A Iowa Field Guide · Updated for 2026

How to start homeschooling in Iowa.

A clear, practical guide for families ready to bring learning home - written for the way Iowa actually does it. Two honest routes: file nothing under IPI, or file one optional form for public-school access. Four core subjects. Zero testing unless you choose it. Pick the trade that fits your family.

The Path · Getting Started

Five steps from weighing it over coffee to a confident Iowa start.

№ 01
01

Pick your route: IPI or CPI.

Iowa gives you a real choice. Independent Private Instruction (Iowa Code 299A.1) asks for no filing, no testing, and no district contact - in exchange, no dual enrollment. Competent Private Instruction trades one form (Form A) for access: dual enrollment for classes and sports, the district's Home School Assistance Program, and open enrollment. You can revisit the choice each year.

The honest trade
  • IPI: total independence, no public-school access
  • CPI: one annual form, full access menu
  • Both: no teacher credentials required
  • Both: parents issue the diploma
02

Withdraw cleanly - then file Form A only if you chose CPI.

If your child is enrolled, send the school a dated withdrawal letter naming your route, and keep a copy - that closes the attendance file without truancy confusion. IPI families are done: there is nothing to file, ever. CPI families send Form A to the resident district by September 1 - or, mid-year, a partially completed form within 14 days, finished within 30.

Form A asks for
  • Student name and age
  • Number of instruction days (148 minimum)
  • Texts you plan to use
  • An outline of the course of study
03

Build around the four-subject core.

IPI requires instruction in mathematics, reading and language arts, science, and social studies - and stops there. No curriculum approval, no methodology rules, and you may teach up to four unrelated students alongside your own. CPI names no subject list at all, though its optional assessment tracks reading, language arts, and math (plus science and social studies from grade 5). Either way, the materials are entirely your call.

Useful starting points
  • Iowa Core standards (optional benchmarks)
  • Homeschool Iowa's curriculum fairs & regional groups
  • District HSAP offerings, if you chose CPI
  • Curriculum review sites like Cathy Duffy
04

Set your calendar and records.

IPI sets no day or hour counts - your rhythm is your own. CPI commits you to at least 148 days of instruction, at least 37 per quarter, so a simple attendance log does the bookkeeping. Under both routes, keep the file every homeschooler should have: the withdrawal letter, work samples through the year, and a transcript once high school starts.

Keep on file
  • Copy of your withdrawal letter (and Form A, if CPI)
  • Attendance log - required math is 148/37 under CPI
  • Work samples a few times a year
  • High school transcript & course list
05

Claim the access you signed up for.

CPI is where Iowa opens its doors: request dual enrollment by September 15 (Iowa Code 299A.8) for district classes, activities, and interscholastic sports, join the Home School Assistance Program for a partnering teacher and resources, and use open enrollment if a neighboring district fits better. IPI families keep parent-taught driver education and community college options - by design, nothing more.

Dates & doors
  • Dual enrollment request: September 15
  • Moving in later? 14 days to request
  • HSAP: enroll through your district
  • Driver's ed: parent-taught option for both routes
The Law · Iowa

Two routes, one honest trade

№ 02

Iowa homeschooling lives in Iowa Code 299A.1 and the rest of chapter 299A, which since 2013 has offered two routes: Independent Private Instruction, with no reporting of any kind, and Competent Private Instruction, where an optional Form A filed with your resident district buys dual enrollment, program access, and a 148-day calendar. Neither route requires teacher credentials, curriculum approval, or - unless you opt into it - any testing.

Option 01

Independent Private Instruction

Best for families who want full independence and no district relationship at all.

  • No filing, notice, or assessment - ever
  • Teach math, reading & language arts, science, social studies
  • Up to 4 unrelated students may join your school
  • Answer only a written request for basic names
  • Governed by Iowa Code 299A.1
Option 02

Competent Private Instruction with Form A

Best for families who want public-school doors open: sports, classes, HSAP support, and open enrollment.

  • File Form A with your resident district by September 1
  • Teach at least 148 days, 37 per quarter
  • Dual enrollment for classes & athletics (request by Sept. 15)
  • Choose assessment, a licensed supervising teacher, or HSAP
  • Governed by Iowa Code 299A.2-299A.8
Requirements · Curriculum

Four subjects, plainly named.

№ 03

Independent Private Instruction is the rare low-regulation route that actually lists its subjects: mathematics, reading and language arts, science, and social studies (Iowa Code 299A.1). How you teach them - and everything you add beyond them - is yours alone. CPI families have no statutory subject list at all; most simply teach the same core.

01

Mathematics

Numeracy through algebra and geometry, with applied reasoning.

02

Reading & Language Arts

Phonics, fluency, composition, grammar, and literature.

03

Science

Inquiry and observation across life, physical, and earth sciences.

04

Social Studies

History, geography, government, and economics in context.

0
Forms under IPI

Independent Private Instruction requires no filing, testing, or reporting - only a reply if the district asks in writing.

148
CPI instruction days

The optional Form A route commits you to 148 days a year, at least 37 each quarter - logged at home, not submitted.

4
IPI core subjects

Math, reading and language arts, science, and social studies - named in Iowa Code 299A.1 itself.

Sep 15
Dual enrollment deadline

CPI families request dual enrollment by September 15 for district classes, activities, and sports.

Questions · Answered Honestly

Iowa's two-route system, untangled

№ 04
No. Neither IPI nor CPI requires the parent to hold a license, degree, or any qualification. One CPI variation deliberately uses an Iowa-licensed supervising teacher - two contacts per 45 instruction days, one of them face-to-face - and a parent who happens to hold the right license can fill that role for their own children.
Yes, at any time. Send a dated withdrawal letter, keep a copy, and begin. Under IPI there is nothing further to do. If you want CPI access mid-year, file a partially completed Form A with your resident district within 14 days of starting and complete it within 30 - the 148-day count adjusts to your start.
Not required - and the confusion is understandable. Before 2013, reporting was mandatory; today, Independent Private Instruction lets any family teach with no filing at all. Form A exists for families who choose Competent Private Instruction because they want what it unlocks: dual enrollment (including sports), the Home School Assistance Program, and open enrollment. File it by September 1 if you want those doors open; skip it with a clear conscience if you don't.
No. Under IPI the district's only role is that it - or the Iowa Department of Education - may request, in writing, the name of your instructor, your homeschool, and your enrolled students; a short letter answers it. Under CPI the district receives Form A but does not approve curriculum or inspect your home. Choosing the CPI assessment option adds one genuine obligation: sharing annual evidence of progress.
Yes - through CPI dual enrollment under Iowa Code 299A.8. File Form A, then request dual enrollment by September 15, and your student may take classes and join activities and interscholastic athletics at the resident district (families who move in later have 14 days to request). IPI students are not eligible for dual enrollment, which is the single biggest reason sports-minded families choose CPI.
None, unless you choose it. IPI never requires assessment. CPI families pick one of three tracks on Form A: annual evidence of progress (a standardized test above the 30th percentile, a portfolio evaluation, or an accredited-program report card, shared with the district), supervision by a licensed teacher, or the district's Home School Assistance Program - the latter two involve no testing at all.
Yes. Iowa has no state diploma for homeschoolers under either route, so parents set graduation requirements and issue their own diploma and transcript. Iowa's community colleges and universities work with homeschool applicants as a matter of routine - a clear transcript with course descriptions is what carries weight.
No. The Students First Education Savings Account - roughly $8,148 per student for 2026-27 - is limited to students enrolled full-time in accredited nonpublic schools. Families homeschooling under IPI or CPI are not eligible, regardless of income. A homeschooled student who later enrolls full-time in an accredited private school can apply then. Check current legislation, as eligibility rules continue to evolve.
Resources · Iowa

Where Iowa families compare notes

№ 05
Official - State

Iowa Department of Education

The state's homeschooling page and Private Instruction Handbook - IPI and CPI side by side, Form A downloads, and dual enrollment guidance from the source.

Visit Iowa DOE
Community - Statewide

Homeschool Iowa

Iowa's largest homeschool organization - route-by-route legal guides, regional support groups, a capitol day, and an annual statewide conference.

Visit Homeschool Iowa
Legal - National

Home School Legal Defense Association

Plain-language walkthroughs of all of Iowa's options, Form A help for CPI families, and member legal support if a question ever arises.

Read the Law
The Iowa Getting Started Kit

Two routes, one organized family.

The Iowa Getting Started Kit handles both sides of Iowa's trade - a no-filing IPI start or a buttoned-up Form A filing - so whichever route you pick, the paperwork is already thought through.

  • Iowa Withdrawal Letter template - since IPI requires no notice, this dated letter naming your route under Iowa Code 299A.1 is the one document every transferring family should send.
  • IPI vs. CPI Decision Sheet - the honest trade on one page: independence versus dual enrollment, HSAP, and sports, with the September 1 and September 15 dates that govern the CPI side.
  • Form A Companion Worksheet - drafts every field the CPI report asks for (texts, course outline, 148-day plan) before you touch the official form.
  • Recordkeeping Log - attendance tracking built to CPI's 148-day / 37-per-quarter math, light enough for IPI families who log by choice.
  • First 30 Days Roadmap - decision to first lesson, including the mid-year CPI timeline (partial Form A in 14 days, complete in 30).
Instant Digital Download
$29
One-time purchase · Yours forever
Get the Iowa Kit
Secure checkout · Instant delivery by email
Arrowstead Academy

Insights, tools, and inspiration to help you cultivate wisdom, curiosity, and character at home.

Arrowstead Academy provides educational information, not legal advice. Homeschool law changes; verify current requirements with the Iowa Department of Education and your school district, or consult an attorney. Statute citations reflect Iowa law as of 2026.

© Copyright 2026 Arrowstead Academy. All rights reserved.