Iowa Association of Christian Schools
The Public Policy Voice of Iowa's Protestant, Christ-Centered Schools.
By IACS
This month we are looking to show our legislators, candidates, and schools that Iowans care about school choice and Christian education. Will you sign up and be heard?
By signing this petition, you let us know (along with Iowa’s legislature) that you support school choice and Christian education in Iowa. We may ask you to take specific action (usually sending an email) on specific legislation in the future, but we promise not to spam your inbox.
By IACS
One of the primary roles of parents is to be involved in and direct the formal education of their children. There are many ways to accomplish this but those without the income to access more than one option lack that basic, fundamental right. The best way we know how to ensure every parent has access to what is best for their child is through Education Savings Accounts (ESAs). ESAs will allow parents who choose not to enroll their children in a public school to receive a deposit of public funds into a savings account set up by the state. This money could be used by parents for private school tuition and some other education expenses including tutoring, giving parents the ability to customize their child’s education to meet his/her needs.
Iowa has increased public school funding annually, while maintaining school choice programs such as the School Tuition Organization tax credits. IACS supports the state’s commitment to public and non-public education. We are not advocating that parents wanting to utilize a non-public option be given every financial resource available to the public system. We are simply asking that the state allow a portion of those resources to follow the student to ensure every Iowa parent has every available quality option at their disposal.
School choice will not lead to money being “siphoned away from public education and given to private education providers.” No state or local funding for public schools would be diverted to this program. ESAs would be funded by a separate appropriation by the legislature.
Senate File 372 was introduced this week and has passed the Senate Education Committee’s subcommittee. It is now eligible for debate in the full Education Committee. We encourage you to contact members of the Senate Education Committee and Senate leadership in support of an ESA program which would be accessible to as many parents as possible. Rewrite the sample message in your own words and keep your comments positive.
Thank you for your willingness to engage on this issue!
By IACS
Our IACS January 2019 Newsletter is out! There are a few events to pencil in on your calendar and we have an overview on the legislature and our areas of focus for the year!
By IACS
Although it is a tough budget year for the State of Iowa and many interest groups are asking for increased resources, we have heard time and again this year that “K-12 education will be held harmless.” We laid significant groundwork for tax credit and education savings account legislation moving forward.
Despite this, funding of transportation services for nonpublic school students is facing a cut in SSB 1198. The budget bill is being considered by the Iowa legislature this week. The funding was cut $278,000 in this current fiscal year. Next year’s budget continues cutting nonpublic school transportation funding for a total cut of $363,000. This is unacceptable.
Please use our action alert to contact your Representative and Senator today and ask them to support nonpublic schools by truly “holding K-12 harmless.”
By IACS
Legislators are now in the middle of debating budget bills in order to go home for the year. Iowa’s Christian schools benefit from a number of state programs and initiatives that benefit Iowa’s students that attend our schools. Line items in the state budget that impact Christian schools:
We understand that the state budget is tighter than usual this year. The House and Senate have agreed to cut the Governor’s proposed increase of $90,000 in nonpublic textbook funding and there seems to be no forward movement on ESA, STO, or transportation this week as they look to wrap up the session.
Would you be willing to email your legislators today and ask them to seize this final opportunity of the year to pass meaningful legislation that would positively impact students in every educational setting? The Iowa Association of Christian Schools is supporting efforts to:
Christian school parents and their children save the state millions of dollars as they cover most of the cost of private school education themselves and still contribute to the public school funding through local property, income, and sales tax.
We believe parents have the right to choose the type of education that best fits their child’s needs regardless of their income or address. Please ask your legislators to create the conditions necessary to exercise this right.
Please send a message to your legislator on these issues. We encourage you to edit the message and put it in your own words. Thanks for being willing to get involved!