Financial Aid
The parishes of St. Mary’s and St. Patrick’s provide scholarships on a limited basis for students who are members of each respective parish. Beyond this, families may apply for aid through the School Tuition Organization (see below).
School Tuition Organization (STO)
STO’s are provided for in a bill passed by the Iowa Legislature. Their purpose is to raise money for scholarships to lower-income students who wish to attend an accredited private school in Iowa. Those who give money to the School Tuition Organization scholarship fund receive a 65% Iowa tax credit on their donation. These tax credits are not an appropriation. They save the state money because current and new students to Iowa’s private schools do not draw down from state school aid dollars. The program also goes a long way in respecting Iowa parents’ rights to direct the education of their children by choosing the educational environment that best meets their child’s needs.
The form to apply for an STO grant is available online at www.stoseiowa.org. You may visit this website for more information or contact Steve Roling at 563.391.1845, or send an email to steve@bistatetax.org
STO’s require a completed tax form for the year previous to the school year for which aid is being applied. The cut off date for submitting an application for STO money is April 15th.