Home School Funding Debate in State Legislature

By Mark Geary, Reporter

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By Mark Geary

Story Created: Feb 1, 2010 at 9:09 PM CST

Story Updated: Feb 1, 2010 at 10:59 PM CST

EASTERN IOWA – A debate is brewing in the Iowa Legislature about how money earmarked for home-schooling should be spent.

Iowa's Department of Education wants lawmakers to hold home school assistance programs more accountable and limit where those programs can use taxpayer dollars.

Home school assistance programs give students and parents access to certified teachers, materials and even some classes. Funding for those kinds of activities would remain the same.

Some districts also spend taxpayer dollars on rented classroom space, field trips and even computers for home-schooled students. But, the Department of Education says taxpayer dollars shouldn't cover those kinds of expenses.

Kalona resident and home school teacher Andrea Farrier thinks her children get a better education by staying home and learning from her.

"It's the smallest teacher to student ratio you're going to find in any classroom. You can also make adjustments to educational policy with your children like that,” Farrier said.

Farrier often brings her children to a local library designed for home-schooled students. It's a place she fears might lose funding if lawmakers allow newly proposed state education rules take effect.

"It's going to decrease the service home-school assistance programs can offer or cut programs entirely," Farrier said, "I think that rather than taking away choices in education, we should be proud of the fact that in Iowa, we have so many choices in education."

Her 9-year-old daughter says she's thought about what it would be like to attend a public school, but would rather stay home with her mom. "I can have experiences other kids might not get to have. For example, I can cook in the kitchen with my mom which teaches me kitchen math,” Rachel Farrier said.

Marion has one of the largest home-school programs in the state. Last week, more than one-hundred home-school advocates traveled to Des Moines to voice concerns about changes to home-schooling programs.

Click here to visit HomeSchoolIowa.org

State Guidebook on Home Schooling:

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