Kuemper Catholic Schools President John Steffes says this week’s passage of the Students First Act was exciting for private schools around the state, but he is not expecting a huge influx of students immediately. In its first year, the legislation will provide nearly $7,600 in education savings accounts (ESA) to low-income families attending private schools and students transferring from public schools. By the third year, the accounts will be open to all families in Iowa. According to Steffes, more than a half-dozen states have similar legislation, and existing data suggests private school enrollment will not suddenly spike.
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Schools in Iowa spend about $17,000 per year per student, and Steffes says ESAs don’t account for even half that amount. Last year, the legislature passed a law loosening restrictions on open enrollment between public school districts. Steffes says the Students First Act was the next step in making parents the primary decision-makers in their child’s education.
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Steffes says public and private schools are in a holding pattern right now as they wait for the Iowa Department of Education to release guidance on how the program will be introduced at the start of the 2023/24 school year.
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The limited information available now can be found at www.educateiowa.gov. He says ESAs will make it easier for families wanting to send their children to Kuemper, but that does not mean tuition will go away entirely. According to Steffes, existing tuition assistance programs will continue.
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Republican legislators attempted to pass school choice bills in the previous two sessions, but it failed to gain enough support in the Iowa House. The Students First Act sailed through the House and Senate just 15 days after the 2023 session opened.