Educational Savings Accounts:

Educational Savings Accounts (ESA's) currently exist in several states.

Existing ESA programs allow state funding for a student's education to be spent on a number of pre-approved educational expenses including: non-public school tuition, tutoring, textbooks, online learning, and even some therapies for special needs.

As such, ESA's support parent choice by allowing educational funding to be used for schooling and services that parents choose.

ESA's level the playing field for all Iowa families by removing barriers such as address and income level . . . which can prevent some families from making their ideal school choice.

Iowa already empowers family choice in public school selection through open enrollment options.  In this instance, state funding follows students to the public school district that they attend.

• ESA's offer the potential for expanded choices for families, so their state funding would support funding for families who choose to enroll their students in non-public schools as well.
• ESA's place decisions about where education dollars are spent in the hands of parents, however education dollars would only spent in schools or on services approved by the state.
• Non-public schools in Iowa face accreditation and achievement requirements.
• The non-public schools must continue to earn the right to serve Iowa students. 
• In earning this right, accredited, non-public schools are regulated by the state of Iowa.
• Many Iowa taxpayer dollars are gathered to support education of all students, and some of these funds are already used to provide transportation, textbooks, teacher training, and special services for qualifying students in non-public schools. 
• For example, tax dollars support children whether they are being bused to a public or non-public school.
• Any public dollars spent on education are regulated by the state whether they are used in a public or non-public school setting.  All public education funding is closely regulated in all schools . . . including parochial and non-public schools.
• ESA funds would also be regulated by the state.
• ESA's offer more parents greater access to more school choices for their children.
• ESA's would continue to respect the state regulations of educational funding.

Click here to learn more