Governor's 'school choice' plan to cost $341M each year once fully phased in

The governor's school choice program is projected to cost taxpayers roughly $106.9M the first year it's implemented. By year four, when it's fully phased in, the annual cost would be $341M.

The governor's school choice program is projected to cost taxpayers roughly $106.9M the first year it's implemented. By year four, when it's fully phased in, the annual cost would be $341M.

COMING UP AHEAD IN A FEW MINUTES. THANK YOU, JANE. NEW ADVICE GIVEN REYNOLDS IS TRYING FOR THE THIRD TIME TO USE TAX PAYER MONEY TO PAY PRIVATE SCHOOL TUITION. HER PLAN IS MUCH MORE EXPENSIVE THIS YEAR THAN HER LAST TWO BILLS. IT WOULD MAKE MORE TAXPAYER MONEY MORE IMMEDIATELY AVAILABLE TO MORE IOWA STUDENTS. ��vlog CHIEF POLITICAL REPORTER AMANDA ROOKER SHOWS US HOW MUCH THIS WOULD COST. YOU, STEVE STACY OVER THE COURSE OF THREE YEARS, EVERY IOWA FAMILY WOULD QUALIFY TO RECEIVE STATE MONEY TO HELP PAY FOR PRIVATE SCHOOL TUITION. IF THIS PLAN PASSES. THE GOVERNOR’S PLAN THIS YEAR WOULD CREATE AN EDUCATION SAVINGS ACCOUNT, ALSO KNOWN AS AN ESSAY. YOU MIGHT HEAR THAT A LOT THIS SESSION FOR EVERY IOWA STUDENT WHO WANTS TO SWITCH TO PRIVATE SCHOOL. NOW, THE STATE WOULD DEPOSIT ROUGHLY $7,600 EACH YEAR INTO THAT ACCOUNT. THAT’S THE FULL AMOUNT OF TAXPAYER MONEY THAT THE STATE INVESTS IN EVERY STUDENT. NOW, THERE’S NO CAP THIS YEAR ON HOW MANY SCHOLARSHIPS THE STATE WILL FUND AVAILABLE. ONLY STOPS WHEN IOWA PRIVATE SCHOOLS RUN OUT OF ROOM. SOME FAMILIES MAY WANT AN EDUCATION THAT CONFORMS TO THEIR FAITH AND MORAL CONVICTIONS. SOME KIDS HAVE AMBITIONS AND ABILITIES THAT REQUIRE A UNIQUE EDUCATIONAL SETTING. OTHERS MAY EXPERIENCE BULLYING OR HAVE SPECIAL NEEDS. REGARDLESS OF THE REASON, EVERY PARENT SHOULD HAVE A CHOICE OF WHERE TO SEND THEIR CHILD. THE FIRST YEAR, ALL IOWA KINDERGARTNERS AND ALL PUBLIC SCHOOL STUDENTS WOULD BE ELIGIBLE. STUDENTS ALREADY GOING TO PRIVATE SCHOOL QUALIFY IF THEIR FAMILIES INCOME IS AT OR BELOW 300% OF THE FEDERAL FEDERAL POVERTY LEVEL. THAT INCOME LIMIT ROUGHLY $83,000 