You Go Iowa!

You Go Iowa!

I have often said that I am not a fan of charter schools if they have to adhere to the same curriculum as other schools. I firmly believe that it is the curriculum that prevents most kids from learning – see the Chicago public schools. Well in Iowa, the public charter schools are free to innovate. The state has received a $43 million grant from the federal government to support its public charter schools. Iowa’s public charter schools are authorized by the State Board of Education, tuition-free, operate under a governing school board, and are not required to adhere to state laws that govern public schools’ curriculum and instructional methods. Hallelujah!  

Iowa’s governor Kim Reynolds said “Public charter schools provide yet another school choice for parents and guardians looking for the education option that’s best suited for their children’s abilities and needs. This $43 million grant recognizes Iowa as a leader in educational freedom and supports our innovative work to expand high-quality, tuition-free, public charter schools as an option for Iowa students and families.” The state’s education head said “With the support of this grant, Iowa’s dedicated educators will continue to improve, innovate and grow new learning environments that see every child, meet them where they are and provide what they need to realize their incredible potential.” I wonder what the Iowa teachers’ unions had to say about all this?

In announcing the grant Education. Secretary Linda McMahon said “A one-size fits all education system is not working for our students. Charter schools allow for innovative educational models that expand learning opportunities for students. The Trump administration will continue to use every available tool to advocate for meaningful learning, advance school choice, and ensure every student is well-positioned to succeed.” Since charter schools have been shown to dramatically increase the reading and math skills of minority children, the Trump administration is continuing republican efforts to push forward on this issue in the face of opposition from the left, the teachers’ unions and those who profess to have minority kids interests at heart.

Also Iowa is a leader in STEM education in k-12. My esteemed niece who is a renowned professor of engineering and now president of California’s Harvey Mudd College – the country’s leading science focused undergraduate institution – probably loves that Iowa has a Govern’s STEM advisory council “to ensure that every Iowa student in every geographic location and from every background has access to cutting- edge educational opportunities.” 

With all these accomplishments it should come as no surprise that Iowa is the first state granted an education funds waiver meaning that the state’s funds are unrestricted. Iowa can now use the funds as it sees fit and doesn’t have to incur all the federal compliance costs. This is a step in returning education decisions to the states. McMahon said “Iowa now has the flexibility to cut paperwork and simplify a hundred percent of state activities funding streams. It can invest in proven strategies to build a world-class teacher pipeline, close achievement gaps, and open post secondary opportunities to prepare for a great career.”

I couldn’t agree more. Iowa is only the first of many more to get this waiver as part of the Trump administration’s effort to wind down the Department of Education. Of course the democrats are hopping mad. Bobby Scott of Virginia said “Congress must not sit idly by as the Trump administration makes every effort to drag students, educators, and parents back into an era where students were denied the opportunities and resources they needed to succeed.” Well what I want to know from Rep. Scott is what are the reading scores in your district? If they are at or above grade level then keep talking. If they are not then shut up.

Lastly, I would hope that the administration will grant the waivers only to those states that are actively trying to increase their students’ reading and math proficiencies like Mississippi, Arkansas and maybe Tennessee. States like Illinois, California and New Jersey should never get the waiver.