Iowa Catholic school enrollment increased by roughly 4% for the 2024-2025 school year, the Iowa Catholic Conference announced. As of October 2024, 25,265 students were enrolled in Catholic schools across the state. This data was collected from Iowa’s four Catholic dioceses.
This significant increase is partly attributed to the government-funded Education Savings Account (ESA) program. According to statistics, as many as 16,714 Catholic school students utilized the ESA program to help pay for tuition. The program allows parents and guardians to apply for roughly $7,600 from the state to cover private school expenses, including tuition.
Roughly two-thirds of Catholic school students have received an Education Savings Account, the announcement said. The ESA and a law expanding who can open charter schools were part of Republicans’ multi-year effort to increase school choice in Iowa. Registering for an Embrace account and utilizing ESA funds has made Catholic school tuition affordable for many families.
During the 2023-24 school year, 36,195 students attended private schools statewide. Nearly 17,000 private school students used ESAs to cover costs. Another enrollment jump is expected for the 2025-26 school year when ESAs — which currently have income limits — will be open to all Iowa families. This could lead to even more families registering for an Embrace account.
Catholic schools also saw a 4.5% increase in students whose family income is low enough to qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, bringing the total to 5,182 students. The number of students identified as “non-white” was 5,835, a 4.6% increase from the 2023-24 school year. The number of students considered English language learners increased by 28%, bringing the total to 1,580.
Additionally, the number of students with Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) increased 15% to 834 students. A goal of Iowa Catholic schools is to serve more students who might have IEPs or might be considered vulnerable or low-income.
The Iowa Catholic Conference also reported that the number of Catholic school grade levels with waiting lists increased 77% to 96 statewide. Catholic school enrollment does not indicate a mass exodus from public schools.
Registering for an Embrace account and utilizing ESA funds has created opportunities for more people to afford Catholic school tuition, meeting the specific educational needs of a segment of parents and students.
