NUNN HAS BEEN PRETTY VOCAL ABOUT WILLINGNESS TO EXTEND THE ACA SUBSIDIES, WHICH AT THIS POINT THERE WILL PROBABLY BE A VOTE. VOTE WHEN WE COME BACK IN JANUARY. BUT THESE TAX CREDITS ARE EXPIRING NOW AT THE AT THE END OF THE YEAR. SO WE’LL SEE HOW MEANINGFUL THAT RHETORIC, YOU KNOW, HOW MUCH THAT RESONATES WITH PEOPLE IF THESE TAX CREDITS EXPIRE ANYWAYS. BUT MARIANNETTE MILLER-MEEKS IS CLEARLY VERY CONFIDENT, YOU KNOW, ABOUT HER PLAN FOR AN ALTERNATIVE BILL. TYLER FROM A REPUBLICAN KIND OF SIDE OF THINGS. WHAT DO YOU TAKE AWAY FROM THE DIFFERENCE IN THOSE TWO ARGUMENTS AND HOW THEY’VE HANDLED THIS? YEAH, ABSOLUTELY. SO AS YOU’VE IDENTIFIED, THESE ARE TWO OF THE CLOSE RACES ACROSS THE ENTIRE COUNTRY RIGHT NOW. I THINK YOU SEE, CONGRESSWOMAN MILLER-MEEKS BEING VERY PROACTIVE AND AGGRESSIVE IN PUTTING FORTH SOME SOLUTIONS TO ACTUALLY ADDRESS SOME OF THE LONG TERM CHALLENGES AROUND THE HEALTH CARE DEBATE RIGHT NOW. I THINK AMERICANS HAVE BEEN DISSATISFIED FOR A LONG TIME, MANY YEARS, ABOUT DELIVERY SERVICES. THE COST AND JUST OUR OVERALL SYSTEM RIGHT NOW. AND SO I THINK SHE’S USING HER EXPERIENCE FROM THE PRIVATE SECTOR AS A PHYSICIAN TO PUT FORWARD SOME SOLUTIONS THAT REALLY KIND OF EMPOWERS PATIENTS AND, AND PHYSICIANS INSTEAD OF JUST POURING MORE, YOU KNOW, TAX DOLLARS INTO, YOU KNOW, INSURANCE COMPANIES AND THEIR APPROACH, WHICH HAS, HAS, DOES NOT INCENTIVIZE BRINGING DOWN PREMIUMS. CONGRESSMAN. NONE. I THINK, YOU KNOW, HE’S HE’S LONG BEEN A PRAGMATIST, AND I THINK HE’S LISTENING TO FOLKS IN HIS DISTRICT. HE’S UNDERSTANDING THAT THERE IS REAL CONCERN ABOUT PREMIUMS POTENTIALLY GOING UP IN THE SHORT TERM. BUT HE ALSO WANTS TO ADDRESS ADDRESS SOME OF THE LONG TERM FUNDAMENTAL ISSUES FACING THE SYSTEM AS WELL. JEFF, IS THIS AN ISSUE WE’RE GOING TO SEE IN CAMPAIGN ADS? YEAH, WE’RE GOING TO SEE IT A LOT. AFFORDABILITY IS GOING TO BE THE BUZZWORD FOR THE NEXT 11 MONTHS. I THINK DEMOCRATS ARE GOING TO TALK ABOUT IT IN TERMS OF GROCERIES, HEALTH CARE, ENERGY. THERE’S GOING TO BE A LOT OF DISCUSSION ABOUT WHAT WHAT MAKES THINGS MORE AFFORDABLE OR LESS AFFORDABLE, TAKING AWAY SUBSIDIES FOR HEALTH INSURANCE PREMIUMS FOR 130,000 IOWANS MAKE HEALTH CARE MORE EXPENSIVE. IT’S A IT’S A SIMPLE EQUATION. AND I THINK THE MILLER-MEEKS APPROACH IS A LONG TERM SOLUTION. WHEN HER ELECTION IS 11 MONTHS AWAY. AND I THINK THAT’S A THAT’S A TERRIBLE MISCALCULATION ON HER PART. I THINK ZACH NUNN LIKES TO KIND OF PLAY BOTH SIDES ON A LOT OF DIFFERENT ISSUES, AND THAT’S KIND OF WHAT HE’S DOING. THAT’S HIS APPROACH ON ON THIS ISSUE. I WOULDN’T BE SURPRISED IF HE JOINS THE FOUR REPUBLICANS THAT ARE SIGNING A