¶ Overview
Lahn pushed policies that would expand taxpayer-funded private school vouchers while increasing scrutiny of Iowa’s public school teachers. Lahn proposed eliminating Iowa’s teacher licensing board and revoking the licenses of teachers accused of “indoctrination” or promoting a “political agenda” in the classroom. His proposals came despite co-founding Wonder Inc., an unaccredited private school in Kansas that was not required to hire licensed teachers.
Lahn supported expanding school vouchers despite concerns the program diverted public funds to private schools and strained Iowa public schools. At the same time, Wonder Inc., the private school Lahn co-founded, charged families up to $10,000 in annual tuition. Meanwhile, Iowa’s voucher program cost taxpayers more than $314 million in 2025-2026, subsidized 99% of private school students, and was projected to cost $350 million by 2027.
¶ Lahn Sought To Revoke Teachers’ Licenses For Alleged “Indoctrination” Despite Co-Founding An Unaccredited Private School That Did Not Require Licensed Teachers
¶ Lahn Threatened To Revoke Iowa Teachers' Licenses For “Indoctrination” Despite Co-Founding An Unaccredited Private School In Kansas That Did Not Require Licensed Teachers
¶ Zach Lahn Co-Founded Wonder, Inc., An Unaccredited Private School In Wichita, Kansas That Did Not Require Licensed Teachers
2018: Zach Lahn Co-Founded Wonder, Inc., A Private K-12 School In Wichita, Kansas. According to The Wichita Eagle, "Piece by piece -- from a 48-foot 'flying carpet' seating arrangement to Wiki Booths and outdoor climbing structures -- Wichita's newest experiment in education is coming together on the Wichita State University campus. Wonder, a private school financed by members of the Koch family, will open Sept. 4 with 39 students. 'Education can and should be something different,' said Zach Lahn, Wonder's co-founder. 'We're preparing them for when they leave school to be successful in the world, in whatever way they choose that to be. That's really how we framed up the question as we went out and searched and toured other schools,' he said. The Eagle first reported in February that Chase and Annie Koch, the son and daughter-in-law of Koch Industries chief Charles Koch, were financing a new pre-K-through-12th-grade school, which is being built in a former print shop on the WSU campus." [Wichita Eagle, 8/23/18]
Since Wonder Inc. Was Unaccredited, The School Was Not Required To Hire Licensed Teachers. According to the Wichita Eagle, “The school will not seek accreditation through the Kansas Department of Education, which means it would not be required to follow state regulations, administer state tests or hire licensed teachers. It also means credits earned by its students would not transfer automatically to other schools or universities.” [Wichita Eagle, 8/23/18]
¶ Lahn Sought To Eliminate Iowa’s Teacher Licensing Board And Punish Educators For Alleged “Indoctrination”
Lahn Proposed Eliminating Iowa Board Of Educational Examiners And Revoking Iowa Teachers' Licenses For “Indoctrination.” According to Iowa Public Radio, "Lahn said the state is spending too much money on education, and the quality is declining. He said he supports ESAs, but most kids go to public schools, and the governor should be ‘the number one advocate for public school kids.’ ‘We need to wipe out the Iowa Board of Educational Examiners and put in place people that will hold teachers accountable for when they indoctrinate our kids — suspend their licenses or permanently take their licenses, if we have to,’ Lahn said. ‘But we have to get in there and say we’re not giving up on public schools or public school kids, because that’s where the battle is going to be fought.’" [Iowa Public Radio, 1/28/26]
- Lahn Proposed Revoking The Teaching Licenses Of Educators Who Promoted A “Political Agenda” In The Classroom. According to Lahn’s website, "Revoke Teaching Licenses for Political Indoctrination: If a teacher is caught pushing a political agenda in the classroom, teaching license will be revoked, period." [Zach Lahn, Policy, Archived 6/3/26]
- March 2026: Lahn Warned Of A “Battle” For The “Hearts And Minds” Of Students And Said Schools Should Root Out Political “Indoctrination.” According to the Des Moines Register, "But Lahn said he also believes that Iowa’s governor should be ‘the number one advocate’ for public schools. He framed improvement around rooting out political indoctrination in favor of kids learning ‘the basics’ and driving innovation in learning. ‘There is a battle being waged in our schools for the hearts and minds of young people,’ he said. ‘We cannot cede this ground.’" [Des Moines Register, 3/26/26]
¶ Lahn Supported School Vouchers That Redirected Public Education Funding To Private Schools, Cost Iowa Taxpayers More Than $314 Million, And Strained Iowa Public Schools
¶ Lahn Supported School Vouchers That Redirected Public Education Funding To Private Schools While His Own Private School Charged Families Up To $10,000 In Annual Tuition
