Senator Nancy Boettger is the floor manager of the bill. IASB believes that the statutory duties and responsibilities of the school board should not be delegated to persons who are not elected by the voters of the school districts. If charter schools are established in Iowa, only the local public school board should be authorized to grant the charter. Charter schools are exempt from all state laws unless otherwise noted. As a result, charter schools won't have to comply with the open meetings law, public records law, public bidding provisions, etc.
Charter schools can exclude at-risk students.
There is no requirement for charter schools to comply with the educational standards except the portion regarding accountability. Public education is already constrained by budget limitations and limited financial resources. Diverting funds to a charter school not established by the public school district diminishes the funds available for public school students. Charter schools are not required to transport students, and if they chose not to provide transportation, the resident school district is responsible. School districts must grant five-year leaves of absence for teachers wanting to teach in a charter school.