To the editor,

Now is the time to urge Iowa Senators and Representatives to end or cap the budget for Educational School Aid (ESA) as the Iowa Legislature begins its 91st session. ESAs, if you don’t recall, are coupons provided by Iowa taxpayers to parents of K-12 school students in private schools.

ESAs were unpopular across the political spectrum when the law was enacted in 2022-2023 but the program was enacted anyway.

After three years of ESA implementation, a growing grassroots movement of individuals and school boards are taking action.

Iowa Concerned Citizens for Improvement (ICCI) is serving as a convener of communities raising awareness about the downside of ESAs impact on public schools.

More than 3,000 Iowans have signed petitions urging their school boards to pass a resolution for a 5% increase for SSA, the per pupil state aid; cap ESA funding; phase the program out over 5 years; and use public funds for public schools only. School districts then send their resolutions to the Gov and Legislature.

So far six Iowa school boards have passed resolutions including Albia, Belmond-Klemme, Bennett, Cedar Rapids, Decorah, and Keokuk School Districts. Ames School District has approved the capping and phasing out of ESAs. Other school districts are being approached.

The last time Iowa adjusted SSA to keep up with inflation was in the 2016-2017 session. That has resulted in a GOP caused short-fall of nearly $2.7 billion, forcing schools to look for more support from property tax. For fiscal year 2026, an 11.4% increase in SSA would be needed to offset inflation since FY 17.

Iowa’s Educational Ranking has fallen from the top tier to the middle among our 50 states. Gov. Reynolds wants to cut taxes more, while our kids’ educations suffer.

Sub-committee members are the first gatekeepers in allowing a bill to move forward. On the House Education Committee; they are Representatives Wheeler, Fett, and Ehlert. Senators Evans, Taylor, and Quirmbach serve on the Education Sub-committee. Ask them to use tax dollars for public schools only. Then ask others to do the same.

Kathy Getting

Webster City