DISCHARGE PETITION TO, TO FORCE A VOTE ON EXTENDING THESE SUBSIDIES. WHAT’S YOUR READ ON THAT, TYLER? I MEAN, AND AGAIN, WHEN WE TELESCOPE OUT, I THINK CONGRESSMAN NUNN HAS APPROPRIATELY IDENTIFIED IF THESE THESE SUBSIDIES, WHICH WERE COVID ERA TEMPORARY SUBSIDIES, WHICH DEMOCRATS DID PUT A FINAL DATE ON TO EXPIRE, YOU KNOW, AMERICANS MAKING $100,000, MAKING $500,000 WOULD CONTINUE TO RECEIVE THESE SUBSIDIES. AND IN THE LONG TERM, I THINK THAT IOWANS ARE FRUSTRATED THAT THEY HAVE NOT SEEN THEIR PREMIUMS GO DOWN AT ALL UNDER THE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT. AND, YOU KNOW, JUST TO BLINDLY CONTINUE SUBSIDIZING INSURANCE COMPANIES WITHOUT LOOKING AT REAL SOLUTIONS, I THINK THAT THERE’S A BIG SEGMENT OF THE POPULATION THAT IS FED UP WITH THAT AS WELL. WE CLEARLY SEE THERE’S TWO DIFFERENT MESSAGING HERE. THOSE MESSAGES WILL BE PUT BEFORE VOTERS. WE KNOW HEALTH CARE IS GOING TO BE A BIG ISSUE IN 2026, ALONG WITH MANY OTHER THINGS. THANK YOU BOTH FOR BEING HERE TO TALK ABOUT IT. WE APPRECIATE IT. WELL, COMING UP NEXT, WAUKEE’S SUPERINTENDENT IS FINISHING OUT HIS FINAL MONTHS IN HIS ROLE BEFORE RETIRING FROM PUBLIC EDUCATION. WHAT’S NEXT FOR HIM IS HE STEPS INTO A STATEWIDE LEADERSHIP ROLE. WELCOME BACK TO CLOSE UP. BIG NEWS FOR THE WAUKEE SCHOOL DISTRICT, WHICH SERVES AROUND 14,000 STUDENTS. IT’S ONE OF IOWA’S FASTEST GROWING DISTRICTS. DOCTOR BRAD BUCK HAS SERVED AS WAUKEE SUPERINTENDENT SINCE 2019, BUT AT THE END OF THIS SCHOOL YEAR, HE’S RETIRING FROM HIS 34 YEAR CAREER IN PUBLIC EDUCATION. DOCTOR BUCK, THANKS FOR JOINING US TODAY. YEAH. THANKS, AMANDA. I’M HAPPY TO BE HERE. WELL, YOU HAVE BEEN WITH THE DISTRICT FOR A WHILE NOW IN ROLES PREVIOUS TO YOUR TIME AS SUPERINTENDENT. IT’S CHANGED AND GROWN A LOT SINCE THEN. WALK ME THROUGH YOUR DECISION PROCESS OF WHY YOU KNOW, THE END OF THE SCHOOL YEAR IS THE RIGHT TIME FOR YOU TO STEP AWAY. YEAH. SO THIS IS PROBABLY THE INTERSECTION OF TWO THINGS. I’M A RETIREMENT ELIGIBLE AND RETIREMENT AGE. AND SO YOU KIND OF THINK ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WHAT ARE THOSE NEXT STEPS. AND THEN I’VE JUST HAD A PASSION FOR SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS OF IOWA OVER THE COURSE OF MY ADMINISTRATIVE CAREER. TWO TIME PAST PRESIDENT WORKED ON LOTS OF PROJECTS WITH THEM. AND SO THIS HAS ALWAYS BEEN A POSITION THAT I’VE KIND OF KEPT AN EYE ON. AND SO WITH IT COMING OPEN, IT JUST SEEMED LIKE THE RIGHT TIME TO MAKE THIS MOVE. WELL, WAUKEE HAS CHANGED A LOT UNDER YOUR TENURE JUST IN TERMS OF THE SIZE AND THE GROWTH, BUT A LOT OF OTHER THINGS AS WELL. WHEN YOU LOOK BACK, WHAT ARE SOME OF