How far will Iowa's $7,600 education savings accounts go for covering private school costs?

Iowa families are set to get thousands of dollars a year to help pay private school tuition and fees, but will it be enough for low-income families to cover tuition and costs?

Gov. Kim Reynolds signed the new private school law last week. When fully phased in, it will allow any Iowa family to apply for a state-funded education savings account to pay private school costs.

How much will Iowa students get, and what can they spend it for?

The $7,598 each year the law gives to students can be used for private school tuition, fees and other educational expenses. It’s the same amount of money the state gives to public school districts for every student.

That money could be a game-changer for families who need help paying the costs of private school, supporters say.

But critics say private school tuition can run far higher, meaning lower-income families still can't afford it. The result, they say, is likely subsidizing wealthy families who already send their children to private school.

More:Will Iowa's broad 'school choice' law mean no choice for LGBTQ and special-needs students?

So, what does private-school tuition cost in Iowa?

Tom Chapman, executive director of the Iowa Catholic Conference, said tuition at a Catholic K-8 school in Iowa can vary from about $2,800 to $4,000 annually.

Tuition at high schools is higher, he said.

At Dowling Catholic High School in Des Moines, tuition is $9,132. Dowling’s website says that price is for “parish-participating families” before fees, while “nonparticipating families” would pay $12,776 before fees.

“School choice efforts have helped shape our school community at Dowling Catholic over the past 17 years," said Dan Ryan, Dowling Catholic High School and Des Moines Region president. "Our students come from a variety of backgrounds and more than a third of our families currently receive some form of tuition assistance. With this new program, we look forward to welcoming families who now have the option to choose the school that best suits the needs of their children.”

How many private school students currently get financial support?

Chapman said parishes provide different levels of financial support to help with tuition costs.

State data shows more than 12,600 students received a combined $18.6 million in scholarships through the School Organization program in 2021, an average grant of about $1,465 per student.

More:Jubilant Kim Reynolds signs Iowa's seismic 'school choice' bill into law. What it means:

How many Iowa students attend private school, and how much will that increase under the 'school choice' law?

Right now, 33,692 students attend private schools in Iowa

An analysis of the "school choice" law’s impact by the nonpartisan Legislative Services Agency predicts that 41,687 students will receive education savings accounts by the time the program is fully in effect in its third year.

That means the state will pay for many students who likely would have attended private school even without the assistance.

So, what's the downside of Iowa's 'school choice' law?

Democrats have raised concerns that the new law has no restrictions to protect parents against tuition hikes by private schools — a point they tried to highlight during floor debate.

“Are there any protections here for families to ensure that schools won’t raise tuition once they get a bunch of students coming to their private school?” asked House Minority Leader Jennifer Konfrst, D-Windsor Heights.

“There’s no requirements that prevent private schools from raising tuition or doing anything of that sort,” the bill’s House floor manager, Rep. John Wills, R-Spirit Lake, said. “Those schools have their own rules and guidance that they, as private entities, would do as they see fit.”

Editor's note: Portions of this story appeared in our exclusive subscriber-only report on Iowa's aggressive "school choice" law. Read the full story here. Help us support the Register's quality journalism by becoming a subscriber. It will cost you less than a cup of coffee.

More:Who voted for Kim Reynolds' private school scholarships bill? These maps tell the story

Stephen Gruber-Miller covers the Iowa Statehouse and politics for the Register. He can be reached by email at sgrubermil@registermedia.com or by phone at 515-284-8169. Follow him on Twitter at @sgrubermiller.

Katie Akin is a politics reporter for the Register. Reach her at kakin@registermedia.com or at 410-340-3440. Follow her on Twitter at @katie_akin.

Samantha Hernandez covers education for the Register. Reach her at (515) 851-0982 or svhernandez@gannett.com. Follow her on Twitter at @svhernandez or Facebook at facebook.com/svhernandezreporter.

This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Will Iowa's education savings accounts fully cover private school?