Based on negative press coverage in other states, a common claim made about Iowa’s Students First ESA program by critics is that parents could use the money for amusement park tickets or a family vacation. No, they can’t. ESA funds are restricted to accredited nonpublic school tuition, fees, and a defined list of eligible educational […]

Video has surfaced of comments State Auditor Rob Sand, the Democratic nominee for governor, made at the Iowa State Education Association’s delegate assembly in April. Discussing Iowa’s Students First Education Savings Accounts, which he continues to call school vouchers, Sand said: “We have a school voucher system that has no oversight. Right? No oversight. That’s […]

One of the most common arguments against school choice is the slogan, “No public money for private schools.” It sounds simple, but it is not applied consistently. Public money reaches private institutions all the time. It happens in health care, higher education, housing, food assistance, child care, and other public programs. The question is not […]

As we prepare to celebrate Independence Day, many of us will gather with family and friends, watch fireworks, attend parades, and reflect on the ideals that gave birth to our nation 250 years ago. Among those ideals is a simple but profound truth: people are best governed when they are free to make decisions for […]

State Auditor Rob Sand’s office sent out a press release highlighting a report critical of Iowa’s Students First Education Savings Account program. One claim from the release has already drawn attention: Sand says the ESA program cost $37,294 “per new student.” That number is not the cost of an ESA. It is political math. The […]