State Senator Jeff Reichman.

As Iowa schools are asking the legislature for higher Supplemental State Aid funding this year, Governor Kim Reynolds is again calling for a school voucher program to siphon taxpayer dollars from public to private schools.

Governor Reynolds’ voucher proposal last year was part of an education bill that failed to pass in the Republican-controlled House and was scrapped from the final legislation that expanded open enrollment and eased rules to create charter schools. Washington Community Schools Superintendent Willie Stone fears that a voucher system would widen the socioeconomic gap for certain Iowa communities as it would take per-pupil funds out of school districts, “I guess my question is, at what point in time do we ever have a choice of where we want to put our taxes? The U.S. is built on making sure we educate all students and that’s part of taxes. Do you get to pick where exactly your property tax goes? What it is used for?”

Washington Superintendent Willie Stone.

District 42 Senator Jeff Reichman (R) says he is unsure of his stance on school vouchers, “It was debated heavily last year and I was for it in its form last year. I have yet to see what shape it’s going to take this year so I don’t have a position on it yet this year.”

Last year’s voucher proposal was only for students in lower-performing Iowa schools, while the new legislation would be open to any student who has an individualized education plan or is part of a family with an income of up to 400% of the federal poverty level. The program would also be capped at 10,000 students statewide, and the state would allot 70% of its cost per pupil to the student’s family, with the remaining 30% to be distributed between rural school districts.