St. Johns School
under 1 mi✓ Iowa ESA eligible (accredited)Grades K-8131 students10.9 students per teacherRoman CatholicCo-ed
Private schools in Independence, IA
4 schools in Independence itself and 1 more within 12 miles. 4 of them are on the state’s Students First ESA list. Students First ESA pays $8,148 per student for 2026-27.
Order: schools on the official Students First ESA list first, then nearest. No school pays for its place. Map
Private schools in Independence (4)
No matching schools.
St. John Elementary School
under 1 mi✓ Iowa ESA eligible (accredited)
✓ Iowa ESA eligible (accredited)
Grades 5Under 10 K-12 studentsPentecostalCo-ed
Nearby, within 12 miles (1)
No matching schools.
✓ Iowa ESA eligible (accredited)Grades PreK-875 students7.1 students per teacherRoman CatholicCo-ed
Independence private schools at a glance
- Closest to downtown
- St. Johns School, under 1 mi
- Students
- about 207 in all; the typical school has 131
- Smallest and largest
- St. Athanasius School, 75 students; St. Johns School, 131 students
- Students per teacher
- 10.9 typical, 7.1 to 10.9 across 2 schools
- Not taught by any school here
- high school
- Association members
- 1, the National Catholic Educational Association
- Catholic2
- Christian, not Catholic1
- Not in federal survey2
- Pre-K (and up)1
- Elementary (K to 5)3
- Middle (6 to 8)2
In IndependenceWithin 12 mi
- Independence area80%
- All of Iowa89%
Where these facts come from
- Grades, size, affiliation, co-ed, membership, college-going: NCES Private School Universe Survey 2023-24, downloaded September 20, 2026.
- Program list: Iowa Students First Education Savings Account schools, list read October 26, 2026, checked November 4, 2026.
- Award and rules: Iowa Students First Education Savings Account, official page, read October 11, 2026.
What Iowa pays
- Program
- Iowa Students First Education Savings Account, education savings account
- Award
- $8,148 per student for 2026-27
- Also
- Paid in two equal installments, fall and spring. New for 2026-27: a half-year ESA of $4,074 for the spring semester. Homeschooled students do not qualify.
Keep looking
- Private elementary schools in and around Independence (3)
- All schools in Buchanan County
- Private schools in Gilbertville (16 mi)
- Private schools in Waterloo (23 mi)
- Private schools in Cedar Falls (28 mi)
- Private schools in Cedar Rapids (36 mi)
- Private schools in Dyersville (40 mi)
- The private schools nearest you, by ZIP code or location
- All Iowa Students First Education Savings Account schools
Put the next Students First ESA window in your calendar
Open now, until November 15, 2026 Iowa Students First ESA: 2026-27 half-year ESA application window.
Every program's dates in one calendar that updates when we confirm new dates: subscribe in Google Calendar · subscribe in Apple Calendar or Outlook · all deadlines
Free. Nothing to sign up for: the calendar file is made in your browser and nothing is sent to us. Dates can change, so confirm on the official site.
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