Iowa’s Education Savings Account (ESA) program—called Students First ESA—provides state-funded accounts that families can use to cover private school tuition and related educational expenses. Instead of the funding going to a public school district, the state deposits an annual amount (roughly equal to the state’s per-pupil public school funding) into an ESA for eligible students, and parents direct those funds to an accredited nonpublic school of their choice. This makes all Iowa resident K–12 students eligible regardless of income. ESAs are meant to expand school choice, empower parents, and increase access to private education across the state.

Iowa’s ESA program was enacted by Governor Kim Reynolds and the Iowa Legislature, who passed the Students First Act in January 2023.