HOME SCHOOL (PRIVATE INSTRUCTION)
Families may choose to educate their children at home instead of sending them to a traditional public or nonpublic school. This is called homeschooling. Families choose to home school for a variety of reasons. That is why the state of Iowa allows several educational options for home schooling:
- Full-time home school with the support of a certified teacher (Competent Private Instruction)
- Full-time home school without the support of a certified teacher (Competent Private Instruction or Independent Private Instruction)
- Part-time home school with part-time enrollment in a school district (Competent Private Instruction)
- Attendance at a non-accredited school (Competent Private Instruction)
Home schooling with the support of a certified teacher.
Home instruction is supervised by a teacher hired by the family or provided by a district’s Home School Assistance Program (HSAP).
Home schooling without the support of a certified teacher.
The family provides the total educational program with no interaction with a public school or certified teacher.
Part-time home school with part-time enrollment in a school district.
The student completes some instruction at home and participates in a public school for some instruction or extra-curricular activities.
Attendance at a non-accredited school.
A student attends a school that does not meet accreditation standards.
The Iowa Department of Education cannot issue diplomas, and the district of residence may not be compelled to issue a diploma. This is a local decision. Families desiring a district diploma for their children are urged to contact their resident high school administrators during their child’s 8th-grade year to coordinate these credits. Further information can be found by clicking on the following links:
**Please note that the following forms will be updated toward the end of July. As soon as the State has posted the links we will update them below.
Iowa Department’s Home School (Private Instruction) website
Home School Annual Assessment Sample Letter to Parents
Home School Acceptable Tests for Baseline & Annual Assessment
Additional questions regarding Home Schooling may be directed to Deb Etzel.