¶ Lahn’s Private School, Wonder, Inc. Charged $10,000 Annual Tuition For Elementary Age-Children
Wonder, Inc. Charged $10,000 Annual Tuition For Elementary Age-Children Or $6,500 For Pre-Schoolers. According to The Wichita Eagle, "The school, called Wonder, is preparing to open for preschool and elementary-age children this fall. Plans call for middle- and high-school programs to be phased in over time, and the founders have signed a preliminary ground lease for a larger site on WSU's Innovation Campus. During a tour of the new school Wednesday morning, Lahn and Annie Koch said it has come together according to plan, for the most part. With one notable exception: Some families won't be paying the $10,000-a-year tuition for elementary-age children or $6,500 a year for preschoolers." [Wichita Eagle, 8/23/18]
¶ Lahn Supported Expanding Iowa’s Private School Voucher Program While Arguing Public Schools Should Compete With Private Schools
Lahn Supported “School Choice” Through Education Savings Accounts While Calling Himself An Advocate For Public School Students. According to the News Iowa, "Lahn said he supports both public schools and school choice programs. ‘I think that education savings accounts have been our foundational freedom,’ he said. ‘The governor has got to be the number one advocate for public school kids.’" [The News Iowa, 5/11/26]
- Iowa’s Education Savings Account Was Iowa’s School Voucher Program. According to KCRG, "The number of Iowans applying for an Educational Savings Account under Iowa’s new school voucher program has surpassed projections, raising questions on the costs to state taxpayers and local school districts." [KCRG, 6/9/23]
Lahn Supported Expanding Education Savings Accounts And Claimed Competition Between Public And Private Schools Would Improve Education. According to the Iowa Capital Dispatch, "Lahn: He said he would expand the ESA program, as well as working to improve the quality of public schools. ‘The governor of Iowa must be the number one advocate for public school kids in the state,’ Lahn said. ‘I can’t wait to get in and work on the culture and quality of our public schools, so private schools also have to compete with them. It makes everybody better.’" [Iowa Capital Dispatch, 5/5/26]
¶ Iowa’s School Voucher Program Diverted Public Education Funds To Private Schools, Subsidized 99% Of Private School Students, And Cost Taxpayers More Than $314 Million
HEADLINE: “Iowa's Surging ESAs Now Subsidize 99% Of Private School Students” [Des Moines Register, 3/3/26]
2025-2026: Iowa’s School Voucher Program Cost Taxpayers $314 Million, An Increase From $218 Million In 2024-2025. According to the Iowa State Daily, "As Iowa’s Education Savings Account (ESA) program continues to expand, questions remain about how the state oversees the program and what information about its spending is publicly available. Created in 2023 by House File 68, the ESA program allows eligible families to use state funds to cover private school tuition costs, non-traditional education and other fees. Participation in the program has grown in recent years, costing taxpayers more than $314 million for the 2025-26 school year, up from $218 million the previous year." [Iowa State Daily, 2/16/26]
Iowa’s School Voucher Program Was Projected To Cost Taxpayers $350 Million In 2027. According to the Des Moines Register’s Mike Trautmann’s Twitter, "Just how much has @IAGovernor 's education savings accounts reshaped K-12 education? 99% of Iowa's private school students are now publicly funded, costing an estimated $350M next year."
[Twitter, @DMRPoliticsCzar, 3/3/26]
HEADLINE: “Iowa Schools Struggle With Funding Cuts As Private Vouchers Rise” [CBS 2 Iowa, 2/6/26]
The Iowa State Education Association Highlighted The Impacts Of More Than A Decade Of Underfunding Iowa Public Schools, Especially After $350 Million Was Diverted For School Vouchers In 2025-2026. According to CBS 2 Iowa, "Iowa's public schools have faced over a decade of underfunding, leading to difficult decisions such as transportation cuts, program eliminations, and increased class sizes. Joshua Brown, president of the Iowa State Education Association, highlighted the impact on students, saying, 'When a student cannot enroll in an orchestra program, when an elementary classroom grows by six to eight students, and when our art and automotive and language classes are becoming a luxury, the quality of what we are offering students suffers.' The diversion of public funds to private school vouchers is a significant concern, with $350 million allocated to vouchers this year alone. Brown said, 'That money should and could be used to cover shortfalls and support more classes...setting our students up for success.' Education leaders warn that the funding shortfall is particularly severe for students with disabilities, as staffing shortages and rising caseloads strain resources." [CBS 2 Iowa, 2/6/26]