Students First ESA applications approved in 96 of Iowa’s 99 counties

DAVENPORT, Iowa (KWQC) - The Iowa Department of Education approved 18,627 Students First education savings accounts on Aug. 4.

Students have been approved for ESAs in 96 of Iowa’s 99 counties. According to a media release, less than 1,000 applications remain in review while parents or guardians provide additional information or documentation to confirm eligibility.

Families who have applied to the ESA also must separately apply to the accredited private school of their choice and, if accepted, their ESA account will be funded.

One of the three counties where no applications were approved is Louisa County, where there are no private schools.

A list of Iowa counties with approved applications:

• Counties with 300 or more approved applications: Polk, 3,144; Linn, 1,318; Scott, 1,306; Sioux, 1,183; Black Hawk, 942; Woodbury, 916; Dubuque, 882; Johnson, 572; Dallas, 505; and Carroll, 427, Cerro Gordo, 338; Webster, 369; Pottawattamie, 383; and Plymouth, 411.
• Counties with 200-299: Lee, 212; Clinton, 217; Marshall, 231; O’Brien, 250; Delaware, 282; and Marion, 297.
• Counties with 100-199:  Jones, 111; Wapello, 111; Jefferson, 112; Story, 112; Allamakee, 113; Floyd, 113; Bremer, 118; Washington, 140; Clay, 142; Jasper, 144; Jackson, 145; Crawford, 152; Buena Vista, 152; Des Moines, 157; Muscatine, 159; Winneshiek, 168; Boone, 170; Kossuth, 183; Mahaska, 188; Lyon, 196; and Warren, 197.
• Counties with 50-99: Union, 52; Poweshiek, 55; Iowa, 64; Benton, 71; Palo Alto, 75; Humboldt, 83; Howard, 87; and Buchanan, 93.
• Counties with 25-49: Clayton, 25; Butler 26; Franklin, 26; Winnebago, 27; Sac, 29; Calhoun, 30; Madison, 35; Fayette, 37; Pocahontas, 43; Page, 46; Chickasaw, 46; Hamilton, 49; and Shelby, 49.
• Counties with 1-24: Emmet, 1; Clarke, 2; Cass, 2; Montgomery, 2; Monroe, 2; Wayne, 2; Fremont, 2; Mitchell, 3; Guthrie, 3; Appanoose, 3; Taylor, 4; Van Buren, 4; Adams, 5;  Keokuk, 6; Tama, 7; Wright, 7; Davis, 7; Audubon, 7; Lucas, 7; Worth, 8; Greene, 9; Harrison, 10;  Dickinson, 12; Monona, 13; Ida, 14; Adair, 15; Cherokee, 17; Hardin, 17; Hancock, 17; Osceola, 18; Henry, 20; Mills, 21; Grundy, 21; and Cedar, 23.
• Counties with no approved applications: Decatur, Louisa, and Ringgold.

According to the release, parents and guardians of students approved for ESA and accepted into an accredited nonpublic school will receive an invoice from their child’s school through their ESA account. When parents or guardians approve the payment, funds are transferred from the ESA account to the school to pay tuition and fees. ESA funds remain in the state’s possession until approved for payment to the school.

If an approved ESA student does not attend an accredited nonpublic school by September 30, the ESA account will be closed for the school year, according to the Iowa Department of Education. The funds remain with the state and are returned to the general fund.

Additional information regarding the final number of approved applicants will be available after Sept. 30, the Iowa Department of Education said in a media release. Details about ESA program participants will be available when certified school enrollment numbers are finalized later this fall.

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