• Home
  • About Us
  • Advertise With Us
  • Caffeinated Thoughts Gear
  • Contact Us
  • Donate
  • The Caffeinated Thoughts Podcast

Caffeinated Thoughts

Stimulating Christian Conservative News & Commentary

Social Media Management
  • Culture
  • Current Events
    • Sports
  • Education
  • Faith & Theology
  • Iowa News & Politics
  • State News & Politics
    • California News & Politics
    • Colorado News & Politics
    • Illinois News & Politics
    • Kansas News & Politics
    • Missouri News & Politics
    • Nebraska News & Politics
    • New Hampshire News & Politics
    • Ohio News & Politics
    • South Carolina News & Politics
    • South Dakota News & Politics
    • Wisconsin News & Politics
  • U.S. News & Politics
    • Election Central

School Choice Celebrated at Iowa State Capitol

March 7, 2013 By Shane Vander Hart



school choice rally at Iowa State Capitol

School Choice was on display in Des Moines yesterday as approximately 250 private school students, teachers and supporters came for their day at the Iowa State Capitol.  The event was sponsored by Iowa Alliance for Choice in Education and their lobbying and public policy wing – Iowa Advocates for Choice in Education with the full support of the Iowa Association of Christian Schools and Iowa Catholic Conference.  The event which featured remarks from State Senator Jeff Danielson (D-Cedar Falls), House Majority Leader Linda Upmeyer (R-Clear Lake) and Robert Enlow, the President & CEO of The Friedman Foundation for Educational Choice, as well as, vocal performances by students from Des Moines Christian School and Dowling Catholic High School.

State Senator Danielson, an advocate of the School Tuition Organization (STO) tax credit program, spoke first.  Danielson said that educational choice is a bipartisan issue.  “There is not a Democrat or Republican way to grow opportunity in Iowa, especially for our schools, and this is an effort that has been bipartisan in both chambers and supported by governors along the way.”

Referencing the STO tax credit program anyway.  Other measures, such as independent accreditation for non-public schools, independent private instruction for homeschooling families, along with other measures have always had bipartisan support.

House Majority Leader Upmeyer encouraged the lobbying efforts of those in attendance.  “There is no better lobby than each of you talking to your own legislator.”  She noted that accredited non-public schools alone educate about 34,000 students in Iowa.  “Collectively Iowa’s non-public schools are one of the state’s largest employers,” she added.

She said that non-public schools saves the state $250 million every year.  She said she a supporter of the STO tax credit program, and thanked Governor Branstad for including it in his budget this year.  Upmeyer said, “we hope to get the program to a point where it will meet all of the demands for the scholarships that each one of you might want to participate in.”

Upmeyer added, “every Iowa parent should be able to choose the public school, private school, virtual school, or home school option that best suits their needs regardless of zip code or socio-economic status.  If we believe that parents hold the primary responsibility over the education of our children then we need to build a system that empowers and partners with parents by giving them the choices and providing them the opportunities for a great educational product.”

Enlow in his remarks said that Iowa led the way in 2006-2007 with school choice being bipartisan (STO tax credit).  “You guys are leaders that we follow around the country now,” Enlow remarked.

The Iowa House passed some robust educational choice measures in the educational reform package they approved in February.  State Senator Brad Zaun (R-Urbandale) included an education savings grant program in the bill he filed Tuesday night to repeal the Iowa Department of Education and State Board of Education.  Iowa Senate Republicans yesterday introduced Senate File 323 which would also create education savings grants for students attending a non-public school or receiving competent private instruction (homeschooling).  The amount each child would receive upon their approved application would an amount “equal to the statewide average state foundation aid per pupil in the same school year.”

You can watch videos of the speakers’ full remarks below:

 

 

  • About
  • Latest Posts

Shane Vander Hart

Editor & Founder at Caffeinated Thoughts
Shane Vander Hart is the founder and editor-in-chief of Caffeinated Thoughts.  He is also the President of 4:15 Communications, LLC, a social media & communications consulting/management firm.  Prior to this Shane spent 20 years in youth ministry serving in church, parachurch, and school settings.  He has also served as an interim pastor and is a sought after speaker and pulpit fill-in.  Shane has been married to his wife Cheryl since 1993 and they have three kids.  Shane and his family reside near Des Moines, IA.

Latest posts by Shane Vander Hart (see all)

  • The DNC Says They Are Suing Russia and the Trump Campaign - April 20, 2018
  • Are Transgender Marines and Sailors Causing Unit Cohesion Problems? - April 20, 2018
  • The Top 15 Most Popular Governors Are Republican - April 19, 2018

Related

Filed Under: Education Tagged With: Brad Zaun, educational freedom, featured, Friedman Foundation for Educational Choice, Iowa House, Iowa Legislature, Iowa Senate, Jeff Danielson, Linda Upmeyer, Robert Enlow, school choice, Senate File 323

About Shane Vander Hart

Shane Vander Hart is the founder and editor-in-chief of Caffeinated Thoughts.  He is also the President of 4:15 Communications, LLC, a social media & communications consulting/management firm.  Prior to this Shane spent 20 years in youth ministry serving in church, parachurch, and school settings.  He has also served as an interim pastor and is a sought after speaker and pulpit fill-in.  Shane has been married to his wife Cheryl since 1993 and they have three kids.  Shane and his family reside near Des Moines, IA.

Get CT In Your Inbox!

Connect With Us!

  • Facebook
  • Google+
  • Instagram
  • RSS
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Subscribe to Our Podcast

Apple PodcastsBlubrry Google Play Music Podbean Soundcloud Stitcher

  • Advertise With Us
  • Contact Us
  • CT Gear
  • Donate
  • Send a News Tip
  • The Caffeinated Thoughts Briefing

Top Posts & Pages

  • Top Ten Reasons Why Students Need More Literature (Not Less)
  • No Mass Shootings: The Myth of Australia's Gun Control Policy
  • Dietrich Bonhoeffer: Cheap Grace vs. Costly Grace
  • Utopia, And Why It's A Bad Idea
  • How Does the Bible Define the Word Nation? (It Is Not What You Think)
  • Seven Ways Christians Should Respond to Persecution
  • Calvinism and the Southern Baptist Convention
  • George Muller: The Day He Died to Self
  • Slave vs. Servant
  • The DNC Says They Are Suing Russia and the Trump Campaign

Recent Posts

  • Elon Musk – Production Hell or Party Balloons? Pick One.
  • The DNC Says They Are Suing Russia and the Trump Campaign
  • Are Transgender Marines and Sailors Causing Unit Cohesion Problems?
  • The Top 15 Most Popular Governors Are Republican
  • Iowa Ethics & Campaign Disclosure Board Sides With Pate, Rebuts AP Story
  • The Expendables: There’s More to Life than Death
  • Ernst Calls For A Fix to Dysfunctional Budget Process
  • Update: Reynolds Signs Bill Changing Iowa’s Statewide Assessment Developer

© Copyright 2018 Caffeinated Thoughts · All Rights Reserved · Hosted by 4:15 Communications, LLC.