Private School Students May Have an Opportunity to Play on Public School Sports Teams

The Iowa Senate has passed House File 189, which, if signed into law, will require Iowa public schools to allow private school students to compete on their sports teams under certain conditions. If the student lives within the district or in a contiguous school district and their private school has not offered the sport for the last two years, then under this new law, they would be granted mandatory access to participate in the public school’s sports program. Though the student’s guardian would cover any fees related to the participation, private students would be charged the same amount as public students.

Opponents of the bill worry that this law will potentially strain public school resources by further increasing private students’ access to public school taxpayer dollars. Some Iowa Democrats argue that private schools should not get to have it both ways; that it is unfair for those who choose to opt out of public schools to then take advantage of what those public schools have to offer. 

On the other hand, some Republican members of the state legislature believe that the costs do not outweigh the benefits of this bill. They have emphasized how they believe the bill will help students from small towns by allowing them to try new sports and gain experience on larger teams, leading to future productivity, problem-solving skills, and relationship skills that come with participating in team sports. 

Senate Democrats said during debate that the bill would allow private school students even more access to public schools' taxpayer dollars, citing the education savings account law that Gov. Kim Reynolds signed into in 2023.