Private school scholarships are a solution in search of a problem

Education is the great equalizer. My dad grew up in a working-class family in Cedar Rapids, learning the value of hard work at an early age. When my dad finished high school, he was able to attend college, eventually becoming an attorney. His sons were able to go to college, too, pursuing our own versions of the American dream.

Following my own graduation from Washington High School in Cedar Rapids, I went to college prepared to learn, grow, and seize every opportunity. Whether they were rigorous exams, heavy course loads, or my work with the U.S. State Department, my achievements were built on a foundation that many Americans don’t have: an Iowa public education.

My family’s journey isn’t unique in the history of our great state. Iowa has long been known as the gold standard of public education: a staple of pride for governors from both political parties. We even commemorated this reputation on our state’s quarter, which depicts a schoolhouse and reads: “Foundation in education.” Our rich history — as thinkers, doers, and go-getters — is something we should all be proud of. But now, that legacy is under attack.

In Gov. Kim Reynolds’ Condition of the State address, she laid out her education priorities for the 2023 legislative session. At a time when our state enjoys the benefit of a large surplus fed by federal dollars, the governor is asking the Legislature to take your tax dollars from public schools and give them to private schools.

Only 5 percent of Iowa students currently attend a private school. Most families in Iowa do not live within reasonable driving distance of a private school. Private schools lack the same transparency and accountability as public schools. And private schools don’t usually offer the services many families need, like Individualized Education Plans (IEPs) or accommodations for students with disabilities.

Reynolds’ school voucher scheme seeks to spend an astounding sum of money on just 5 percent of our students, while at the same time failing to match the rate of inflation for the other 95 percent of Iowa students in her proposed increase for education funding in the 2023 fiscal year.

The governor’s plan is estimated to cost nearly one billion dollars in its first four years, and more than $300 million every year after that. These figures do not take into account any increases in private school enrollment that may happen as a result. For every student who switches from a public school to a private school, the governor’s plan will strip about $7,500 from their local school district.

For Iowa’s rural school districts, already squeezed for resources and struggling to make ends meet, this plan will be a death blow. For districts in larger cities like Cedar Rapids, this can lead to fewer teachers in classrooms and less individual attention for at-risk students.

No one in Iowa opposes the right of parents to send their children to private schools. Of course, situations exist where a child may fare better in a different learning environment. The governor’s plan, though, is a solution in search of a problem. I will be strongly opposing this legislation.

State Rep. Sami Scheetz, D-Cedar Rapids represents District 78.

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