Schools leader addresses ESA benefits, misconceptions

By DAWN PROSSER
Director of Communications
 
As this school year marks the fourth year that Education Savings Accounts (ESAs) have been available to Iowa students, diocesan families are taking advantage of the program, which provides a choice in education, regardless of income.
 
Figures for the current academic year are not yet available but last year nearly 84% of diocesan Catholic school students received ESA funds. The combined enrollment of all schools in the last academic year was 6,360, a 2% increase over the previous year.
 
Dr. Dora Jung, director of Catholic schools, pointed out that the availability of ESAs helped “balance the playing field” so that families of all income levels could consider enrollment in a Catholic school. ESAs provide $8,148 per student for the 2026-27 academic year.
 
“The choice is no longer just for families with a financial advantage. Now the choice is available for everyone in Iowa,” she pointed out. “Parents can freely choose a Catholic-based education.”
 
Beyond the finanIowa ACE reminds parents to confirm their ESA by Sept. 30. Click the image to learn more. cial considerations, Jung said school choice efforts like ESAs allow parents the opportunity to consider enrolling their child in one of the 14 diocesan school systems.

 “With the help of the ESAs, families have the opportunity to select schools for their children that teach those same values and faith that the parents grew up with. This is extremely important for us parents,” she said. “This is what the conversation is really about – children and the educational environments that are best for them.”
 
As ESAs are relatively new in Iowa, there are several misconceptions regarding parents using the funds towards tuition at Catholic and private schools. Jung addressed some of the most common misconceptions.
 
Misconception #1: Iowa doesn’t need school choice 
Fact: School choice has always existed, just not equally for everyone as only families with financial flexibility had options for enrollment.
 
Moving between districts and seeking what is best for their child has always been possible, but not possible for all. ESAs expanded the opportunities so more families can access educational settings in which their children live and learn the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
 
Misconception #2: Non-public schools do not serve students with disabilities 
 
Fact: Guided by our Catholic beliefs to welcome all, students with a wide range of needs have been served in our Catholic schools for some time. For example, last year 7% of diocesan school students had a diagnosed disability.
 
Students are being served in our Catholic schools. Sometimes the best way to do this is in partnership with the public schools. Our Catholic schools are open to partnerships that would best serve all students.
 
Also, the FIRE Foundation of Northwest Iowa makes funding available for all 14 Catholic school systems through in-service trainings and a generous grant program, which provides more resources for our schools to promote inclusivity.
 
Misconception #3: ESA funds take money away from public schools
 
Fact: ESA funding comes from a separate allocation and funds are not pulled directly from public school budgets. ESA dollars come from a different line in the state budget and do not reduce the funding streams public schools already receive.
 Bishop Garrigan school in Algona.Public schools continue to be funded through multiple sources including state allocation, local property taxes, SAVE (Secure an Advanced Vision for Education) funding and federal support.
 
Private schools only receive the ESA amount for participating students.
 
Misconception #4: Non-public schools are not held accountable for how ESA funds are used, nor accountable for education standards
 
Fact: Diocesan Catholic schools are committed to ensure the appropriate use of funding received to provide education.
 
There are multiple layers of accountability in the schools including accountability to families and school boards.  Diocesan schools have annual audits by outside auditors to ensure funds are allocated appropriately. The funds the schools receive from ESAs are solely spent on student education, as required.
 
In addition to financial responsibilities, state accredited private schools such as diocesan Catholic schools, are required to meet state standards, administer standardized testing and complete a formal accreditation process with licensed professionals. The U.S. Department of Education and State of Iowa Board of Education play a role in the oversight of our schools.
 
Misconception #5: Non-public schools are fully funded by taxpayer dollars through ESAs
 
Fact: ESA funds alone do not cover the cost to educate a student in our diocesan Catholic schools as the cost to educate a student is much higher than ESA funds received. To cover that gap to educate our students, we rely upon our families, Catholic school fundraising and development and parish assessments.
 
Misconception #6: ESAs will take students away from and harm public schools
 
Fact: School choice introduces the challenge of being competitive. With that often comes growth, improvement and a renewed focus on serving students well across all types of schools. Strong schools are strengthened by the presence of choice.
 
We have excellent public and private schools in Iowa. Our private Catholic schools provide a strong foundation in Catholic identity for our students as well as a high quality education. Our focus is to provide the best education guided by our Catholic principles and values which gives parents compelling reasons to select a Catholic school.

Parents enjoy the ease of school uniforms in Catholic schools. Above, Humboldt St. Mary adopted a new dress/uniform code.  Misconception #7 – ESA funding does nothing to support public schools
 
Fact: Public schools continue to receive funding connected to students they are not educating. For every student enrolled in one of our Catholic schools, their local public district receives approximately $1,200.
 
Also, some diocesan schools do not offer middle or high school grades and the Catholic school students eventually feed into the public middle and high schools in their communities.
 
 
Cover photo: Dr. Dora Jung, diocesan director of Catholic schools, talks to first grade students at Storm Lake St. Mary on the first day of school. 

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