Des Moines, IA (KICD) — The Iowa Department of Education has approved the first round of vouchers that transfer tax money from public schools to private institutions. Northwest Iowa’s Sioux County had the third highest number on the list at 1,183 vouchers approved: behind only Polk, Linn, and Scott Counties – home to Des Moines, Cedar Rapids, and the Quad-Cities.

O’Brien County

had 250 vouchers approved and Lyon County had 196. The department is not releasing the destination of the students approved for the transfers, but Sioux County is home to the Western Christian High School in Hull.

152 money transfers were approved for Buena Vista County – home of St. Mary’s Catholic School in Storm Lake; 142 in Clay County – home of both Catholic and Lutheran schools in Spencer; and 75 in Palo Alto and 43 in Pocahontas Counties which also have parochial schools.

18 were approved in Osceola County, 17 in Cherokee County, twelve in Dickinson County, and only one in Emmet County.

State aid per certified pupil in Iowa is 7 thousand 635 dollars. Vouchers have been discussed in Iowa for decades and were passed by the Iowa legislature last year and signed into law by Governor Kim Reynolds.