by Meaghan O’Brien, government affairs director
In last night’s Condition of the State address, Governor Kim Reynolds reinforced what Iowans have seen repeatedly under her leadership: an education landscape redesigned to put students at the center, families in charge, and teachers trusted to teach. As a result of her leadership, Iowa continues to set the national standard for education freedom.
“For the last nine years, one principle has guided our work in education: putting students first,” said Gov. Reynolds during the address.
Building on transformative policies like the Students First Act, which created Iowa’s education savings account program, Gov. Reynolds continues to find more ways to put students first, empower parents, and shift control away from distant bureaucracies and into the hands of local leaders.
Most recently, Iowa became the first state in the nation to submit and receive federal approval of a waiver allowing greater flexibility in how federal education dollars are used. Championed by Gov. Reynolds, the waiver allows Iowa to consolidate four federal funding streams into a single block grant, reducing administrative overhead and ensuring more dollars reach classrooms instead of being lost to compliance costs.
Gov. Reynolds also announced Iowa will opt in to the new federal education tax credit program, expanding opportunities for families and communities to support K–12 education through tax-credited contributions to scholarship-granting organizations. The decision builds on Iowa’s existing education freedom efforts and reflects the governor’s continued focus on empowering families with meaningful options.
Governor Reynolds has been clear about her priorities. By pairing funding flexibility with expanded educational opportunity, Iowa is demonstrating what strong, student-focused leadership looks like.
Together, these actions represent Iowa’s latest step forward in a broader education freedom agenda—one rooted in flexibility, efficiency, and trust in those closest to students.
As the Condition of the State made clear, Iowa’s leadership did not happen by accident. It reflects a governor willing to lead—and the nation is paying attention.
“Iowa will remain a state that puts students first—and we will never look back,” said Gov. Reynolds.
