National Charter School Week, recognized May 10-16 this year, is a good opportunity to look at how charter schools are growing in Iowa and what that means for families. Charter schools are public schools. They are tuition-free, open to students, and designed to provide another option within public education. According to the National Alliance for […]

Iowa’s Education Savings Account program has given thousands of families access to learning environments that were once financially out of reach. Yet critics continue to argue that expanding educational options is somehow unfair. The Des Moines Register’s April 19 editorial criticizing ESAs follows that pattern, but it overlooks both the purpose of school choice and […]

Critics of school choice often argue that Education Savings Accounts will “drain resources” from public schools, forcing cuts to teachers and core services. But Iowa’s own data tells a more complicated story. I recently analyzed school district data from the U.S. Department of Education’s Common Core of Data. It showed that many Iowa districts have […]

Iowa families have an exciting opportunity to take greater control of their child’s education through the Students First Education Savings Account (ESA) program. If you’re planning to apply, here’s a simple guide to help you get started when the application window opens on Thursday, April 16, 2026 at 8:00am. Start Early The ESA application is […]

For years, critics of school choice have argued that programs like Education Savings Accounts (ESAs) primarily benefit families in urban and suburban areas. But data from the Iowa Department of Education tells a very different story. A comparison of certified nonpublic school enrollment by resident district from 2022–23 (pre-ESA) to 2025–26 reveals a clear and […]