My Options
Today, Iowa offers every parent a scholarship to send your child to the accredited private school of your choice! Plus, Iowa has two tax credit scholarship options.
If you didn’t know that, you aren’t alone! Most Iowans don’t.
If you’ve heard of it, but have no idea how it works, you also aren’t alone!
That's why we're here.
Education Options
Public
Iowa has 327 public school districts and 1,282 K-12 schools. Families can choose to send their child to their district-assigned school or open-enroll in another Iowa district. Transportation assistance is available for qualifying families based on income. Find a directory of Iowa public schools here.
Public Charter
Charter schools are publicly-funded, tuition-free, schools that operate independently but must meet goals set by the state to maintain their charter. They usually have unique focuses and more flexibility than traditional public schools. Iowa currently has 15 approved charter schools but only 9 are currently open. Six of the 15 will be opening for the 2026/2027 school year.
Private
Private schools are now an option for every Iowa family with the Students First Education Savings Account Program (ESA)! Iowa has over 200 private schools and you can find a full directory here.
Homeschool
Iowa is a homeschool friendly state! Find all the information you need to get started through our friends at Homeschool Iowa! There are five options to legally homeschool in Iowa:
- Choice 1: Homeschooling by Independent Private Instruction (IPI)
- Choice 2: Homeschooling by Opt-Out
- Choice 3: Homeschooling with an annual assessment
- Choice 4: Homeschooling with a supervising teacher
- Choice 5: Homeschooling with a Home School Assistance Program (HSAP)
Learn more about the five options for homeschooling here.
Other
As families gain access to more options, more education entrepreneurs have come to fill this space with innovations including private, micro, online, learning pods and hybrid school options. Google and reach out to local parent groups to inquire about innovative options that may be a fit for your child. Don’t see one you love? Consider starting your own!
Scholarship Options
Students First Education Savings Account Program (ESA)
State-funded. For private school. Almost everyone is eligible! $7,988/year
The Students First Act was signed into law on January 24, 2023, creating Iowa’s ESA. The ESA allows a parent/family to use a portion of the allocated educational dollars for their child at a school of their choice. The state legislature created ESAs to help fund the education of Iowa’s K-12 students who wish to attend accredited nonpublic schools. This allows the family more opportunity to pick an educational setting that is right for their child, no matter where they live.
How can I use funds?
Before any other spending, you must use your ESA to cover tuition and fees for an accredited private school.
After tuition and fees are covered, you may use remaining dollars for a variety of eligible education expenses including (but not limited to): textbooks, curriculum, software, educational therapies, laptops, musical instruments, etc. (See a full list of eligible expenses here).
Homeschooling is not currently a qualifying education option under the ESA. Want to change that? Join the Movement and make your voice heard!
Application Information
When to Apply:
The application window is typically April – June for the coming school year. Go here to see the latest application dates.
How to Apply:
- If you’re applying for the first time, according to the Iowa Department of Education, “Parents/guardians will first be directed to sign up using their name, email, and password. After parents/guardians select ‘Create Account’ on the sign-up page, the parents/guardians will enter the ESA portal.”
- If you’re a returning applicant with an existing ESA portal account, you will log in to begin the application for the coming school year.
- You will need to have the following information ready when you apply (per the Iowa Department of Education):
Parent/Guardian Legal Name
Parent/Guardian Contact Information (email address and phone number that can receive text messages for updates) and Preferred Language (English or Spanish)
Parent/Guardian Current Residential Address
Address used for your most recent Iowa State Tax Return (if different from current address)
Parent/Guardian ID (Social Security Number or Individual Taxpayer Identification Number)
Parent/Guardian Spouse ID (Social Security Number or Individual Taxpayer Identification Number)
Student’s Legal Name
Student’s Date of Birth
Student’s Residential Address (if it is different from the parent/guardian address)
When are funds available?
- The first half of your ESA funds are typically made available in July for the coming school year. The second half is typically released at the beginning of December.
- If unused, funds do rollover from year to year for the same student to whom they were awarded.
Find the most up-to-date application information and instructions here.
Tuition and Textbook Tax Credit
Tax Credit for Families. Put towards tuition and textbooks! Homeschooled students qualify too! Avg. Credit: $222
Homeschooling and private schooling families can get expense support with this tax credit! According to EdChoice, “Parents receive a tax credit worth 25% of their expenditures up to a maximum credit of $500 per dependent K–12 student. To get the maximum $500 per-dependent credit, parents must spend $2,000 in educational expenses for tuition, textbooks, and other qualifying expenses. The tax credit is also nonrefundable and, thus, cannot reduce an individual’s tax burden to less than zero.” While you can receive a credit of up to $500, the average credit is around $222. Eligible expenses include tuition, textbooks, dues and fees, some extracurricular activities, music lessons and rentals, etc. Find a full list of eligible expenses here.
Take these steps when filing your state taxes to receive this credit:
Document: Create a record listing each dependent, school/homeschool status, and the itemized qualifying expenses.
Calculate: For each dependent, multiply their eligible expenses (up to $2,000) by 25% to get the credit—maximum $500 per child.
Enter on IA 1040: Report the combined credit amount on Line 9 of your Iowa 1040 return.
Keep receipts or proofs of payment along with your calculation for tax records.
School Tuition Organization Tax Credit
Donor-funded. For private school. Almost everyone is eligible! Average scholarship: $2,000
Iowa taxpayers can donate a portion of their state tax liability to a qualifying School Tuition Organization (STO). These private donations create scholarships that are distributed by STOs to applying families and can be used towards private school tuition! Find a full list of Iowa STOs here. While there is universal eligibility, only $20 million in credits can be claimed every year, capping the program at around 9,700 participants annually.
How to Apply
You will want to apply in the spring for the following school year (i.e. in Spring 2026 for the 2026/2027 school year).
Start by identifying the private school where you want to enroll your child and ask them which STO they work with. Every private school usually works directly with a particular STO. To apply for a scholarship with the STO, you usually must document that you are a) enrolled in, or b) planning to enroll in this private school.
Submit an application for a scholarship with the STO that works with your desired school. Information required usually includes:
Parent/Guardian and Student Info
Proof of Income (previous year’s federal tax return, W-2s, or other income documentation)
School Enrollment Verification
Wait for the STO to review your application and notify you of your award. STOs generally award based on donations received and family need.
If you are awarded, the funds will go directly to your chosen school and reduce your tuition by that amount.
FAQs
I want to send my child to private school
You will want to apply for the Students First Education Savings Account Program! You will receive approximately $7,988/year to use towards tuition at the school of your choice.
I want to send my child to an out-of-district public school
Open-enrollment is an option in Iowa and you can transfer your child to another out-of-district public school as long as the receiving school has capacity! If your child is an incoming kindergarten student, the deadline to open enroll is September 1. If your child is in Grades 1-12, you must apply to open enroll by March 1. Exceptions are allowed in “Good Cause” circumstances.
I want to send my child to a charter school
I want to homeschool
You can get limited financial support towards textbooks and other eligible expenses with the Tuition and Textbook Tax Credit. Unfortunately, home education isn’t currently an eligible expense under the ESA. But that can change. Join the movement and make your voice heard! Learn more about how to start homeschooling here!
Get Support
We want to empower you to access the education that is right for your child so they can excel!
Feeling overwhelmed about where to start? Need support in choosing the best option? Stuck in an application process? We’ve got your back. Submit your question here and our team will get back to you with an answer or a recommended next step!