In one Iowa city, public schools compete in the free market. Are students better off?

In this episode of The Sunday Story from Up First, NPR education correspondent Corey Turner explores the real-world impact of expansive school choice in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, where families now have access to public charter schools, private schools, and state-funded education savings accounts (ESAs) that provide up to $8,000 per student annually. The story unfolds through visits to Cleveland Elementary, a struggling 75-year-old public school facing closure due to declining enrollment and funding, and Cedar Rapids Prep, a newly built charter school with state-of-the-art facilities funded in part by billionaire Joe Ricketts. While families like the Zveras and King praise the improved safety, support, and resources at choice schools, the episode reveals deep inequities: public schools are losing students, especially those with disabilities and from low-income families, while private schools like Xavier High School—though now accessible to many through ESAs—can still reject students based on behavior or special needs. The arrest of Cedar Rapids Prep’s founding principal, Justin Blitz, adds complexity to the narrative. Ultimately, the episode grapples with a central tension: while school choice offers opportunities for some, it risks undermining public education’s mission to serve all children, particularly the most vulnerable. The takeaway is not that choice is inherently bad, but that it must be carefully evaluated to ensure it doesn’t leave behind those who need public schools most.