Iowa ESA calculator for 2026-27

See how much your child's Students First Education Savings Accounts account gets this school year and when each deposit lands. Free, no sign-up.

Figures last checked Oct 29, 2026.

How ESA amounts work in 2026-27

Private school, pre-K: Not covered. Iowa's ESA starts at kindergarten. It can't be used for preschool tuition.
Private school, grades K-12: $8,148 per child. One full-year amount for every K-12 student at an accredited Iowa private school, with or without an IEP. Families approved in the fall half-year window get $4,074 instead.
Homeschool: not eligible. Iowa's ESA only pays for students enrolled full time at an accredited Iowa private school. A homeschooled child can qualify only by enrolling full time in one.

Private school: Two equal halves, one for fall and one for spring. If your application is approved later, each half arrives 30 days after approval instead. Tuition and fees are paid first. Fall half (50%): Jul 15, 2026; Spring half (50%): Dec 1, 2026.

Preschool is not covered. The ESA is for kindergarten through 12th grade only.
Every Iowa K-12 student going full time to an accredited Iowa private school can apply. There is no income limit.
The full-year window ran Apr 16 to Jun 30, 2026. The half-year window is open Oct 15 to Nov 15, 2026 and pays $4,074 starting Dec 1, 2026.
Money goes to tuition and fees first. Anything left over can be spent on other approved items, and unused money carries over to later years.
Full-year families had to confirm tuition and fee payments in the portal by Sep 30, 2026; half-year families must do it by Jan 14, 2027.

Last checked Oct 29, 2026. Official program site: educate.iowa.gov. Your award notice is final.

Keeping receipts? The ESA and Allotment Tracker logs every purchase against your deposits and shows what's left, in Google Sheets or Excel.