Educational webinars on ‘Students First’ vouchers set up for this summer

DES MOINES, Iowa (KTIV) - Parents who want to apply for Iowa’s new “Student First” education savings account can now take part in a program that will make the process easier.

Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds announced that a series of live, informational webinars are to begin Tuesday, May 23. A total of six sessions are being offered through June 7. The complete schedule and registration links for each session are posted on the Department of Education’s ESA webpage. A recording of the webinar will also be available for parents and guardians who cannot attend a live session.

Iowa families can apply for education savings accounts starting May 31. Applications are accepted through Friday, June 30, 2023.

The Students First Act was signed into law earlier this year and provides state funding for eligible students who attend accredited nonpublic schools starting in the upcoming school year. All incoming kindergarteners and all K-12 students currently enrolled in a public school district are eligible for the ESA program.

Families whose children currently attend an accredited nonpublic school are also eligible for ESAs based on their annual income during the first two years of the program. For the 2023-2024 school year, income eligibility is 300 percent of the federal poverty level (FPL); and 400 percent FPL for the 2024-2025 school year.

Beginning in the 2025-2026 school year, all K-12 students in Iowa who choose to attend an accredited nonpublic school will be eligible for an ESA regardless of income.

Answers to frequently asked questions about the ESA application process, eligibility, and more are posted on the Department of Education’s ESA webpage.

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