The per student funding for the 2025-26 school year will be $7,983*. Half of the funds ($3,991.50) will be available for use in the Fall 2025 semester and the remaining half will be available for use in the Spring 2026 semester.

*pending the governor’s signature on the approved legislation.

No. ESA funds can only be used for students in kindergarten (including TK) through 12th grade.

No. Only one application per family is needed. Parents/guardians can add multiple students from their household onto their application.

It is the responsibility of the parents/guardians to determine the correct person to complete the application and manage the ESA funds. The first parent/guardian to apply who meets the eligibility requirements will be the parent/guardian under which the ESA is established. For an application to be contested, court documents supporting the contesting person’s position as the parent/guardian that has education making authority are required for consideration.

If a student is enrolling in kindergarten or TK for the 2025-2026 school year, regardless of the grade they attended in 2024-2025, mark "no" to the question, "Did this student attend an Iowa accredited nonpublic school in the 2024-2025 school year."

Annual ESA applications are required for all prospective ESA participants. A student who was approved and used an ESA in the 2023-24 school year is not subject to household income requirements for the 2024-25 school year. All Iowa resident K-12 students attending an Iowa accredited nonpublic school are eligible for an ESA in the 2025-26 school year

No. Applying for enrollment to an Iowa-accredited nonpublic school is a separate process from applying for an ESA through the Odyssey portal. Identifying a Holy Family school that the student plans to attend in the Odyssey portal has no bearing on whether the student will be admitted. Holy Family Catholicc Schools' enrollment process is unrelated to the ESA application.

Yes. As long as Iowa residency can be established by the June 30 application deadline. If the student attended an Iowa accredited nonpublic school in the prior year, income requirements will also need to be met.

Proof of Iowa residency is based on the parent/guardian’s 2024 Iowa State Tax Return. If the parent/guardian did not complete a 2024 Iowa State Tax Return, additional documentation will be required. Details of approved documents to submit for residency verification are listed below.

Approved Residency Verification Documents

• Option 1: Current Iowa Driver's License
• Option 2: Proof of Residence (current mortgage, lease, utility bill) and one of the following:
  • Iowa Voter Registration Card
  • Claim of Homestead Credit or Military Tax Exemption on a home in Iowa
  • Active checking or savings account with an Iowa address
  • Other documents and correspondence initiated during tax periods with an Iowa address
• Option 3: Other written and signed narrative from parent/guardian explaining the situation including a stated claim of Iowa residency, and other related documentation reflecting residency.

After tuition and fees are paid each semester, remaining ESA funds of active ESA participants may be used in the marketplace to pay for eligible expenses.

Funds remaining in an ESA from a prior year are eligible to be used in another year the student is an ESA participant. After July 15 of a school year, the funds may be used as soon as a nonpublic school verifies the student in the Odyssey portal as an active participant, in either the marketplace to pay for eligible expenses or to use to pay tuition and fees as charged by the nonpublic school through the Odyssey portal.