When is the half-year ESA application deadline for Des Moines families?
11:59 p.m. on November 15, 2026. The window opened at 8:00 a.m. on October 15 in the Odyssey parent portal.
Approval is only the first step: the student has to be enrolled and the spring tuition confirmed in the portal by 11:59 p.m. on January 14, 2027, and eligibility is finalized January 15.
Why does a half-year ESA exist?
House File 2754, signed May 12, 2026, created a second, half-year application window. Before it, the only window closed June 30, so a student who enrolled later had no way to apply until the following school year.
It suits a child who starts the year in a public school, a family new to Iowa, or a homeschooler who decides to enroll at an accredited school for the spring.
How much is the half-year award and when is it paid?
$4,074, exactly half of the $8,148 full-year amount. Half-year funds become available December 1, 2026, the same day as spring deposits for full-year students.
What Half-Year ESA is and isn't
| It is | It isn't |
|---|---|
| A spring-semester award of $4,074 | A second award on top of a full-year ESA |
| Applied for in Odyssey Oct 15 – Nov 15, 2026 | Open after November 15 |
| Paid once tuition is confirmed by Jan 14, 2027 | Guaranteed before enrollment is confirmed |