Iowa ACE to help voiced be heard about Catholic education

By RENEE WEBB, Globe editor
January 26, 2006

A new group has formed in the state - the Iowa Alliance for Choice in Education - with the intent to empower parents to make a difference in the legislature.

Kevin Vickery, superintendent of diocesan Catholic schools, pointed out that the Iowa Alliance for Choice in Education is an effort of the four Catholic dioceses in Iowa with other accredited nonpublic schools such as the Lutheran and other Christian schools.

"One of our biggest assets to Catholic education is empowering parents to make a difference for their children," said Vickery.

Mike Heaton, associate director of the ICC, said the new alliance "provides a voice for the parents of the children in our Catholic schools. It gives them the opportunity to say, 'Yes, we do deserve the state to look at us,' especially those who are most vulnerable across the state - who may not have the chance to go to a Catholic school."

The mission and purposes of Iowa ACE are as follows:

* To give witness to the total community regarding the contributions, and the immense social, spiritual, educational, cultural, and economic benefits that Iowa's accredited nonpublic schools provide local communities, state, and society.

* To create, facilitate, and promote meaningful dialogue among accredited nonpublic school leaders.

* To inform the accredited nonpublic school community about public-policy decisions that affect accredited nonpublic school students, parents and schools.

* To advocate for parental choice in education, without significant restrictive economic disadvantage, as a just and viable means for educating citizens.

* To mobilize the accredited nonpublic school community of Iowa as an effective grassroots constituency, which communicates with legislators and other public officials regarding educational rights and public policy.

* To secure appropriate financial support for all parents of accredited nonpublic school children.

The group will coordinate a statewide response to legislative matters impacting accredited nonpublic schools and will advocate for parental choice in education.

"This new organization will focus on the injustice presently in our state's education system," said Sara Eide, executive director of the Iowa Catholic Conference. "People who have money have school choice. Poor people do not. This injustice is a huge problem facing our state's children. A monopoly in education is obviously not in the best interest of kids, parents or education."

From the Catholic tradition, Heaton added, that they believe everyone deserves an opportunity for school choice.

"Historically, our Catholic schools have served the most poor and vulnerable with the Irish and German immigrants coming to the U.S.," he said. "The main issue is to extend the opportunity of Catholic education to lower income families. The state says we have the right to school choice, but then we don't turn around and give it to people."

The group will promote equitable funding, whatever way is legal and appropriate.

"One of the things that we will be looking at this year is the impact that any preschool legislation will have on education in general, but especially the preschool programs that we have available in our faith-based education settings that already exist," said Vickery.

People from across the state - four from each diocese along with four representatives from Lutheran schools and four from other Christian schools - serve on the advisory board for the alliance. Representatives from the Diocese of Sioux City include Mary Timko of Storm Lake, Terry O'Brien of Sioux City, T.J. Augustine from St. Edmond High School in Fort Dodge and Tammy Shimon of Rolfe.

O'Brien, parent of a Holy Cross School-Blessed Sacrament Center student in Sioux City along with two Catholic school graduates, became involved in the alliance out of her commitment to Catholic schools.

"They wanted someone who was willing to go down to the legislature and talk to them about things that are important to the Catholic schools, varying from tuition tax credits to help in other ways," she said. "I have a legislative background."

O'Brien worked for Democratic politicians in Washington, D.C. and in Iowa. With that in mind, she knows how to write legislation and she is a lawyer.

The attorney said she sees great value in this alliance and believes that a lobby group for Catholic education is long overdue. She encouraged others to become involved.

"The advisory board will be the conduit by which we develop our strategies to address the issues in the legislature," stressed Vickery. "At the local level, they will let us know what are the most effective ways of getting people involved - moving other people to lobby either in person or through phone calls, letters and e-mail the statehouse to positively impact the issues that affect Catholic education."

He described this group as a broad-based effort to get a strong feeling of what parents want and need.

Iowa ACE's Board of Directors, which supports the advisory board, consist of the officers of the advisory board, members of the Council of Iowa Accredited Nonpublic Schools, along with the executive director and associate director of the Iowa Catholic Conference.

Last fall, a letter was sent to all parents of Catholic school students with information about the new alliance. The letter also requested their participation. About 3,000 families responded to that initial letter.

Presently, this group is made up of over 20,000 parents, grandparents and alumni.

Part of the plan for the alliance, noted Vickery, was to build a large network of people so that they can make their voices be heard by legislators.

"This group grew out of our realization that without an active grassroots network, our nonpublic schools were going to continually be put at a disadvantage. We are very aware of the importance of active grassroots in any social movement," said Eide.

While Iowa ACE is separate from the Iowa Catholic Conference, Eide mentioned that they will work closely with the alliance and coordinate advocacy efforts.

If anyone wishes to become involved in Iowa ACE, contact info@iowaace.org or call (515) 243-6256.