‘School choice’ supporters flood Iowa Capitol, push for education bill
Advocates pushing for more state aid for private schools crowded into the Iowa Capitol rotunda Tuesday as Republican lawmakers determine whether they have enough support to pass Gov. Kim Reynolds’ hallmark education priority.
The rally featured remarks from national proponents, including a pair of former students who used private school voucher programs in Florida and Ohio. The duo, known as the School Choice Boyz, now travels the country to lobby for similar measures.
They were joined by parents of private school students in Iowa and state Republican legislators supportive of the proposal. Many speakers talked about how access to private schooling was important to support their Christian faith.
Alana Gentosi, a parent of students at Des Moines Christian School in Urbandale, said she and her husband have been able to make it work with their careers to pay for a private school education but are passionate about expanding school options in Iowa.
“Our hope is that this will continue for our children,” she said. “But we also want this opportunity to be extended to families out there who want and desire school choice for their kids who have not had the resources or the income to do so — that is our hope too.”
More:Kim Reynolds reworked her private school scholarship bill to win rural lawmakers. Will it be enough?
Opponents say the legislation will harm public schools by diverting funding away from institutions that are required to serve all students.
“This legislation undermines Iowa’s longstanding commitment to the principle that adequately funded and quality public schools give every single student a chance in life, no matter their race or their zip code,” said Kelli Soyer, a Des Moines Public School Board member.
Tuesday’s rally took place just a few yards away from the meeting room where House lawmakers held their first hearing on Reynolds’ proposal to use public funds to offer scholarships to some children attending private schools.
A similar bill died last year after Reynolds failed to win over House Republican lawmakers. This year, she’s reworked the proposal in an effort to attract more votes, but lawmakers are working on further adjustments and it’s not clear whether they’ll reach an agreement.
The two Republican members of the subcommittee expressed support for the legislation, House Study Bill 672. They voted to advance the bill to the full Iowa House Appropriations Committee.
“My wife is a public school teacher. I would not support anything that will destroy public schools,” said Rep. Steven Holt, R-Denison. “However, the adamant opposition to this bill reflects a fear of competition that should be profoundly disturbing.”
Melissa Peterson, a lobbyist for the Iowa State Education Association, said many rural areas won’t benefit from the bill in part because they are “private school deserts” and that legislators should fund public schools instead.
The organization opposes the bill.
“There are more than 30 counties, many of them rural, where if you were to create a voucher program … people would not have access to private schools because we have private school deserts,” she said.
Stephen Gruber-Miller covers the Iowa Statehouse and politics for the Register. He can be reached by email at [email protected] or by phone at 515-284-8169. Follow him on Twitter at @sgrubermiller.
Ian Richardson covers the Iowa Statehouse for the Des Moines Register. Reach him at [email protected], at 515-284-8254, or on Twitter at @DMRIanR.
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