Each local school has set aside a portion of its budget to help families send their children to Catholic Schools.
In addition to the local budgets, the Monsignor Lafferty Tuition Foundation and the Catherine Birzle Scholarship help families make the decision to send their children to Catholic Schools.
The Monsignor Lafferty Tuition Foundation was established in 2006 as a result of the Iowa Educational Opportunities Act. This bill allows non-public schools to sell tax credits to individual donors to assist their families. Donations are made during the calendar year to assist students in the upcoming school year. In its inaugural year, the Monsignor Lafferty Tuition Foundation raised over $692,000 in tax credits that will help families enroll their children in one of our schools.
Families will need to apply for assistance using the FAIR application form. Disbursements are based on the poverty level, with 25% assistance for families at 3 times the poverty level; 50% assistance for families at 2 times the poverty level; and 75% assistance for families at poverty level or below.
The following is the most recent publication of the federal poverty level.
Family Size |
Annual Income |
3x Poverty Level |
Monthly Income |
3x Poverty Level |
| 1 |
$9,800 |
$29,400 |
$817 |
$2,451 |
| 2 |
$13,200 |
$39,600 |
$1,100 |
$3,300 |
| 3 |
$16,600 |
$49,800 |
$1,384 |
$4,152 |
| 4 |
$20,000 |
$60,000 |
$1,667 |
$5,001 |
| 5 |
$23,400 |
$70,200 |
$1,950 |
$5,850 |
| 6 |
$26,800 |
$80,400 |
$2,234 |
$6,702 |
| 7 |
$30,200 |
$90,600 |
$2,518 |
$7,554 |
| 8 |
$33,600 |
$100,800 |
$2,800 |
$8,400 |
| 9 |
$37,000 |
$111,000 |
$3,084 |
$9,252 |
| 10 |
$40,400 |
$121,200 |
$3,368 |
$10,204 |
| 11 |
$43,800 |
$131,400 |
$3,652 |
$10,956 |
| 12 |
$47,200 |
$141,600 |
$3,936 |
$11,808 |
| 13 |
$50,600 |
$151,800 |
$4,220 |
$12,600 |
In addition to the Monsignor Lafferty Tuition Foundation, the Catherine Birzle Scholarship assists families with students attending a Catholic High School in the Diocese of Sioux City.
Families requesting assistance will fill out one form for all financial aid available. Assistance will be calculated using a third-party provider and based on each school’s local tuition assistance that is available.
All requests must be postmarked by April 15 (or tax day if this falls on a weekend) and families will be notified of their financial aid package by the second week of May.
Any questions should be addressed to the Office of Education at kevinv@scdiocese or by calling Kevin Vickery at 712-233-7589.