Randy Feenstra

Iowa House Democrats riled up their GOP colleagues in debate over a school choice bill, using recent comments by Republican gubernatorial candidate Randy Feenstra to urge passage of new requirements for Iowa's education savings account program.

The moment came during an extended back-and-forth debate over House File 2754, which House Republicans called their "one big, beautiful school choice bill." It shows Democrats are eager to highlight how Feenstra's position on Iowa's massive ESA program is similar to their own.

During the discussion on April 16, Rep. Adam Zabner, D-Iowa City, quoted Feenstra while proposing an amendment that would require private schools to accept all applicants "in the same manner as a school district."

Feenstra on April 8 was asked about Iowa's education savings account program, a signature achievement of Republican Gov. Kim Reynolds, which provides families with roughly $8,000 per student to pay private school costs like tuition and fees.

"I am supportive of the idea of ESAs," Feenstra said. "I just will say this, is that every school has to make sure they take every child. Right? If we have to compete on a level playing field, the playing field has to be level all the way. That's so important."

Democrats, who have consistently opposed the ESA program, have long said it's wrong that private schools aren't required to accept every student, including LGBTQ kids and those with disabilities.

State Auditor Rob Sand, the lone Democrat running for governor, has also said private schools taking taxpayer ESA funding should be required to accept all children. And he's called for more state oversight into the program and an income limit for recipients.

Feenstra's comments received pushback from some Republicans, including Rep. Skyler Wheeler, R-Hull, who chairs the House Education Committee.

"Choice goes both ways," Wheeler said in a statement. "Once the state starts dictating admissions, it's only a matter of time before it dictates curriculum, staffing and operations. That's not school choice, that's government-run private education, and we don't want to go down this route."

What happened during House debate on the 'school choice' bill?

The sprawling "school choice" bill would allow public charter schools to receive teacher salary supplement funds that currently go only to public schools, allow charter school students to participate in extracurricular activities offered by public schools, expand private preschool programs and loosen homeschool requirements.

Zabner rose early in the debate to introduce his amendment, adding that, "I'm excited to share that just a couple weeks ago, Congressman Randy Feenstra joined us on the bandwagon."

"If every member of this body who supports Auditor Sand and every member of this body who supports Congressman Feenstra votes in favor of this amendment, it will pass with flying colors," Zabner said.

After Zabner introduced his amendment, Wheeler questioned him about whether he was sincere in pushing for equal treatment for private schools.

"You want a level playing field? So are you good with private schools having access to SAVE?" Wheeler said, referring to the 1 cent statewide sales tax that helps fund school infrastructure projects.

"No," Zabner said.

"You want a level playing field though," Wheeler said. "Are you good with private schools having taxing and levying authority?"

"No," Zabner said. "I mean, I’m against ESAs."

"You don’t want an actual level playing field," Wheeler said.

"Let me be clear, I’m against the ESAs program, I voted against vouchers," Zabner said. "But I think that here is a reasonable, small change that would level the playing field a little bit. It’s recommended by Congressman Feenstra. And so I thought I might propose it as some sort of compromise to try and even the playing field a little bit."

Wheeler said Zabner should either give private schools full access to the funding streams and authorities that public schools have "or don't bring weird amendments to the floor."

"I think this is cute, it’s a very cute attempt," he said. "I think it’s been made very clear that it wasn’t actually serious and I would encourage the body to vote against it."

Zabner's amendment failed in a 27-60 vote.

The bill passed the Iowa House and is now eligible for consideration by the Iowa Senate.