Reynolds Suggests Changes in Private School Scholarship Plan

(Des Moines, IA) — Governor Kim Reynolds’s plan to provide state scholarships to parents who start sending their kids to private schools is being changed to try to find more votes. Rural lawmakers worry the concept will put more financial strain on small school districts, and the plan has stalled in the House for a second year. Reynolds last month suggested a new fund for public school districts with fewer than 500 students. This weekend during an appearance on “Iowa Press” on Iowa P-B-S, Reynolds said they’re looking at maybe an occupational sharing and that would cover an even broader group of rural districts. The state already provides increased state funding to Iowa school districts that share superintendents, social workers, custodians, or business managers.