Enroll in an accredited nonpublic school
Your child must attend an Iowa accredited nonpublic school full time. Homeschool students can’t participate.
Coming soon to the Iowa ESA
Once at Home: coming soon to Iowa’s Students First ESA program
Teach your child to read with fully scripted, one-to-one lessons in just 15 minutes a day. Once is coming soon to the Iowa ESA marketplace. Get notified when Iowa families can use ESA funds for Once.
Iowa ESA status
Once is coming soon to the Iowa ESA.
$8,148 per student for 2026–27Curriculum is an eligible use
Reading instruction for Iowa families
A complete reading plan without another subject to prep
Once tells you what to teach, what to say, and what comes next. You lead one focused lesson a day while Once provides the sequence and support.
Scripted curriculum
200+ ready-to-go lessons remove lesson-planning guesswork.
15 minutes a day
Short sessions fit around the rest of your family’s learning schedule.
Instructional coaching
Get guidance from a dedicated coach when you need support.
A clear path to reading
From letter sounds to connected stories
Each stage builds on the one before it, so you always know what to teach next.
1. Learn letter sounds
Build the foundation with focused, explicit practice connecting letters and sounds.
2. Blend sounds into words
Help your child combine sounds from left to right to read their first words.
3. Read connected stories
Build accuracy and fluency through one ongoing narrative with recurring characters.
How Students First ESAs work
Tuition first, then the Odyssey Marketplace
Iowa ESAs are for K–12 students enrolled full time in an Iowa accredited nonpublic school. Odyssey runs the program for the Iowa Department of Education. Once is coming soon to the Iowa ESA marketplace.
Review the Iowa Department of Education’s Students First ESA page before purchasing.
Apply each year through Odyssey
Submit an annual application and confirm tuition and fee payments in the ESA portal by the program deadline.
Use remaining funds in the Marketplace
After tuition and fees, remaining funds go to eligible expenses in the Odyssey Marketplace. Once will appear there when it becomes available.
Iowa ESA details for 2026–27
What Iowa families should know
Iowa’s ESA is open to every resident K–12 student who attends an accredited nonpublic school, with no income limit.
$8,148 per student
A full-year ESA is $8,148 for 2026–27, and a half-year ESA is $4,074. Funds left from the prior year carry over.
Accredited nonpublic schools only
Students must enroll full time in an Iowa accredited nonpublic school and attend at least 75 percent of the full-time schedule.
Tuition and fees come first
Funds pay tuition and fees each semester first. Remaining funds can go to eligible expenses such as curriculum and tutoring.
Sources: Iowa Department of Education Students First ESA page, Odyssey’s 2026–27 funding guide, and Iowa Administrative Code chapter 281.20. Program rules can change.
Questions from Iowa families
Iowa ESA and Once FAQs
What is the Iowa Students First ESA?
Students First Education Savings Accounts give families who enroll their children in an Iowa accredited nonpublic school an amount equal to the per-pupil funding public school districts receive. Funds are held in an education savings account for tuition, fees, and other qualified education expenses. The program is administered by Odyssey for the Iowa Department of Education.
Is Once available through the Iowa ESA?
Once is coming soon to the Iowa ESA marketplace. Until then, ESA funds can’t be used for Once at Home. Leave your details on this page and we’ll let you know when Iowa families can use ESA funds for Once.
Who is eligible for a Students First ESA?
Iowa resident K–12 students who enroll full time in and attend an Iowa accredited nonpublic school are eligible, regardless of household income. Families apply each year, and tuition and fee payments must be confirmed in the ESA portal by the program deadline.
Can homeschool families use the Iowa ESA?
No. Students must be enrolled full time in an Iowa accredited nonpublic school and attend at least 75 percent of the full-time schedule. Preschool tuition is also not covered, since the program serves kindergarten through 12th grade.
How much is an Iowa ESA for 2026–27?
A full-year ESA is $8,148 for 2026–27, and a half-year ESA is $4,074. Funds remaining from the prior year carry over and are applied to tuition and fees first.
What can Iowa ESA funds pay for?
ESA funds must first pay tuition and fees each semester. Remaining funds can be used for eligible expenses through the Odyssey Marketplace, which can include curriculum, textbooks, education materials, and tutoring from an accredited provider. Disposable supplies such as paper, notebooks, and pencils are not eligible.
How much does Once at Home cost?
Once at Home costs $49 per month and is free until your child reads their first three-letter word, with no credit card needed. You can start today while Iowa ESA availability is pending.
Start reading today
Begin 15 focused minutes a day now
Once at Home is free until your child reads their first three-letter word, with no credit card needed.
Get notified
Hear when Once is available through the Iowa ESA
Leave your name and email, and we’ll let you know when Iowa families can use ESA funds for Once at Home. You can also send us a question.