FOR A FAMILY OF FOUR. NOW, THE GOVERNOR’S OFFICE ESTIMATES ROUGHLY 14,000 STUDENTS WILL APPLY FOR EDUCATION SAVINGS ACCOUNTS NEXT YEAR. NOW, IF EACH OF THOSE STUDENTS RECEIVES $7,600, THAT BRINGS THE PROGRAM’S TOTAL PRICE TAG FOR JUST THE FIRST YEAR, ROUGHLY $107 MILLION. BUT IN YEAR TWO, MORE CURRENT PRIVATE SCHOOL STUDENTS ARE ELIGIBLE. SO THE GOVERNOR’S OFFICE EXPECTS NEARLY 6000 NEW IOWANS TO APPLY. THAT BRINGS THE YEARLY COST UP TO ROUGHLY 156 MILLION. BY YEAR THREE, EVERY EVERY FAMILY IN IOWA CAN QUALIFY REGARDLESS OF INCOME. NEARLY 20,000 MORE STUDENTS ARE EXPECTED TO APPLY THAT YEAR. THAT BRINGS THE TOTAL COST OF YOUR THREE TO NEARLY 314 MILLION BY YEAR FOUR. THE PLAN WOULD BE FULLY PHASED IN AND IT WOULD COST THE STATE ROUGHLY $341 MILLION EVERY YEAR. NOW, IF YOU ADD THOSE YEARLY TOTALS UP OVER THE FIRST FOUR YEARS, THE PLAN WOULD COST THE STATE. ROUGHLY $918 MILLION, WHILE ROUGHLY 7600 WILL GO TO EACH STUDENT INSTEAD OF A PUBLIC SCHOOL. DISTRICTS DO GET AN ADDITIONAL. $1,205 FOR EACH STUDENT THAT SWITCHES TO PRIVATE SCHOOL. IOWA PUBLIC SCHOOLS WOULD ALSO RECEIVE NEW MONEY FOR STUDENTS IN THEIR DISTRICT WHO ALREADY GO TO PRIVATE SCHOOL. NOW THE HOUSE EDUCATION REFORM COMMITTEE IS HOLDING A PUBLIC HEARING TOMORROW NIGHT AT 5:00. ANYONE CAN GO TO THAT TO ASK QUESTIONS AND SHARE THEIR THOUGHTS WITH LAWMAKERS. IT’S A ROOM 103 AT THE STATE HOUSE AND YOU CAN FIND A LINK TO SIGN UP TO SPEAK ON THE IOWA LEGISLATURE’S WEBSITE. STEVE, THANK YOU, AMANDA. AND IN AN UNUSUAL MOVE TO HELP SPEED THIS ALONG, HOUSE REPUBLICANS ALSO WANT TO MAKE AN ADMINISTRATIVE RULES CHANGE THAT WOULD PREVENT THE GOVERNOR’S PRIVATE SCHOOL SCHOLARSHIP BILL FROM GOING THROUGH THE APPROPRIATIONS OR WAYS AND MEANS COMMITTEE, WHICH EVALUATE THE FINANCIAL IMPACT OF EVERY BILL. AND THERE’S THE NORMAL PROCESS. WE ASKED HOUSE REPUBLICANS WHY THEY WANT THIS CHANGE. THEIR SPOKESPERSON RESPONDED WITH THE STATEMENT THAT READS, THE SPEAKER HAS BEEN CLEAR THAT THE EDUCATION REFORM COMMITTEE WAS CREATED TO HANDLE THE GSA BILL AFTER GOING THROUGH EDUCATION REFORM. THE NEXT ACTIO

