Saint James considers tuition hike

WASHINGTON — Board members at Saint James Catholic School in Washington held a work session Thursday night where they considered raising the school’s tuition in light of recent state efforts to help students pay for private education.

Ahead of the Thursday night meeting, St. James School Board Chair Dan Berdo said he wasn’t sure what new number to expect, but that increases to attendance costs at the school would be gradual, if enacted. While the board usually implements slight increases ahead of every school year, it’s considering a bigger one in 2024 to capitalize on state assistance for private school students.

“There will be more funding available as more and more students in our system have ESA money available,” Berdo said. “But, families that don’t qualify for ESA, how do we bridge this gap? … we’re better off to do it in steps rather than just one big increase.”

Education Savings Accounts, or ESAs, are currently available only to certain students, with the notable limitation that recipients in grades 1-12 must either not have attended private school in the year prior, or must fall below 300% of Iowa’s poverty line. That number jumps to 400% starting in July of 2024.

Beginning July 1 of 2025, however, all stipulations on the money end, making the state aid for private school enrollment available to any prospective students.

Out of St. James’ 86 students in grades kindergarten through fifth — the only ones at the school eligible for ESAs, which do not cover preschool — 45 currently receive the state money, according to St. James Finance Director Mary Sue Marek.

ESAs so far in the state have offered pupils “the same amount appropriated by the state to support the education of each public-school student,” according to the Office of Gov. Kim Reynolds. In the 2023-24 school year, that amount was $7,635, well above St. James’ tuition of $3,278 for parishioners and $4,288 for non-parishioners.

With that money becoming more available to families in the near future, Berdo said it only made sense to consider a tuition hike at the private school, which would offer a raise for teachers while ESAs take the financial burden off Washington area parents.

“One thing that we struggle with, too, is our teacher salaries are not close to public,” he said. “The ESA money will offer a similar pay to our public school. So we kind of know where we need to go.”

While Berdo had no specific estimate for the proposed tuition change ahead of Thursday’s meeting, he said the board would be careful to avoid a coverage gap. Raising the price by too much could otherwise leave some school families unable to afford attendance, but beyond the qualifying criteria for ESAs.

“We’re seeing … how we can bridge that gap,” he said. “For the people that don’t qualify now, to the ‘25-26 school year where everyone does qualify, we’re working our way through that to help understand what we can do as a board.”

A decision on the matter is not expected until the private school’s Feb. 21 board meeting, according to Berdo, who said that was the earliest possible date for a vote.

Comments: Kalen.McCain@southeastiowaunion.com