Education funding should support students, not systems

There are a number of myths about school choice and private education. Sadly, a Nov. 27 guest editorial by Nick Covington ( “School choice but who gets to choose?”) served up several as if they were fact.

In opposing school choice for Iowa families and students, Covington contends that a portion of public education funds should not follow the children to a school that better meets their needs because “non-public schools get to make the choice about what students they serve.” Yet, the argument that “private schools don’t have to take everyone” is a double standard.

In truth, neighborhood public schools are not obligated to accommodate a student with special needs or who may want a special type of programming, either. Instead, the district may set up that service or programming elsewhere and bus that student miles away to participate. Optimal or not, it’s an understandable reality. Why would we impose a more onerous standard on a private school with a different mission and fewer resources at its disposal? If every public school isn’t required to take every child, why should a private school be treated differently?

Mr. Covington correctly observes that most Iowa private schools are religious and any school choice program will still allow them to operate based on their religious “status” and “use” of resources. Yet, that question has been decided by the U.S. Supreme Court no less than four times in recent years as those who oppose empowering parents have repeated the same tired arguments about “discrimination,” separation of church and state, and various state “Blaine Amendments.” Each time, the court sided with parents.

Iowa’s public school system is a foundation on which to build options. Most Iowa parents will choose their neighborhood public school based on cost, convenience, and the education their child receives.

Parents who choose a religious or private school for their children often sacrifice cost and convenience, but they understand what best meets their own child’s needs. Educational choice programs are an opportunity to celebrate diversity through various types of schools, customized education options for students, and the potential for new types of schools to open that meet niche or demand for specific opportunities

As for the argument that taxpayers shouldn’t be obligated to “support private institutions” that are different from public schools, let’s not forget that private and religious school parents are taxpayers, too. But there’s a larger point: the purpose of educational funding is to support students, not systems. Furthermore, there’s a compelling public interest to see that Iowa students succeed in school. Given that private schools produce outstanding academic results and parents enroll their children fully aware of the school’s views and methods, there is value in such options.

Finally, Mr. Covington cites several isolated, out-of-state cases of financial wrongdoing, including descriptions of “payouts to marketeers” and a “complicated criminal enterprise.” He does so to insinuate that Iowa’s religious and private schools, which have operated with integrity for decades, would suddenly and “inevitably” resort to “grift and fraud” if any state education funds follow the students they are intended to educate. Such attempts to smear Iowa parents and private educators are as wrong as they are distasteful.

In Iowa, we are fortunate that legislative efforts have recently shifted to put the focus on offering parents more options. Earlier this year, the Education Savings Account-style Student First Scholarship was introduced. School choice supporters are hopeful that a bill for an even more robust Education Savings Account will be presented during the 2023 session.

ESAs give parents control over education spending for their children. A portion of state funds are deposited into an individual account that parents use for qualified education expenses for their child. Under last session’s proposal, up to 10,000 income-qualified transfer students could use up to $5,400 in an ESA — considerably less than the $7,000-plus that the state would spend educating each of those children in the public school system.

School-choice opponents seem to be more concerned about the public school system rather than children. This issue isn’t about schools; it’s about families and what’s best for kids. School choice is the norm in most Western countries and many states. It’s time for Iowa to join them.

Public and private schools can — and must — function together to reach as many kids as possible to best meet their needs. Why would anyone oppose that?

Chris McCarville is the president of Xavier Catholic High School in Cedar Rapids.