FORTY-TWO IOWA COUNTIES DO NOT HAVE A PRIVATE SCHOOL AND SEVENTY-FIVE COUNTIES DO NOT HAVE A PRIVATE HIGH SCHOOL.
JOSH BOWAR, THE INTERIM OUTREACH DIRECTOR FOR THE IOWA ASSOCIATION OF CHRISTIAN SCHOOLS, SAYS THE NEW STATE-FUNDED EDUCATION SAVINGS ACCOUNT PROGRAM IS LIKELY TO LEAD TO THE OPENING OF MORE PRIVATE SCHOOLS IN IOWA:
EDU3 OC………SCHOOLS TO BEGIN.” :03
BOWAR, WHO IS ALSO HEAD OF SCHOOL AT SIOUX CENTER CHRISTIAN SCHOOL, SAYS THERE ARE DISCUSSIONS STARTING AROUND THE STATE:
EDU4 OC…..THOSE OPPORTUNITIES.” :10
BOWAR IS AN ADMINISTRATOR AT ONE OF THE 15 PRIVATE SCHOOLS IN SIOUX COUNTY.
THAT IS THE COUNTY WHERE JUST OVER SIX PERCENT OF ALL APPLICATIONS FOR A TAXPAYER-FUNDED ACCOUNT TO COVER PRIVATE SCHOOL EXPENSES CAME FROM.
STATE OFFICIALS ANNOUNCED THIS SUMMER THAT 18-THOUSAND APPLICATIONS FOR EDUCATION SAVINGS ACCOUNTS HAD BEEN APPROVED, BUT THE FINAL NUMBER OF PAYMENTS HAS NOT BEEN RELEASED.
THAT’S BECAUSE ABOUT 40 PERCENT OF APPLICATIONS CAME FROM PARENTS WHO HAD UNTIL SEPTEMBER 30TH TO ENROLL A CHILD IN A PRIVATE SCHOOL.
THE OTHER 60 PERCENT OF APPLICATIONS WERE FOR STUDENTS WHO WERE ALREADY ENROLLED IN A PRIVATE SCHOOL.
