Iowa’s nonpublic schools continue to show strong academic performance on the Iowa Statewide Assessment of Student Progress. A review of Iowa Department of Education proficiency data from the 2020-21 school year through the 2024-25 school year shows that nonpublic schools posted higher proficiency rates than public schools in every comparable subject and year. The comparison […]

Choosing a school is one of the most important decisions a family can make. For Iowa parents, that decision may look a little different today than it did just a few years ago. With Education Savings Accounts helping more families access accredited nonpublic schools, parents have more opportunity to consider which learning environment is the […]

June has arrived, which means Iowa families have one month left to apply for a Students First Education Savings Account for the 2026–27 school year. The application window closes on Tuesday, June 30, 2026, at 11:59 p.m., and families who are considering an accredited nonpublic school should not wait until the final days to begin […]

As the school year comes to a close and Iowa families consider their options for next fall, the latest certified enrollment numbers point to a remarkable trend: Iowa’s nonpublic schools are serving thousands more students than they were before Education Savings Accounts began. New certified enrollment data for the 2025–26 school year shows that Iowa’s […]

Iowa is taking an important step forward by establishing a Scholarship Granting Organization designed specifically to serve Iowa school communities through the new federal Scholarship Tax Credit program. Unlike national organizations that are already seeking SGO business in Iowa, this effort is rooted here at home. Rather than directing administrative fees out of state, the […]