The “Students First” Education Savings Account bill was signed into law by Gov. Kim Reynolds on Jan. 24, 2023. House File 68 passed the House by a vote of 55-45 on Jan. 23 and the Senate 31-18 on Jan. 24. A record of the voting is available.
Updated information on the program is here.
Under the new legislation, any public school student and any incoming kindergartener would qualify to receive an Education Savings Account (ESA) from the state this fall and in future years. The ESA amount would be about $7,600, the same average amount the state provides to a public school for each student.
For students currently attending a Catholic school, the plan will be phased in over the next two and a half years, focusing first on the families with the lowest income levels. After three years, an ESA would be available for every student to help them pay for tuition.
Rules for the ESA program will be set up in the coming weeks. We’ll keep you posted.
Eligibility details:
In House File 68, any public school student and any incoming kindergartener will qualify to receive an ESA in the fall of 2023 and in future years.
In 2023, current Catholic school students will qualify for an ESA if the family income is at or below 300% of the federal poverty level ($83,250 for a family of four).
In 2024, current Catholic school students will qualify if the family income is at or below 400% of the federal poverty level, ($111,000 for a family of four).
In 2025, all Catholic school students would qualify.
