How will IACS Membership benefit your school?
For nearly 50 years, IACS has lobbied successfully on behalf of Christ-centered schools in Iowa. IACS has been instrumental in lobbying for:
- Independent Accreditation: passed in 2013 with its “sunset” provision removed in 2016!
- High Schools: protected the option of “College Prep” or “Special Accreditation” for Iowa’s private high schools.
- Tuition & Textbook Tax Credit: raised the cap multiple times.
- Transportation: protected transportation appropriations for parents who transport their students to school or to provide public schools resources to transport private school students.
- Educational Opportunities Act: funds our School Tuition Organizations (STOs). We worked with coalition partners to dramatically expand this program over multiple years. This program has brought needed resources to many of our member schools through scholarships to eligible families.
- Education Savings Account (ESA) Legislation that resulted in the Students First Act: signed into law in January 2023, creating universal Education Savings Accounts for all families regardless of income by 2025-26. IACS was an original organization responsible for the drafting of the first ESA bill in 2011.
Your IACS dues get a BIG bang for your buck!
IACS has also lobbied against legislation that would place an undue burden on our schools or conflict with our values, including:
- We oppose numerous unfunded mandates each year. Almost every unfunded mandate we successfully oppose (which is most of them) saves your school considerably more than your IACS dues each year.
- The option of Special Accreditation for College Preparatory Schools has been protected. IACS leads the way in organizing schools involved and will continue to fight for all school-choice options and our rights as private, faith-based schools.
- We lobby against bills that are incompatible with our role and mission as Christ-centered schools. We continue to fight for the rights of schools even after laws have been enacted. We often work with schools to resolve conflicts and issues arising from laws or administrative rules that violate our schools’ collective, universal mission as biblically-based education institutions.
IACS also maintains a great working relationship with the Iowa Alliance/Advocates for Choice in Education, the Iowa Catholic Conference, Homeschool Iowa, and other like-minded organizations willing to work together for parental rights and choice in education.
Does IACS benefit non-accredited schools?
Absolutely! We provide all schools a voice in promoting the value of Christian education and parental choice in education. We need EVERY Christian school to be involved! Make sure your voice is heard!
Does IACS benefit preschools?
Absolutely! We have a history of working with our member schools’ preschool programs. We are exploring ways to help other preschools moving forward.