(Radio Iowa) – A new state law will send public charter schools in Iowa one-point-three million more dollars to boost teacher salaries in the coming school year and a revolving loan fund has been created to provide low-interest loans for charter school facilities. Governor Kim Reynolds signed the law at Des Moines Prep, a charter school for 8th and 9th graders that’s not far from the Iowa Capitol.
“Just five years Iowa only had two public charter schools, both established by local school boards,” Reynolds said. “Today there are total of 10 in operation, with another eight already authorized and demand continues to grow, all thanks to Iowa’s adoption and expansion of school choice.” Public school districts will be required to pay the tuition for charter school students who take community college courses.
Matt Lakis is the principal at Des Moines Prep, where every 9th grader has been enrolled in community college, too. “Opportunities to access rigorous coursework earlier, opportunities to explore college and career pathways in meaningful, hands on ways,” Lakis said, “and opportunities for students to participate in the activities that they love.”
The law requires districts to let all charter school students participate in sports and other extracurricular activities at their local public school if the charter school doesn’t have those options. The law also gets rid of the cap on the number of unrelated children who can be home-schooled together and a home-based instructor may charge tuition and fees if they’re teaching kids they’re not related to.
“I firmly believe that education freedom is the best way to ensure that every kid is prepared to truly thrive,” Reynolds said. Democrats in the legislature criticized the plan, saying it opens the door for unscrupulous people to offer to teach unrelated kids, for a fee and they say the benefits for charter schools place additional burdens on public school budgets.