THE MOMENTS THAT YOU’RE PROUDEST OF? I’VE BEEN THINKING ABOUT THAT. AND ONE OF THE THINGS I’M MOST PROUD OF IS THAT OUR STUDENT EXPERIENCES, EVEN THROUGH OUR GROWTH, HAVE STAYED EITHER CONSISTENTLY GREAT OR HAVE IMPROVED. AND SO A QUICK EXAMPLE OF THAT, WE’VE PUT A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORTS AND STRUCTURES INTO PLACE FOR STUDENTS OVER THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS, ESPECIALLY AFTER COVID. WE CONTINUE TO EXPAND OUR PROGRAMING FOR WORK BASED LEARNING EXPERIENCES, ADDING ADDITIONS TO OUR FACILITY OUT THERE FOR WORK BASED LEARNING. SO JUST PROBABLY MORE THAN ANYTHING, IS REALLY STAYING FOCUSED ON HOW DO OUR KIDS EXPERIENCE OUR DISTRICT AS IF WE’RE SMALL, LIKE IN THE OLD DAYS. SO THEY’RE KNOWN AND THEY HAVE A SENSE OF BELONGING, BUT THEY GET ALL THE ADVANTAGES OF A BIGGER DISTRICT WITH AP COURSEWORK, DUAL CREDIT, ALL THOSE THINGS. AND SO I THINK WE’VE REASONABLY NAVIGATED THAT. AND THEN JUST A SHOUT OUT TO OUR COMMUNITY, WE’VE PASSED A COUPLE OF SIGNIFICANT BOND REFERENDUMS OVER THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS, AND WE’VE BEEN ABLE TO OPEN, I THINK, AT SEVEN DIFFERENT FACILITIES. THAT MAY NOT BE RIGHT OVER THE LAST SEVEN YEARS. AND SO REALLY FOCUSED ON KEEPING UP WITH THE GROWTH IN REALLY GREAT WAYS. AND YOU’VE LED THROUGH THE COVID 19 PANDEMIC THROUGH SIGNIFICANT POLICY CHANGES WITH EA REFORM AND PRIVATE SCHOOL SCHOLARSHIPS AND FEDERAL POLICY CHANGES. THERE’S BEEN A LOT, YOU KNOW, WHAT HAS IT BEEN LIKE NAVIGATING THROUGH SOME OF THOSE BIG MOMENTS? YEAH. SO THE THIS ROLE HAS CHANGED THE LEVEL OF COMPLEXITY. EVEN 5 OR 8 YEARS AGO. AND PART OF THAT IS JUST THE WAY IN WHICH OUR SOCIETY INTERACTS WITH ONE ANOTHER. SO WE’VE BECOME A LITTLE MORE QUICK TO TO JUDGE ONE ANOTHER AND THAT KIND OF THING AND A LITTLE LESS FOCUSED ON JUST HELPING TO UNDERSTAND, LIKE, HOW IS THIS WORKING AND THAT KIND OF THING. SO THAT’S ALL BEEN GREAT. WE’VE HAD A REALLY SOLID BOARD. OUR COMMUNITY HAS BEEN VERY SUPPORTIVE. OUR STAFF, OF COURSE, ARE GREAT. SO IN THE MIDST OF ALL OF THAT CHANGE, IT’S STILL BEEN A REALLY GREAT AND POSITIVE EXPERIENCE. SO AS YOU’RE LOOKING AHEAD, WHAT IS THIS NEXT CHAPTER GOING TO LOOK LIKE FOR YOU? YEAH, SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS OF IOWA. SO WE GET TO RECRUIT AND RETAIN TALENT. SO WE’RE ALWAYS LOOKING FOR GREAT PEOPLE TO GO INTO ADMINISTRATIVE ROLES, WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY’VE GOT MENTORING SUPPORT PROFESSIONAL LEARNING. AND THEN WE HAVE AN ADVOCACY ROLE. SO WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT GREAT LAWS PASS IN IOWA IN SUPPORT