Iowa House subcommittees are advancing two of the governor’s education priorities. One bill would make it easier for groups to create charter schools. The other creates state-funded private school scholarships for students in struggling public schools.

The “Students First” Scholarships would be for students transferring out of 34 public school BUILDINGS where test scores rank in the bottom five percent of Iowa schools. Shanda Carstens of Panora says state scholarships for private schools will be an incentive for families to leave rural towns like hers and move closer to cities with private schools.

Both bills now go to the House Education Committee, which is set to meet today. The Iowa Senate has already passed a single bill that includes these proposals and others that were part of the school choice agenda Governor Kim Reynolds unveiled in January.