The Carroll Community School District (CCSD) Board of Education issued a statement today (Thursday) opposing a bill introduced in the Iowa Senate that would link state funding to students directly rather than the district they reside. According to President, Karen Friedlein, the board is concerned the bill, if approved, would divert additional taxpayer money to urban and suburban regions where private schools are more plentiful. This is often referred to as “school vouchers,” and school officials say, “With the voucher system, public funds would be re-routed to private educational entities, providing educational opportunities for a select few. Also, unlike the public school system, private educational entities are not required to provide transparency with academic or financial reporting, demonstrating limited oversight of their use of public funds.” Additionally, the proposed bill includes tax credits for tuition and textbooks, which board members claim could increase school-related state costs by as much as $30 million. The bill left the Senate Education Committee Wednesday with a recommendation for passage and has been referred to the Appropriations Committee. A vote on the bill is scheduled for next week. A link to the full text of the legislation in its current form can be found included below.
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https://legiscan.com/IA/bill/SF159/2021
