SESSION OVER: A public school choice proposal passes 2022 legislature on its final day
May 25th, 2022 by Ric Hanson
(Radio Iowa) – The 2022 Iowa legislative session ended early this (Wednesday) morning — just after midnight — with Republicans adopting a new proposal to let parents transfer their children from one public school to another, at any time.
Under current law, open enrollment applications must be made by March 1st and students may only transfer to a school in an adjacent district. Republican Representative Gary Mohr of Bettendorf says the new plan will let parents start transferring their children immediately to any public school, without citing a reason. Representative Mary Mascher, a Democrat from Iowa City, suggests the changes will lead to closures.
Republican Governor Kim Reynolds wanted to spend 55 million dollars on private school scholarships. As parents complained about some school materials, a couple of Republicans proposed new criminal penalties for teachers and school librarians, but all those proposals were scrapped. House Democratic Leader Jennifer Konfrst says she’s not surprised.
Despite the focus on these in the closing weeks, Republican legislators say the tax cuts Governor Reynolds signed into law back on March 1st are the crown jewel of the 2022 legislative session.