As the bill that would expand school choice advances through the Iowa Legislature, many Iowans may be asking themselves: What are charter schools?
The bill, Senate File 159, expands school choice by awarding taxpayer-funded scholarships to students in 34 failing public schools identified by the federal government so the students can attend a public charter school. When they leave the public school, they take their per-student state aid which would be over $7,000 this year to the charter school.
The bill was approved by the Iowa Senate on Jan. 28 and is now awaiting debate in the Iowa House.
In Iowa, charter schools are public, non-religious schools that are created by a governing board or a sponsoring school board. Money that flows into public schools has strings attached. Charter schools, however, have more flexibility with how they spend it.
Teacher, students who launched Black Student Union want to see Black history taught
Student Nadeen Mohammed hands tape Friday to teacher Amira Nash to prepare for a mural that will be hung on the front office doors at Iowa City West High School in Iowa City. (Andy Abeyta/The Gazette)
Teacher Amira Nash talks students through the plan while working Friday on a mural at Iowa City West High School. (Andy Abeyta/The Gazette)
Student Ruba Ahmed-Abdelmutalab works Friday with classmates Nadeen Mohammed (left) and Ben Nkolobise (right) to paint a mural celebrating Black History Month at Iowa City West High School. (Andy Abeyta/The Gazette)
With more students returning to classrooms this month under a new state law requiring that option, some Eastern Iowa school leaders say they are concerned about maintaining social distancing in class raising fears of increased exposure to COVID-19.
In the Iowa City Community School District, students have had the choice of either hybrid learning attending in-person in either A or B days and attending online on the opposite days or online learning.
But with less room for social distancing as more students return, Iowa City schools Superintendent Matt Degner is among those concerned the district will see an influx in the number of both students and staff having to quarantine.
(KWWL) Iowa school districts have been preparing to bring students back full-time in anticipation of a law signed by Governor Reynolds Friday morning requiring districts to offer a 100% in-person learning option.
Requiring schools to offer a 100% in-person learning option was one of Reynolds top priorities for the 2021 legislative session. Two 100% in-person learning bills were introduced shortly after the new session began earlier this month.
The Legislature approved the measure on Thursday, with Reynolds quickly signing it into law Friday morning. Districts now have until February 15 to comply with the law.
Here is how the law affects Eastern Iowa school districts:
As the winter of our pandemic-strained lives progresses, it s becoming a concern for many parents how snow days will be handled. While the state of Iowa has given districts a choice to utilize the online option on inclement weather days, many are choosing to keep the snow day tradition alive.
Despite the pandemic seeing many students taking online classes already, and the quick flexibility to switch all kids over to the virtual option in the case of inclement weather, representatives from both the Cedar Rapids Community School District (CRCSD) and College Community (Prairie) schools told the Cedar Rapids Gazette it will be handled as it always has. If the schools call off for the day, all students, both online and in-person will be off, and the day will be made up at the end of the year. Students will NOT automatically switch to virtual learning for snow days.