At St. Luke the Evangelist Catholic School, we are grateful for the trust families place in us to provide a learning environment rooted in faith formation and academic excellence. To ensure we can continue offering this exceptional educational experience, we have adopted the Diocese of Des Moines' Cost to Educate model.

Guided by Bishop William Joensen, the Cost to Educate model reflects the true cost of providing a high-quality Catholic education. These costs include teacher and staff salaries and benefits, facilities maintenance, technology, educational resources, transportation, and administrative support. This model helps ensure our schools remain financially sustainable while continuing to attract and retain outstanding educators and provide students with modern learning environments and resources.

All 12 Catholic schools in the Des Moines metro area are supported by the Des Moines Region Business Office, which provides centralized human resources, information technology, and financial services. Academic excellence and faith formation remain under the leadership of the Diocese of Des Moines Catholic Schools Office. Day-to-Day operations continue to be managed by the administration at St. Luke the Evangelist School.  

For the 2026–2027 school year, tuition is $8,075 per student. Active, registered parishioners receive a parish-supported subsidy, reducing tuition to $5,550 per student. This subsidy is made possible through the generosity and ongoing support of our parish communities, helping make Catholic education accessible to more families.

Together, we are investing in the future of our students by providing a strong foundation of faith, knowledge, and service.

Tuition Rates

Parishioner Rate: $5,550
Non-Parishioner: $8,075

Fees

Registration Fee = $100 per student

Technology Fee = $200 per student

The tuition partially covers the total expense. The leadership council, administration, and region board work diligently to keep Catholic tuition affordable. In order to meet the financial obligations of the parish it is imperative for families to stay current on their tithing contributions.It is the responsibility of the parents/guardians to tithe to their Church and support the school development and fundraising activities as both the parish and school are investing in the Catholic education of your child.

Financial Aid and Tuition Assistance Programs

To begin the financial aid process families must complete a CTO application. All applications are available here. Contact Mrs. Hade for a waiver of the CTO processing fee.

Catholic Tuition Organization

Catholic Tuition Organization (CTO) is funded through a tax credit offered by the State of Iowa. This scholarship is available to any St. Luke’s School family. Applications and instructions are made available during Catholic Schools week at the end of January. Applications open in February and close in April of each year. Families who are eligible apply online at www.fairapp.com and pay a processing fee. Applications need to be completed by the designated date, and first round awards are finalized by the end of May. Visit www.ctoiowa.org for more information. If outside the application window, please contact Mrs Hade for support.

529 Plan

A 529 plan is a type of investment account you can use to save for qualified education expenses. Participants can use up to $5,800 per year, per student, for tuition expenses at a K-12 institution. Please consult your tax advisor to determine documentation requirements.Visit College Savings Iowa to learn more.

Student First Education Savings Account

The Students First Act makes state funding available to support the success of every K-12 student in Iowa. The bill established education savings accounts (ESAs), which may be used by eligible families to cover tuition, fees, and other qualified education expenses at accredited nonpublic schools in Iowa. For the 2025-2026 school year, eligible families can receive $7,988 per student annually to enroll at the accredited school of their choosing. The application window for the 2025-2026 school year is now closed. The application window begins on April 15 and closes June 30. To learn more about the ESA program, click here. To apply for the program, click here.