<![CDATA[Shane Vander Hart]]>

<![CDATA[Shane Vander Hart]]>https://www.shanevanderhart.comhttps://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Lmjh!,w_256,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fec7a5b58-ab86-4f1f-8ca9-b519fee8bb5c_1254x1254.pngShane Vander Harthttps://www.shanevanderhart.comSubstackWed, 29 Jul 2026 10:30:49 GMT<![CDATA[Even with Democrat gains, Iowa still looks red]]>https://www.shanevanderhart.com/p/iowa-voter-registration-july-2026https://www.shanevanderhart.com/p/iowa-voter-registration-july-2026Wed, 08 Jul 2026 10:03:30 GMT

Iowa’s July 2026 voter registration numbers give Democrats a short-term bright spot and a much larger problem.

From June to July, Democrats gained more active voters than Republicans. That is a change from the post-primary movement in 2022 and 2024. But measured from 2014, 2018, 2020, or the last midterm in 2022, Iowa’s active voter rolls are far more Re…

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]]><![CDATA[America at 250: Still Worth Celebrating]]>https://www.shanevanderhart.com/p/america-at-250https://www.shanevanderhart.com/p/america-at-250Thu, 02 Jul 2026 10:51:45 GMT

man riding bike and woman running holding flag of USA — Photo by frank mckenna on Unsplash

As America approaches the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, the timing of the World Cup feels almost providential. The world is coming here — not only to watch matches in our stadiums, but to experience the country as it is lived.

Visitors are discovering the big things, like the size of the country, …

]]><![CDATA[“No Public Money for Private Schools”]]>https://www.shanevanderhart.com/p/public-money-private-schoolshttps://www.shanevanderhart.com/p/public-money-private-schoolsMon, 29 Jun 2026 10:01:45 GMT

Private colleges and universities have received public funding for decades.

One of the most common arguments against school choice is the slogan, “No public money for private schools.”

Many school choice critics say it, including the Democratic nominee for Iowa Governor, current State Auditor Rob Sand.

It sounds simple. It sounds principled. It even sounds…

]]><![CDATA[Fathers Matter]]>https://www.shanevanderhart.com/p/fathers-matterhttps://www.shanevanderhart.com/p/fathers-matterSun, 21 Jun 2026 10:01:06 GMT

Something has shifted in how our culture talks about fathers. The change is easy to miss, but it is happening.

For decades, popular culture often served up the bumbling, unnecessary dad: Homer Simpson, Tim “The Tool Man” Taylor, and the familiar sitcom father who needed his wife to explain basic parenting. The joke was usually harmless enough on the surf…

]]><![CDATA[Rob Sand's Political Math Problem]]>https://www.shanevanderhart.com/p/rob-sand-political-math-esahttps://www.shanevanderhart.com/p/rob-sand-political-math-esaFri, 19 Jun 2026 22:18:07 GMT

State Auditor Rob Sand issued a press release this week highlighting a report critical of Iowa’s Students First Education Savings Account program. One claim has already drawn attention: Sand says the ESA program cost $37,294 “per new student.”

That number is not the cost of an ESA. It’s political math.

The Cost of an ESA Is Not $37,294 Per Student

Sand’s o…

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]]><![CDATA[Don't Misread the Iowa GOP Gubernatorial Primary]]>https://www.shanevanderhart.com/p/dont-misread-the-iowa-gop-gubernatorialhttps://www.shanevanderhart.com/p/dont-misread-the-iowa-gop-gubernatorialMon, 15 Jun 2026 20:13:15 GMTSubscribe now

The Iowa Republican gubernatorial primary is over, and the national political press has largely settled on a tidy narrative: Iowa Republicans rebuked Donald Trump, rejecting his endorsed candidate in favor of Make America Healthy Again-aligned businessman Zach Lahn. NPR called it "a rare rebuke to Trump's preferences." The Hill declared it "Iowa hands T…

]]><![CDATA[Iowa School Staffing Trends: Fewer Students, More Non-Teaching Staff]]>https://www.shanevanderhart.com/p/iowa-fewer-students-more-non-teaching-staffhttps://www.shanevanderhart.com/p/iowa-fewer-students-more-non-teaching-staffFri, 17 Apr 2026 10:03:02 GMT

Iowa’s school districts are serving fewer students than they did a generation ago, yet many are employing significantly more non-instructional staff—often 30% to 70% more than in the 1990s. That contrast is not limited to one region or one type of district. It shows up in large districts, mid-sized communities, and even in Iowa’s smallest schools. The o…

]]><![CDATA[Walking Through the Valley]]>https://www.shanevanderhart.com/p/walking-through-the-valleyhttps://www.shanevanderhart.com/p/walking-through-the-valleyThu, 29 Jan 2026 22:36:48 GMT

gray wooden house covered by fog — Photo by m wrona on Unsplash

“Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me,” (Psalm 23:4, ESV).