Governor's 'school choice' plan to cost $341M each year once fully phased in

The governor's school choice program is projected to cost taxpayers roughly $106.9M the first year it's implemented. By year four, when it's fully phased in, the annual cost would be $341M.

Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds is making a third attempt to pass a plan that would use taxpayer money to pay private school tuition. This year's plan (HSB 1/SSB 1022) is much more expansive than the past two bills she's proposed. Her previous plans failed to get enough support in the Iowa House needed to become law.Under the governor's new plan, over the course of three years, every Iowa family would qualify to receive state money to pay for private school tuition. The plan would create an Education Savings Account (ESA) for every Iowa student who wants to switch to a private school. The state would deposit $7,598 into that account each year until the student graduates or turns 20 years old. That money is usually sent to Iowa public schools for each student in their district. Instead, the money would go to families to pay for private school tuition, along with textbooks, tutoring and other qualifying expenses. There's no cap on how many scholarships the state will fund. Scholarships will continue to be made available until Iowa private schools run out of spots. Year 1 Eligibility and Cost In the first year, every Iowa kindergartener and every public school student, regardless of income, could apply for their own ESA. Private school students whose family income is at or below 300% of the federal poverty line would also qualify. That would be an income limit of $83,250 for a family of four.The governor's office estimates 14,068 students will apply for ESAs in the first year, which would cost the state roughly $106.9 million.Year 2 Eligibility and Cost Eligibility would expand in the second year to also include private school students whose family income is at or below 400% of the federal poverty line. That would be an income limit of $111,000 for a family of four.The governor's office estimates an additional 5,995 students will apply for ESAs in the first year, which would bring the plan's price tag to roughly $156.2 million that year.Year 3 Eligibility and CostBy the third year, every Iowa family would qualify to receive an ESA, regardless of income. The governor's office estimates nearly 20,000 new students would apply for ESAs in the third year. That would cost the state roughly $313.8 million in the third year.After four years, the governor's office estimates that the total annual cost of the government-funded scholarships would be roughly $341.1 million. In total, over the course of four years, the plan would cost the state roughly $918 million. While roughly $7,600 will go to each student instead of a public school, another piece of the governor's new plan would channel new money to Iowa school districts. Iowa public schools would receive $1,205 for each student who lives in their district but attends private school with a government-funded education savings account.The House Education Reform Committee is holding a public hearing on Tuesday at 5 p.m. in Room 103 at the Iowa Statehouse. The hearing is an opportunity for people to ask questions and share their thoughts with lawmakers. You can find the link to sign up to speak on the Iowa Legislature's website.Previous coverage:

DES MOINES, Iowa —

Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds is making a third attempt to pass a plan that would use taxpayer money to pay private school tuition.

This year's plan (/) is much more expansive than the past two bills she's proposed. Her previous plans failed to get enough support in the Iowa House needed to become law.

Under the governor's new plan, over the course of three years, every Iowa family would qualify to receive state money to pay for private school tuition.

The plan would create an Education Savings Account (ESA) for every Iowa student who wants to switch to a private school. The state would deposit $7,598 into that account each year until the student graduates or turns 20 years old.

That money is usually sent to Iowa public schools for each student in their district. Instead, the money would go to families to pay for private school tuition, along with textbooks, tutoring and other qualifying expenses.

There's no cap on how many scholarships the state will fund. Scholarships will continue to be made available until Iowa private schools run out of spots.

Year 1 Eligibility and Cost

In the first year, every Iowa kindergartener and every public school student, regardless of income, could apply for their own ESA. Private school students whose family income is at or below 300% of the federal poverty line would also qualify. That would be an income limit of $83,250 for a family of four.

The governor's office estimates 14,068 students will apply for ESAs in the first year, which would cost the state roughly $106.9 million.

Year 2 Eligibility and Cost

Eligibility would expand in the second year to also include private school students whose family income is at or below 400% of the federal poverty line. That would be an income limit of $111,000 for a family of four.

The governor's office estimates an additional 5,995 students will apply for ESAs in the first year, which would bring the plan's price tag to roughly $156.2 million that year.

Year 3 Eligibility and Cost

By the third year, every Iowa family would qualify to receive an ESA, regardless of income.

The governor's office estimates nearly 20,000 new students would apply for ESAs in the third year. That would cost the state roughly $313.8 million in the third year.

After four years, the governor's office estimates that the total annual cost of the government-funded scholarships would be roughly $341.1 million.

In total, over the course of four years, the plan would cost the state roughly $918 million.

While roughly $7,600 will go to each student instead of a public school, another piece of the governor's new plan would channel new money to Iowa school districts.

Iowa public schools would receive $1,205 for each student who lives in their district but attends private school with a government-funded education savings account.

The House Education Reform Committee is holding a public hearing on Tuesday at 5 p.m. in Room 103 at the Iowa Statehouse. The hearing is an opportunity for people to ask questions and share their thoughts with lawmakers.

You can find the link to sign up to speak on the .

Previous coverage: