Recently, our Governor, Kim Reynolds, signed a new bill called the "Students First Act" that will take effect in the upcoming 2023-2024 school year. The new bill will allow any student in Iowa to use public money to pay for private school tuition. Families who choose to send their children to a private institution will receive $7,598 per child to help pay for tuition. This is the same amount that public schools receive for each student enrolled in their district. Iowa is only the third state in the nation to pass this initiative. The justification for the bill was to give parents and students a choice for their education and allow families to pick an option that best suits their child's needs. We need to remember there has always been a choice for families and students that includes: public school, open enrollment, homeschooling, and private. The difference is the State of Iowa wasn't paying for a student's tuition who chose to go to a private school. The bill doesn't create any new schooling options it just makes the private option more affordable. Regardless of income, families choosing to enroll students next year in a private school for the first time will receive the full $ 7,598 amount. Children who currently attend a private school will have their funding phased in over a three-year period. Families wanting this option will have funding placed in an ESA (educational savings account).
The Students First Act could have a large negative financial impact on public schools as more families may choose to send their children to private institutions, thus eliminating vital funding from school districts. School districts rely on state funds to provide a quality education for all students. A reduction in state funding not only puts the district at risk but could also raise property taxes in communities to help offset the loss. Iowa taxpayers already pay state taxes to help fund public schools. Why would they want to pay more just to make up for the losses caused by the new bill? Did you know that private schools don't have to accept all students, they can pick and choose who is admitted. Are private schools better than public schools? Are they able to accommodate special needs students? Many questions need to be asked and answered before families start removing their children from public schools.
Is this the best use of public funds?
Should all families choosing the private school option receive the same amount or should it be based on income?
Replies
I agree with you, I think that the public funds should stay at public schools. And not give these funds to students to make private schools more affordable for them and their families.
I don't think this is the best use of public funds because it's just changing private schools into public schools. The point of a private school is that it's seperate from the state, so why should they be getting money from the state. At the very least, parents shouldn't be getting the same amount of money public schools get.
I agree with you, giving these students public funds to make private school more affordable for them isn't the point of a private school. Private schools shouldn't be getting money from the state from the students.
I went to a catholic school and I don't believe this is what public funds should be used for private schools because at private schools there are more wealthy individuals and this is a privilege to go there and this could make private schools a wrong place bc parents might send their bad kids there to make them “better”. Still, they will just make other kids worse.
I agree with you, I think public funds should stay at public schools and not giving those funds to private schools. If a parent wants to send their kid to a private school then they should have to pay for it.
I think that public funds shouldn't go to private schools. If the public doesn't have any say in the school, then why are there funds supporting it? I think that our public schools need those state funds to improve education for students.
I agree with you, I think that the public funds are very needed to help improve the education of students who choose to go to public school.
I think that the Students First Act is awesome. It gives more freedom to parents on where they want to send their kids to school. Even if that does mean removing their child from public school. This bill just gives families more opportunities to accommodate what's best for their child. I understand why some people want the money to stay in the public school system, but all of this is for the better of the children.
I think that public funds should stay in the public schools. I this this will cause some hurt. I think that this will cause public schools to eventually not be in use as much especially in larger cities. If partents have the option to send their kid to a different school that has higher scores then they will and this just makes it easier. I think that it should go to the public school and the parents that sent their kids to private school should have to pay for that themselves because they chose to do that.
I agree with you, I think if a parent wants to send their kids to a private school instead of a public school. Then they should have to pay for that themselves.
-
1
-
2
-
3
-
4
of 4 Next