WATCH: Fewer students in Iowa schools, fewer dollars for Iowa students (PT 1) – Cornhole Champions #37

157 Iowa school districts now depend on budget guarantees as public school enrollment drops 0.63% while nearly 28,000 kids use taxpayer-funded vouchers for private schools. That’s 43 more districts on life support than before the pandemic, revealing how voucher programs and brain drain are systematically hollowing out Iowa’s public education system.

On this segment of Cornhole Champions, Zachary Oren Smith, Amie Rivers, and Avery Staker break down the enrollment crisis hitting Iowa communities.

Toss some bags at declining school enrollment… the coming loss of a historical archive in Iowa City… And how the 1986 Deere strike connects to today’s tariff layoffs…

Cornhole Champions is a weekly podcast powered by Iowa Starting Line. This podcast is produced by me and edited by Rebecca Steinberg. Our music is by Avery Mossman and our show art is from Desirée Tapia.

*SHOW RUNDOWN:*
01:00 – Tim Conroy’s Epic D&D Realtor Ad: Supporting Local Media Done Right
05:30 – Welcome to Cornhole Champions: Iowa’s Education Crisis Begins
07:00 – The Shocking Numbers: 157 Districts on Budget Guarantee
08:30 – What Budget Guarantees Really Mean for Iowa Communities
09:30 – The Voucher Paradox: Funding Both Public AND Private Schools
10:30 – Why School Closures Devastate Entire Towns
11:30 – Moving 6th Grade Back: Desperate Strategy or Band-Aid Solution?
12:30 – Des Moines’ Radical 10-Year Education Overhaul Plan

*LISTEN AND SUBSCRIBE TO CORNHOLE CHAMPIONS:*
– YouTube – https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL2LsUFhizO07jdk5Wav4mOT7tArltF8z5&si=FryZd7N7tG5tJ5Ju
– Substack – https://cornholechampions.substack.com/
– Apple Podcasts – https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/cornhole-champions-podcast/id1779497714
– Spotify – https://open.spotify.com/show/5rzNpiA4IwgLmxbyrhETY6?si=6c4a527fa9ad4f64
– PocketCasts – https://pca.st/74atty1j
… and everywhere you listen to podcasts

*FOLLOW ZACHARY OREN SMITH ON SOCIAL MEDIA:*
– Twitter – https://x.com/zacharyos
– Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/zacharyosmith
– Bluesky – https://bsky.app/profile/zacharyos.bsky.social
– Threads – https://www.threads.com/@zachosmith
– LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/zacharyos/

*FOLLOW IOWA STARTING LINE ON SOCIAL MEDIA:*
– Twitter – https://twitter.com/iastartingline
– Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/IowaStartingLine
– TikTok – https://www.tiktok.com/@iowastartingline
– Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/iowastartingline
– YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@UCXN791Qw5opBRLyvTWYl43w