McKenzie Snow, Director of Iowa Department of Education | Iowa Department Of Education
The Iowa Department of Education has announced the opening of the application period for the Students First Education Savings Account (ESA) program for the 2025-26 school year. Applications can be submitted online starting April 16 at 8 a.m. and will remain open until June 30 at 11:59 p.m.
Parents and guardians can apply through a link on the Students First Education Savings Accounts webpage, redirecting them to Odyssey, the contracted administrator for the program. New applicants must create an ESA Portal account before beginning the application process, while returning applicants will use their existing accounts. The applications will be available in English and Spanish.
This program, introduced by Governor Kim Reynolds and signed into law on January 24, 2023, allows state education funding to be directed by parents and guardians for eligible students attending accredited nonpublic schools in Iowa. Eligibility requires students to be Iowa residents enrolled full-time in accredited nonpublic schools located within the state.
Starting this academic year, all Iowa resident K-12 students are eligible for the program, irrespective of family income. Annual applications are mandatory for participation, and ESA funds can be utilized for tuition, fees, and other qualified education expenses.
Residency verification for applicants will occur automatically via the parent’s or guardian’s 2024 Iowa State Tax Return. Those without a filed tax return must provide other acceptable documents for eligibility verification.
For more information and answers to frequently asked questions, families can visit the Iowa Department of Education’s ESA webpage. Technical support is available through Odyssey representatives by phone at 515-368-9564 or email at help.ia@withodyssey.com.
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