The Iowa rules in plain English - notice, testing, records, and the dates families actually miss. Verified against the official sources below on 2026-10-18.
Before anything else: this is orientation, not legal advice. Requirements change and local offices have their own habits. The sources at the bottom are the authority - check them before you file.
Two frameworks: Competent Private Instruction (CPI) - with annual reporting when not supervised by a licensed teacher - or Independent Private Instruction (IPI), which has no reporting but limits you to your own children plus four unrelated.
Where it goes: Resident district (CPI reporting); no one under IPI
Annual assessment only if the district requests it under CPI unsupervised (parent picks the form); IPI has no assessment.
Subjects: Math, reading/language arts, science, social studies (CPI); parent-set under IPI
Records: Keep your CPI reporting confirmation; records support any equivalency question.
[Your name]
[Address]
[Date]
Dear your local school authority,
I am writing to notify you of my intent to home educate for my child, [student name], grade [X], for the [20XX-XX] school year.
Included: the required information.
Respectfully,
[Your name] · [phone] · [email]
Want this handled? The Records Office drafts your Iowa notice or filing every year, keeps the deadline calendar, and builds the transcript and course descriptions colleges expect. Founding families: $99/year.
VERIFIED 2026-10-18 AGAINST THE SOURCES ABOVE · HOMESCHOOL RECORDS OFFICE · YOU ARE THE SCHOOL OF RECORD · THIS GUIDE IS ORIENTATION, NOT LEGAL ADVICE