Empowering Families. Expanding Educational Choices.
Every child deserves access to a quality education and we believe in empowering families to choose the best educational path for their children. Discover how Education Savings Accounts (ESAs) can help you choose a faith-based accredited school that best meets your child’s unique needs.
Debunk the myths. Get the facts about ESAs.
Let’s Debunk Common Myths About ESAs
Myth: ESAs take funding from public schools.
False. When students leave public schools using choice programs, they free up money for the students who remain. Taking a student out of public school removes the cost of educating that student to that school. Most of these savings remain in local school budgets where they benefit other students; the rest of the savings go into state budgets. Additionally, during the 2023-2024 school year, public schools received an extra $1,178 for every student who enrolled in an accredited nonpublic school—even if that student had never previously attended a local public school.
Myth: There are no open seats at faith-based private schools.
False. While some schools are at capacity, the majority of Iowa faith-based private schools can accommodate new students.
Myth: Faith-based private school tuition exceeds ESA funds provided.
False. The average tuition for K-8 faith-based private schools in Iowa is $5,600. Unused ESA funds roll over from year to year and can be used to cover higher tuition costs for high school which averages $8,811 a year. In addition, all private schools offer tuition assistance through School Tuition Organizations (STOs). Other tuition assistance may also be available to students who qualify based on income requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Student First Act?
The Student First Act was introduced by Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds and signed into law on January 24, 2023. This law makes state funding available for eligible Iowa K-12 students who choose to attend accredited private schools. It also provides public schools additional funding for students who live in the school’s district but attend private schools.
What is an Education Savings Account?
An Education Savings Account (ESA) is a deposit of public funds into government-authorized savings accounts which eligible families may use to cover tuition, fees and other qualified education expenses at accredited private schools in Iowa.
How do ESAs work in Iowa?
Parents who enroll their eligible children in an accredited private school will receive $7,983 per child per school year. Funds are deposited into the student’s ESA (managed by a state contractor) yearly and the parent pays the school through an app. Funds remain available until the student graduates high school or turns 20. The remaining balance is returned to the state general fund. During the 2023-2024 school year, 16,757 students used a Students First ESA to attend an accredited nonpublic school in Iowa as of the October 1 certified enrollment date (Iowa Department of Education, 2024).
Who is eligible?
ESAs in Iowa will be phased in over three years, based on the following eligibility:
Year 2 | Year 3 |
|
|
How are ESA funds managed?
The state has signed a contract with Odyssey to manage program administration for Students First Education Savings Accounts, including applications, financial transactions, compliance, fraud prevention and customer service.
Which schools accept ESAs?
ESAs are accepted at all accredited non-public schools, including accredited faith-based schools across Iowa. Find a faith-based school near you.
Am I eligible for tuition assistance if I receive an ESA?
Yes. You can receive an ESA in addition to other tuition assistance that may be available to your family. ESAs were not intended to replace STOs and local tuition assistance programs.
Do private schools accept students with diverse learning needs?
Faith-based private schools are committed to working with all learners to the best of their ability, including children who may require additional support. Many schools work with parents and the local public school district of students with Individual Education Plans (IEPs) to provide the services identified to meet the academic and behavioral needs of the child. There may be some student needs that private schools are not able to accommodate, and these decisions are based on the best interests of the child. Contact your local private school for information regarding admission information and criteria.
When is the application deadline?
Applications open in April 2025 for the 2025-2026 school year and must be submitted by June 30. Applications are valid for one year; a family must apply annually to remain eligible for the program.
How do I apply?
Click here to apply. Only one application is needed per household. Parents/guardians can add multiple students attending multiple schools from their household. The application process should take 10-15 minutes, and results will be available immediately.
Parents are invited to send their questions to studentsfirst@iowa.gov or call 515-281-5211 for more information.
What Parents are Saying About ESAs
We greatly value a choice to give our children a Catholic education. Our students are gaining a solid foundation to build upon to become tomorrow’s leaders thanks to school choice. The passionate teachers and staff at Beckman Catholic are second to none, contributing to Beckman’s academic excellence across all subject areas. The class sizes help ensure excellent student/teacher interactions, as well as getting to know their entire class. Faith formation, weekly Mass and regular prayer are helping our students to lead and serve as disciples of Jesus Christ. – Jim and Kris, Beckman Catholic
ESAs have been a blessing to our family as they have allowed my young children to benefit from the same Catholic education that I had from middle school through college. I love that my children get to grow up not only learning about God’s loving grace from us at home but have those same lessons expanded upon during the school day. – Jason and Jenna, Christ the King Catholic School
ESAs allow parents to determine the best educational environment for their child. For us, our younger two thrive in Xavier Catholic Schools while our oldest thrives at public school. Each child is different and families should be able to choose the best education environment for each of their children; regardless of income and financial ability. Our children are our future and everyone should want the best education for all children. – Mindy, St. Joseph and Xavier Catholic