Psalm 23 is one of the most familiar passages in all of Scripture. It is read at bedsides, funerals, and moments when words seem insufficient. Yet familiarity ca…

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]]><![CDATA[Eliminating School Choice Won't Fix Iowa's Property Tax Problem]]>https://www.shanevanderhart.com/p/school-choice-property-tax-reformhttps://www.shanevanderhart.com/p/school-choice-property-tax-reformFri, 23 Jan 2026 20:35:48 GMT

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As the Iowa Legislature reconvenes with property tax relief topping the agenda, a familiar pattern is emerging: long-standing structural problems are being blamed on a politically disfavored reform. In a recent Des Moines Register op-ed, Rehka Basu promotes a proposal from State Senator Herman Quirmbach, D-Ames, that would eliminate Education Savings Ac…

]]><![CDATA[My cold take on the Renee Good shooting]]>https://www.shanevanderhart.com/p/my-cold-take-on-the-renee-good-shootinghttps://www.shanevanderhart.com/p/my-cold-take-on-the-renee-good-shootingSun, 11 Jan 2026 01:16:30 GMT

Photo credit: Chad Davis (CC by 4.0)

Having watched all the available videos (here is a side by side of the two most circulated videos) to date preceding the shooting of Renee Good in Minneapolis by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer now identified as Jonathan Ross, including the POV video taken by Ross, I remain convinced that this was…

]]><![CDATA[Ian Roberts’ Fall and the Oversight Failures in Iowa’s Largest School District]]>https://www.shanevanderhart.com/p/ian-roberts-fall-and-the-oversighthttps://www.shanevanderhart.com/p/ian-roberts-fall-and-the-oversightWed, 01 Oct 2025 09:01:51 GMT

Ian Roberts - photo courtesy of Des Moines Public Schools

Last week my community was rocked by the stunning news that Dr. Ian Roberts, superintendent of Des Moines Public Schools (DMPS), was arrested by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

They charge that Roberts, a native of Guyana, was living and working in the U.S. in violation of immigrat…

]]><![CDATA[Why Iowa Homeschooling Families Should Not Fear ESA Funding]]>https://www.shanevanderhart.com/p/iowa-homeschooling-esa-fundinghttps://www.shanevanderhart.com/p/iowa-homeschooling-esa-fundingSat, 20 Sep 2025 11:01:51 GMT

boy in gray crew neck t-shirt reading book — Photo by Jessica Lewis 🦋 thepaintedsquare on Unsplash

Education Savings Accounts (ESAs) have stirred passionate debate in Iowa. Some in the homeschooling community worry that ESAs—even though they currently apply only to students in accredited nonpublic schools—will eventually lead to government intrusion into their homes. They fear that if ESAs are eve…

]]><![CDATA[No One Deserves to Die for Their Speech]]>https://www.shanevanderhart.com/p/no-one-deserves-to-die-for-their-speechhttps://www.shanevanderhart.com/p/no-one-deserves-to-die-for-their-speechThu, 11 Sep 2025 02:22:35 GMT

Charlie Kirk speaking at the Texas A&M stop of “The American Comeback Tour” in February 2025. Photo by Gage Skidmore (CC-By-SA 2.0)

The assassination of Charlie Kirk is a devastating moment for our country. Regardless of where one stands politically, this act of violence strikes at the foundation of our shared life together as Americans. Political violen…

]]><![CDATA[Flag Burning is Protected Speech]]>https://www.shanevanderhart.com/p/flag-burning-is-protected-speechhttps://www.shanevanderhart.com/p/flag-burning-is-protected-speechTue, 26 Aug 2025 10:02:37 GMT

U.S. flags burning in Tehran, Iran. Photo by Hossein Mersadi (CC-By-4.0)

President Donald Trump on Monday signed an executive order that orders the U.S. Department of Justice to “vigorously prosecute” people who burn the U.S. flag and to pursue litigation to clarify the scope of the First Amendment as it relates to flag burning.

The President also ordere…

]]><![CDATA[Transforming My Quiet Time]]>https://www.shanevanderhart.com/p/transforming-my-quiet-timehttps://www.shanevanderhart.com/p/transforming-my-quiet-timeSun, 17 Aug 2025 21:46:10 GMT

My current quiet time tools.

I prayed this prayer from Augustine yesterday during my quiet time:

You, Lord, have become my hope, my comfort, my strength, my all! In you does my soul rejoice. The darkness vanished from before my eyes, and I beheld you, the sun of righteousness. When I loved darkness, I knew you not, but wandered on from night to night. But…

]]><![CDATA[Private Schools Using Taxpayer Funds Are Held Accountable]]>https://www.shanevanderhart.com/p/private-schools-using-taxpayer-fundshttps://www.shanevanderhart.com/p/private-schools-using-taxpayer-fundsTue, 05 Aug 2025 23:03:11 GMT

shallow focus photography of books — Photo by Kimberly Farmer on Unsplash

One of the most persistent criticisms of school choice programs—like Iowa’s Education Savings Accounts (ESAs)—is the idea that private schools receiving public funds aren’t held accountable. Opponents often argue that because these schools aren’t governed by public school districts or required to follow every state mandate, they’re operating without oversight.

This claim doesn’t hold water. While private schools operate under a different structure than public schools, they’re still subject to a network of academic, financial, and legal accountability mechanisms—and in some ways, they face even greater scrutiny, especially from the people who matter most: parents.

