(Des Moines, IA) -- The Iowa Department of Education is sharing details about the new Students First education savings accounts approved, for families wanting to use the funds for private school tuition. The state approved 18,893 applications statewide. Nearly 6,000 were denied based on not meeting residency or household income requirements. Polk County has the most approved applications, with 3,179. Linn County is second, with 1,344, followed by Scott and Sioux Counties, each with more than 1,000.
A breakdown of approved applications by county is as follows:
Counties with 500-999: Dallas, 508; Johnson, 585; Dubuque, 892; Woodbury, 930; and Black Hawk, 955.
Counties with 300-499: Marion, 300; Cerro Gordo, 354; Webster, 372; Pottawattamie, 403; Plymouth, 415; and Carroll, 438.
Counties with 200-299: Lee, 212; Clinton, 228; Marshall, 231; O’Brien, 257; and Delaware, 284.
Counties with 100-199: Allamakee, 113; Story, 113; Jones, 114; Jefferson, 115; Wapello, 115; Floyd, 116; Bremer, 118; Washington, 142; Clay, 143; Jasper, 144; Jackson, 148; Crawford, 154; Buena Vista, 154; Des Moines, 156; Muscatine, 160; Winneshiek, 168; Boone, 176; Kossuth, 184; Mahaska, 191; Lyon, 198; and Warren, 199.
Counties with 50-99: Hamilton, 50; Union, 51; Poweshiek, 55; Iowa, 66; Benton, 71; Palo Alto, 75; Humboldt, 83; Howard, 89; Buchanan, 99.
Counties with 25-49: Clayton, 25; Franklin, 26; Butler 27; Winnebago, 27; Sac, 29; Calhoun, 30; Madison, 35; Fayette, 37; Pocahontas, 43; Chickasaw, 46; Page, 49; and Shelby, 49.
Counties with 1-24: Emmet, 1; Cass, 1; Clarke, 2; Montgomery, 2; Monroe, 2; Wayne, 2; Fremont, 2; Mitchell, 3; Guthrie, 3; Appanoose, 3; Taylor, 4; Van Buren, 4; Adams, 5; Tama, 7; Wright, 7; Davis, 7; Audubon, 7; Lucas, 7; Keokuk, 8; Worth, 8; Greene, 9; Harrison, 10; Dickinson, 12; Monona, 13; Ida, 14; Adair, 15; Cherokee, 17; Hardin, 17; Osceola, 18; Henry, 18; Mills, 21; Grundy, 21; Hancock, 22; and Cedar, 22.
Counties with no approved applications: Decatur, Louisa, and Ringgold.
ESA accounts for applicants who did not meet this deadline are closed for the school year and the funds will remain in the state’s general fund.
Enrollment will be confirmed through the state’s certified enrollment process, which schools are required to report by Oct. 15.