Catholic schools, ESAs and special education
(Editor’s Note: This letter is in response to the editorial on Iowa’s Education Savings Account (ESA) program, which ran on Page 8 of the 1/29/26 issue of The Catholic Messenger.)
To the editor:
I attended Catholic school from first grade into college (Loras College in Dubuque).
You quoted Kim Reynolds, “With this Bill (ESA), every child in Iowa, regardless of zip code income, will have access to the school best suited for them.”
I appreciate you noting the criticism offered by Rob Sands — I do believe Sands makes a valid point concerning Catholic schools not having the same accountability as public schools.
My question regards the “special education” student and student deemed behaviorally difficult — the Catholic schools do not have a place for them — and families are directed to the public schools — as these students become the state’s responsibility. For these families what value is ESA? And what does it say about public schools becoming a place for diminished academic achievement?
David Barloon
Iowa City
