More Iowa students are attending schools outside their neighborhood public school

More than one out of six K-12 students in Iowa are attending school outside of their neighborhood public school, including enrolling into another public school, a charter school or an accredited non-public school.

More than 44,500 public school students open enrolled in another public school outside of their home district, representing about 9 percent of total 2025 certified enrollment, according to data released by the Iowa Department of Education Friday.

There were 4,800 fewer students enrolled in K-12 public and accredited non-public schools in Iowa, a national trend driven by lower birth rates and fewer students progressing from grade to grade. The National Center for Education Statistics projects public schools will see a decline in enrollment of almost 5 percent nationally by 2031.

Public schools and public charter schools make up nearly 92 percent of Iowa’s total certified enrollment.

Certified enrollment at Iowa’s accredited non-public schools grew by about 2,540 students this year to a total of 41,892 students. This represents just over 8 percent of total 2025 certified enrollment.

More than 22 percent of public school districts had 100 or more students using Education Savings Accounts — state-funded tuition assistance — living within their boundaries.

More than 35 percent of districts had 100 or more students choosing to open enroll to another public district or public charter school.

Enrollment at public charter schools was 1,172 students, representing less than 1 percent of total 2025 certified enrollment.

What is certified enrollment?

The certified enrollment count is a snapshot in time, taken on the first day of October every year or the following Monday if the first falls on a weekend. Certified enrollment is used to determine funding for public schools and differs slightly from the actual headcount of students enrolled. Certified enrollment in October of any given year drives funding for the next fiscal year. Fall 2025 numbers will be used to determine public school funding for the 2026-27 school year. Enrollment has the greatest impact on a school district’s revenue.

Broader school choice increases competition for students among all types of schools.

Each year, across the state, students open enroll into traditional public schools outside their resident attendance boundaries.

Non-public school is also more accessible to families in Iowa because this is the first year since Education Savings Accounts were created in 2023, that all families became eligible for them.

Charter schools are becoming more common across the state following a 2021 law that allows founding groups to apply directly to the Iowa State Board of Education for approval. Charter schools are tuition-free schools that are publicly funded, but independently run under an approved charter with the state. In Iowa, charter schools receive per-pupil aid from the state, just like public schools.

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“This year alone, Republicans have allocated nearly $328 million to the runaway voucher program while public school funding has fallen $526 million behind inflation compared to when Gov. (Kim) Reynolds took over,” Iowa state Sen. Herman Quirmbach, a Democrat, said in a statement Friday.

“The Republican insistence for public money for private schools is an irresponsible use of state funds and an abdication of our responsibility to the vast majority of Iowa kids who are educated in public schools,” Quirmbach said.

Numbers by the district

In September, the Cedar Rapids Community School District reported a decline of 622 students, a 4.3 percent decline resulting in a loss of about $5 million in revenue for the 2026-27 school year. The total enrollment in the district is 13,945.

The Iowa City Community School District is down 189 students this year, for a total enrollment of 14,392.

Total enrollment in the Linn-Mar Community School District in Marion is 7,136, a decline of 69 students.

Total enrollment into the College Community School District in Cedar Rapids is 5,504, a decline of 40 students.

The Marion Independent School District declined by eight students for a total enrollment of 2,524.

The Clear Creek Amana Community School District, which serves three of the fastest-growing cities in Iowa, grew this year by about 50 students, for a total enrollment of 3,093.

Students enrollment in non-public schools in the Grant Wood AEA

There are 5,294 students within the Grant Wood Area Education Agency enrolled in certified non-public schools.

The number of resident students in each public school district who are attending non-public schools are as follows:

Grant Wood AEA supports more than 72,000 students in public and accredited non-public schools in seven counties. This area includes Benton, Cedar, Iowa, Johnson, Jones, Linn and Washington counties.

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