2024/2025 IACS School Survey Results
For the past three years, IACS has surveyed its member schools to get data on the challenges and successes that we are seeing statewide and help inform our work both in education, support, and advocacy. This year (2024) marks the largest percentage of schools to respond in the three years of the annual survey. Here are some highlights from this year’s survey:
Notable Findings
- 46% of IACS schools consider themselves “rural,” with the rest responding suburban or urban, pointing to a diverse set of geographic locations and demographics.
- Schools still rely largely on word of mouth in marketing their schools. There has been a slight uptick in schools using printed materials, ads, etc.
- Schools report overwhelmingly positive experiences for parents in applying for and schools receiving payment from the ESA program in a convenient and timely manner.
- Despite steadily growing numbers of new students, the number of open seats has also remained steady, indicating schools are building capacity.
- Wait list numbers have remained relatively steady despite increased demand and enrollment.
- Tuition has increased but, anecdotally, we know that most schools started increasing tuition 2-5 years ago as previous business models became unsustainable. We haven’t seen skyrocketing tuition rates many were concerned about above the rate of previous increases.
- Finding qualified staff remains the number one challenge facing IACS schools (71% report this as among their greatest challenges), a number that has grown each of the three years of surveys. Two years ago, 64% reported finding qualified staff was among their greatest challenges. School security has been creeping up as a challenge the last two years with 21% of schools saying it is among their greatest challenges.
- The combination of ESA, STO, and other private scholarship dollars remains an important way for schools to ensure lower-income families with multiple children have access to affordable K-12 education in Iowa.
- Diversity in IACS schools is on par with the state’s general population. Although few were equipped to answer the question last year, a greater percentage reported diversity percentages this year, averaging 14.78% (~10% last year). Iowa has an ~15.5% minority population, meaning Iowa’s Christian Schools are reaching state averages, reflecting a broad cross-section of Iowans and an increasingly diverse private school population statewide.