Let’s take a closer look at how accountability works in Iowa’s ESA program—and beyond.

1. ✅ Accreditation = Legal and Academic Oversight

Private schools in Iowa cannot take part in the ESA program unless they are accredited. That’s not a suggestion—it’s the law. Under Iowa Code § 256.11, nonpublic schools must be accredited either by the Iowa Department of Education or another accrediting agency approved by the Iowa Department of Education to qualify.

What does accreditation mean in practice?

It means the school must:

Provide instruction in core subjects
Employ qualified teachers
Maintain safety and operational standards
Be reviewed and monitored on a regular basis

The Iowa Department of Education states this clearly that only accredited non-public schools are eligible to receive students with ESA funds in its ESA guidance. Also, they must follow all applicable health and safety laws, just like public schools.

On the financial side, Iowa contracts with a third-party vendor (currently Odyssey) to manage ESA accounts. This system enforces strict spending controls, allows for audit and compliance checks, and ensures funds are only used for eligible educational expenses like tuition, textbooks, and technology. That’s not a blank check—it’s structured oversight.

2. 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Parental Choice = Real-Time Accountability

Unlike public schools, private schools must earn the trust and satisfaction of families every year. If parents feel their child isn’t being served well—academically, socially, or spiritually—they can leave. That’s an accountability mechanism public schools often lack.

And parents are paying attention.

According to the 2024 EdChoice “Schooling in America” survey, a full 72 percent of private school parents would give their child’s school an A or B grade—compared to just 46 percent of parents in public district schools. Families choosing private schools are engaged, informed, and hold their schools to high standards.

The result? Private schools in ESA programs must consistently perform—or lose students and funding. That’s accountability with teeth.

3. 📊 Oversight Through Assessments

The Iowa Code or Iowa Administrative Code doesn’t require accredited nonpublic schools to deliver standardized assessments, but most accredited nonpublic schools have voluntarily administered them.

However, now Iowa ESA law states that all students receiving an education savings account are required to take the Iowa Statewide Assessment of Student Progress (ISASP).

Those assessment results are delivered to the parents and reported to the Iowa Department of Education.

🎯 Bottom Line: Accountability Looks Different—But It’s Real

The notion that private schools using public funds are unaccountable is a myth—one that doesn’t survive contact with the facts. In Iowa and elsewhere, participating schools face:

Legal and academic oversight through accreditation
Financial controls and audit mechanisms via ESA program rules
Ongoing performance pressure from families who can walk away

This isn’t about giving private schools a free ride. It’s about trusting families, enforcing meaningful guardrails, and giving students access to the education that best meets their needs.

]]><![CDATA['School Choice is about schools choosing students']]>https://www.shanevanderhart.com/p/school-choice-is-about-schools-choosinghttps://www.shanevanderhart.com/p/school-choice-is-about-schools-choosingTue, 22 Jul 2025 21:06:12 GMT

man and woman sitting on chairs — Photo by Kenny Eliason on Unsplash

On the collective dumpster fire of the internet, the platform called X, I saw an interesting talking point today being parroted by different school choice opponents.

This was in response to some pushback I gave State Auditor Rob Sand who is currently running for the Democratic nomination for in Iowa’s 2026 gubernatorial…

]]><![CDATA[Glory From Others]]>https://www.shanevanderhart.com/p/glory-from-othershttps://www.shanevanderhart.com/p/glory-from-othersTue, 17 Jun 2025 14:56:41 GMT

person holding smartphone — Photo by Erik Lucatero on Unsplash

I was an early adopter of social media. I remember when Facebook came out. I worked for a Christian non-profit at the time called Serve Our Youth Network. One responsibility with that role was to write a monthly update. Growing up, I used to enjoy writing. I would write short stories and poems. I also wrote a weekly co…

]]><![CDATA[The Resurrection is a Doctrine of Hope]]>https://www.shanevanderhart.com/p/the-resurrection-is-a-doctrine-ofhttps://www.shanevanderhart.com/p/the-resurrection-is-a-doctrine-ofSun, 20 Apr 2025 10:02:25 GMT

sun rays inside cave — Photo by Bruno van der Kraan on Unsplash

He is risen.

Three little, but hugely significant words we proclaim on Easter Sunday. Because of Jesus’ resurrection this is a doctrine of hope. We can have hope that this world is not all that there is. Death is not the end.

Because Christ is risen, those who place their faith in Christ will one day rise too.

Yea…

]]><![CDATA[Christ's Supreme Achievement on the Cross]]>https://www.shanevanderhart.com/p/christs-supreme-achievement-on-the-crosshttps://www.shanevanderhart.com/p/christs-supreme-achievement-on-the-crossFri, 18 Apr 2025 10:03:10 GMT

gray cross on green grass field under blue sky during daytime — Photo by Jim Bonewald on Unsplash

Today is Good Friday when we remember the sacrifice that Jesus Christ made on the cross.

The Apostle John put it this way.

“In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loves us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins,” (1 John 4:10, ESV).

He initiated because He was the only one who can. The apostle…

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