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The Iowa Standard has confirmed 15 House Republicans support full Education Savings Accounts for Iowa students and parents. We have also confirmed one Republican member of the Iowa House who said he opposes them. We are waiting for the responses from the other 44 House Republicans serving in the legislature.

(12) Signed the Education Freedom Pledge, which states:

“I pledge to support policies that promote parental rights in education and educational freedom. This includes the right of parents to voice their opinions at school board meetings and to take their children’s taxpayer-funded education dollars to the education providers of their choosing – whether it be a public, private, charter, or home school.”

John Wills (House Speaker Pro Tempore & House Education Committee member)
Skyler Wheeler (Vice Chair of House Education Committee)
Henry Stone (Education Committee member)
Sandy Salmon (Education Committee member)
Eddie Andrews
Brooke Boden
Steven Bradley
Mark Cisneros
Steve Holt
Anne Osmundson
Jeff Shipley
Cherielynn Westrich

(5) Have said they support full Education Savings Accounts for parents and students:

Phil Thompson (Education Committee member)
Dean Fisher
Jon Jacobsen
Jon Dunwell
Tom Gerhold

(1) Have said they do NOT support full ESAs for parents and students:

Tom Moore (Education Committee member)

(5) Supportive of ESAs depending on the legislation:

*Shannon Lundgren: “I have been supportive of ESAs in the past, and I strongly believe in parental choice, however I would need to read any proposed legislation and vet it with the parents and constituents in my district before committing to any proposed bill.”
*Jon Thorup: “I support the concept, but the devil is in the details.”
*Terry Baxter: “I would have to view the bill. I am generally supportive of ESAs but believe they should be cost-based. For example, I am not sure that private schools and homeschoolers have the same cost base. There would need to be a way to establish a cost basis and to ensure quality education through some form of testing.”
*Carter Nordman: “I did support the Governor’s bill last year. My position has always been, we should fund students, not systems.”
*Tom Jeneary: “I am in favor of ESAs as long as private institutions meet the same guidelines as public institutions.”

(1) Will release position on bills as they come up through session:

Ray “Bubba” Sorensen (Education Committee member)

(36) Have not answered an email, a text or both whether they support full ESAs for parents and students:

Pat Grassley (Speaker of the Iowa House)
Matt Windschitl (Majority Leader of the Iowa House)
Dustin Hite (Chair of House Education Committee)
Jacob Bossman (Education Committee member)
Holly Brink (Education Committee member)
Cecil Dolecheck (Education Committee member)
Joel Fry (Education Committee member)
Garrett Gobble (Education Committee member)
David Kerr (Education Committee member)
Chad Ingels (Education Committee member)
Jane Bloomingdale
Michael Bergan
Ann Meyer
Jarad Klein
Dave Deyoe
Robert Bacon
Ross Paustian
Gary Mohr
David Maxwell
Brent Siegrist
Brian Lohse
Mike Bousselot
Tom Jeneary
David Sieck
Stan Gustafson
Charlie McClintock
Martin Graber
Lee Hein
Joe Mitchell
Shannon Latham
Norlin Mommsen
Megan Jones
Dennis Bush
Bobby Kaufmann
Brian Best
Mike Sexton
Gary Worthan

Author: Jacob Hall

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