DES MOINES, Iowa — Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds announced Thursday that 29,025 students have applied for an Education Savings Account during the monthlong application period.
This is the first year of the program following the passage of the governor's Students First Act in January.
Of the 29,025 applicants, 17,481 have already been accepted.
The latest numbers represent thousands more applicants than what the nonpartisan Legislative Services Agency estimated. The remaining 11,544 applications are pending and will be decided on by July 31.
According to the governor's office
Forty percent of accepted applicants are students moving from public school to private school (this includes incoming kindergarteners), according to the governor's office. Sixty percent are students already attending a private school who qualified based on their family's income, which is required to be at or below 300% of the federal poverty level.
This means roughly 7,100 students accepted were previously enrolled in public schools. The governor's office says private schools have reported roughly 9,000 openings across the state. This means there is a possibility the state will approve more ESA applications than there are spots available.
Approved ESA accounts may be funded as soon as July 15. The first payment must be used for tuition and fees to an Iowa-accredited private school. If the student is approved but does not attend an accredited private school by Sept. 30, the ESA account will close for the school year and the funds remain with the state's general fund.
Full details on the final number of ESA program participants won't be available until later this fall.
"The tremendous response from Iowa families demonstrates there's both a need and a strong desire for school choice in our state," Reynolds said in a statement. "Allowing parents to choose the education that's best for their children levels the playing field and creates equal opportunities for Iowa's students."
Iowa State Education Association President Mike Beranek released the following statement:
“Imagine what an unlimited budget like the one for Governor Reynold’s private school voucher program would mean for Iowa’s public school students. State-of-the-art labs and equipment, up-to-date technology, and laptops give every student an equal chance for success. We could have nurses and counselors in every building, one-to-one assistance for any child who needs it, music, art, and shop supplies to develop new talent and skills, and the list goes on. Unfortunately for Iowans, the governor and the majority party in the statehouse have decided that unlimited budgets are reserved for just a select few Iowans. A voucher program that would initially have cost Iowa taxpayers almost a billion dollars over the next three years will cost Iowans even more. Iowans overwhelmingly support investments in our public schools. Ninety percent of Iowa families continue to choose their neighborhood public schools. That is where our precious resources should be directed."