DES MOINES, Iowa - Iowa could soon see the start-up of more charter schools.
A bill headed to Governor Kim Reynolds will let groups bypass local school boards and apply directly to the state for a charter school.
It passed the Senate Wednesday on a strict party line vote, 30-18.
Republicans say charter schools give families more choices for education, while Democrats says they would not be accountable to local school boards or taxpayers.
Democrats in the Senate unsuccessfully tried to add more than a dozen amendments to the bill in an effort to allign oversight with requirements for public schools.
The bill falls in line with Governor Kim Reynolds' priorities for education changes. She outlined a plan for more school choice in her Condition of the State speech in January.
Iowa currently has just two charter schools, in Storm Lake and Maynard.