Standing for parents when it mattered was an experience that motivated me to get more involved in the legislative process.
Iowans sound off on school choice in packed subcommittee hearing (kcci.com)
Speaking in several sub-committees in the House and Senate during the 2023 legislative session was an important part of getting school choice for Iowa families passed. Passing the bill allows full education freedom for families and provides true customization that allows us to think broader about education opportunities. Eyes have been opened in many ways, which was the result of zoom schools during covid thus creating a grassroots effort by many to mobilize to fight for freedom in education.
The number one line item in our Iowa budget is education--It's actually 56% of the total budget! With that money going to education, we still see underperforming schools and children with below average standardized test scores. We need to do better!
Families are always going to disagree on how to educate their children, its either going to be by force or freedom and school choice is the way to move away from the one size fits all system. The ability for families to have flexibility in their child's education without constraints of family dynamics will create unmeasurable opportunities in both urban and rural areas. We are going to see the growth of so many creative options in Iowa. Many school choice programs in other states have proven to improve academic outcomes across the board. I am excited to see that improvement come to Iowa.
Remember this is not about public money for private schools, the money doesn’t belong to either of these…it belongs to the student and modernizing how education is funded in Iowa will benefit all.