Yesterday (Thursday), Gov. Kim Reynolds introduced legislation to the Iowa House and Senate to expand state support for public charter schools by increasing funding opportunities. Reynolds says, “Public Charter schools currently receive less state funding than traditional public district schools. As demand for public charter schools grows, we should ensure that state funding—provided for the purpose of educating students—follows them to whatever public school they choose.” Iowa authorized public charter schools in 2021, and they differ from traditional schools in that they can be organized around a teaching method or curriculum, e.g., lecture-based learning vs. individualized learning, or career-specific academies. Reynolds notes that the disparity in support for public charter schools is incongruous, especially given that they are part of the state’s public education system. In the last five years, the number of public charter schools in Iowa has grown from just two to 19, and enrollment has grown 213 percent from Fiscal Year (FY) 2023 through FY25. Under the governor’s proposal, all state per-pupil funding would follow a student from their resident school district to a public charter school. The bill also updates state law to clarify access to concurrent enrollment courses and athletics through their resident school districts for public charter school students . In addition, it would allow public charter schools to be used as placement sites for student teachers.