OF IOWA SCHOOLS AND IN SCHOOL FUNDING AND THOSE KIND OF THINGS. AND SO WE HAVE A ROLE THERE, TOO. SO IT’S GOING TO BE SOME OF IT OF REACH BACK, YOU KNOW, AS FORMER DIRECTOR OF THE DEPARTMENT OF ED HAD MORE OF THAT LEGISLATIVE FEEL AND THAT SORT OF STATEWIDE EXPERIENCE. AND SO I THINK IT’S GOING TO HARKEN BACK TO, TO THAT AT SOME LEVEL. BUT YEAH, JUST REALLY EXCITED TO SUPPORT ADMINISTRATORS ACROSS THE STATE GOING FORWARD. WE HAVE ABOUT LESS THAN A MINUTE LEFT. BUT AS YOU THINK ABOUT WHO YOU’LL BE, YOU KNOW, HANDING THE THE DISTRICT OR, YOU KNOW, LEADERSHIP OFF TO AS THEY BEGIN KIND OF THAT SEARCH, WHAT ARE YOU HOPEFUL THAT THIS TRANSITION LIKES IS LIKE IN THE NEXT LEADER IS LIKE AS WELL? YEAH, I HOPE THEY STICK WITH WHAT WE’RE DOING, AT LEAST IN THE NEAR TERM. SO THEY’LL CERTAINLY WANT TO PUT THEIR STAMP ON IMPROVEMENT EFFORTS. AND THAT MAKES MAKES GREAT SENSE. BUT THERE’S A REALLY SOLID TEAM IN PLACE AND A REALLY STRONG BOARD IN PLACE. AND WE’RE IN THE MIDST OF A FIVE YEAR STRATEGIC PLAN. SO I’M HOPEFUL THAT THEY COME IN, YOU KNOW, EYES AND EARS WIDE OPEN, GET A LAY OF THE LAND AND THEN AND THEN START TO DO EVEN EVEN GREATER THINGS FOR WAUKEE SCHOOLS. THAT WOULD CERTAINLY BE MY BEST HOPE. WELL, DOCTOR, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US, AND WE’RE WISHING YOU ALL THE BEST IN THIS NEXT CHAPTER. THANK YOU. WELL, TOM WAS SUPERINTENDENT AND SUPERINTENDENT IS ALSO NEARING THE FINISH LINE IN HIS PUBLIC EDUCATION CAREER. AHEAD OF HIS RETIREMENT. HE REFLECTS ON HIS BE THE BEST INITIATIVE, MAJOR UPGRADES TO DISTRICT FACILITIES AND WHAT HE HOPES COMES NEXT FOR BULLDOG NATION. WELCOME BACK TO CLOSE UP, OTTUMWA’S LONGTIME SUPERINTENDENT IS ALSO PREPARING TO CLOSE A MAJOR CHAPTER AFTER YEARS OF LEADING THE DISTRICT THROUGH GROWTH, CHANGE AND CHALLENGES, MIKE MCGRAW ANNOUNCED HE’LL RETIRE AT THE END OF THIS SCHOOL YEAR. AND I FELT LIKE THIS IS A REALLY GOOD TIME. WE’VE ACCOMPLISHED A LOT. OTTUMWA SCHOOLS ARE GROWING AND CHANGING, AND THE LEADER WHO HELPED DRIVE THAT MOMENTUM IS STEPPING AWAY. SUPERINTENDENT MIKE MCGRORY WILL RETIRE AT THE END OF THIS SCHOOL YEAR. WE JUST HAD OUR SECOND GRANDCHILD, SO JUST WANTING TO SPEND MORE TIME WITH FAMILY UNDER HIS LEADERSHIP, OTTUMWA SCHOOLS PURSUED AN AGGRESSIVE VISION, ADDING MORE STUDENTS TO THEIR SCHOOLS AT A TIME WHEN MANY DISTRICTS ARE SHRINKING. I NEVER THOUGHT WE WOULD BE ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH AS MUCH AS WE HAVE. IT’S BEEN A IT’S BEEN INCREDIBLE THAT GROWTH CAME THROUGH SWEEPING CHANGES FROM GRADE REALIGNMENT TO SMALLER SCHOOLS AND MORE PERSONALIZED LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS. WHAT ARE YOU PROUDEST OF ACCOMPLISHING DURING YOUR TIME AS THE DISTRICT’S LEADER? I’M PROUD THAT WE OFFER FREE BREAKFAST AND AND LUNCH TO OUR STUDENTS. I’M PROUD THAT ALL OF OUR FACILITIES HAVE BEEN UPGRADED. I’M PROUD THAT WE JUST OPENED A NEW GYM. I’M PROUD THAT WE JUST REMODELED OUR HIGH SCHOOL. MCGRAW ALSO HELPED PUSH POLICIES THAT RESHAPE DAILY LIFE IN CLASSROOMS, INCLUDING ONE OF IOWA’S EARLIEST AND MOST COMPREHENSIVE BANS ON CELL PHONES. HE SAYS RESEARCH COMPELLED HIM TO ACT JUST HOW DEVASTATING SOCIAL MEDIA CAN BE AND IMPACTFUL IN A NEGATIVE WAY. ON ON FEMALES AND AND READING THAT, I FELT LIKE WE CAN’T WAIT ANY LONGER, HE SAYS. RESULTS WERE IMMEDIATE. IT’S JUST TRANSFORMED OUR SCHOOLS. WE SEE A LOT LESS BULLYING. WE SEE A LOT LESS CONFLICT. AS THE DISTRICT BEGINS ITS SEARCH FOR A NEW SUPERINTENDENT, MCGRAW SAYS HE’S LEAVING WITH CONFIDENCE, PROUD OF HOW FAR OTTUMWA SCHOOLS HAVE COME AND ENCOURAGED BY THE IMPACT HE SEES EVERY DAY. THEY REALLY MAKE YOU REFLECT ON, YOU KNOW, HEY, YOU’RE REALLY YOU KNOW, OUR DISTRICT IS MAKING A DIFFERENCE FOR KIDS. THANK YOU FOR JOINING US FOR KCCI EIGHT NEWS CLOSE UP. WE’LL SEE YOU BACK HERE NEXT SUNDAY. HAVE A GREAT DAY.

Close Up: Longtime school superintendents move toward retirement; latest on health insurance

Updated: 12:01 PM CST Dec 21, 2025

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On this week’s Close Up, a major health insurance deadline just passed and Congress left town without a deal.We hear from U.S. Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks about the health care plan she led through the U.S. House.Plus, two Iowa superintendents are taking their final bow: Waukee’s Dr. Brad Buck and Ottumwa’s Mike McGrory — closing out the school year with big legacies. Both share what’s next after retiring from public education.Watch the full episode in the video player above.» Subscribe to KCCI’s YouTube page» Download the free KCCI app to get updates on the go: Apple | Google Play

On this week’s Close Up, a major health insurance deadline just passed and Congress left town without a deal.

We hear from U.S. Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks about the health care plan she led through the U.S. House.

Plus, two Iowa superintendents are taking their final bow: Waukee’s Dr. Brad Buck and Ottumwa’s Mike McGrory — closing out the school year with big legacies.

Both share what’s next after retiring from public education.

Watch the full episode in the video player above.

» Subscribe to KCCI’s YouTube page

» Download the free KCCI app to get updates on the go: Apple | Google Play