The Network of Iowa Christian Home Educators
This page we provides answers to the most frequently asked questions. These questions are compiled from voice mail system and the numerous email and phone contacts made to our board members and local support groups. No information on this page is to be considered legally binding. It is our best attempt to answer questions as we understand the laws and rules governing home education in Iowa. We strongly advise those families experiencing difficulties with their school districts to receive competent counsel from a licensed attorney experienced with home education in Iowa. It is also your responsibility to know the laws and rules. You can download a copy of the Iowa Code and the Administrative Rules from our Iowa Law and Rules page. We encourage you to do that.
If the answer to the question you are asking is not below, please submit your questions to us. We will attempt to get back to you promptly. Please direct your question to our Voice Mail or E-mail us.
Questions related to Legal Options
1. What are my legal options in satisfying the state's interest in my child's academic progress?
Questions related to Dual Enrollment:
1. Am I required to dual enroll my child?
2. Is Dual Enrollment the same as Home School Assistance Programs (HSAP)?
3. Under dual enrollment is the school district required to give me text books and teacher's editions?
4. Can my dual enrolled student play sports at the public school?
5. Can my dual enrolled student take college classes under the Post Secondary Enrollment Option?
Questions related to Home School Assistance Programs:
2. Am I required to participate in an HSAP?
1. What are the guidelines for testing my child?
2. Do I have to test my student if I am using a supervising teacher?
4. Where can I purchase testing materials?
5. Does the school district have to provide testing in my home?
6. What if my child does not test in the 30th percentile?
7. Can I use a different test?
8. How can I find someone to test my child?
9. Where do I send my end of year standardized test results?
Questions related to the use of Supervising Teacher:
1. When must I choose a supervising teacher?
2. What type of license should my supervising teacher have?
3. Do I need a supervising teacher for each child I homeschool?
4. How can I find a supervising teacher?
5. What are the responsibilities of a Supervising Teacher?
6. Niche has a supervising Teacher Contract. Is that necessary?
7. What is the Substitute Authorization?
8. What is the difference between a Substitute License and a Substitute Authorization?
9.How can someone obtain a substitute authorization?
10. Can someone with a Substitute Authorization be my child's supervising teacher?
11. Where to I get the forms to obtain a Substitute Authorization?
Questions related to Immunizations:
1. Do I have to immunize my child to home educate them?
2. What are the required immunizations?
3. Do home schooling families qualify to take the religious exemption?
Questions related to using the Portfolio Option:
1. How do I find a teacher to review my child's portfolio?
2. What must be in a portfolio?
3. Do I have to do a base line test before using the Portfolio Option?
Questions related to home educating a Special Needs Child:
1. Can I homeschool my special needs child?
2. Can I refuse the special education services of the school district?
3. What resources are available to parents homeschooling a special needs child?
Answers to Frequently Asked Questions
1. What are my legal options in satisfying the state's interest in my child's academic progress?
You have two options under Iowa law to verify that your student is making progress. You can work with a supervising teacher or you can provide evidence of annual progress by assessment. When you choose to work with a supervising teacher, there are no other state requirements. You choose the teacher and you are accountable to him or her. The teacher is expected to monitor the progress of your student and make recommendations as necessary.
If you choose an annual assessment, you can choose to either test your child or provide a portfolio of the child's work to a licensed teacher. Your student must test in the 30th percentile and be at or above the grade level. The teacher who evaluates your student's portfolio must verify that your student has made 6 months progress and be at or above the grade level. Test scores and the evaluation of your child's portfolio are sent to the local school district and to the Department of Education.
Am I required to dual enroll my child?
The choice to dual enroll in the public school is made by the parent. On the Competent Private Instruction Form A (CPI) you will see a place for requesting dual enrollment. If you want access to public school programs, materials or testing services, you will be asked to dual enroll. If you do not want any services from the government schools, you do not need to accept them. A school district cannot automatically enroll you in their HSAP or place you under dual enrollment.
Is Dual Enrollment the same as Home School Assistance Programs (HSAP)?
Dual enrollment is not the same as an HSAP. A school district must offer dual enrollment, but they do not have to offer a HSAP.
Under dual enrollment is the school district required to give me text books and teacher's editions?
A school district is only required to provide you with materials that are usually provided to regularly enrolled students. They may provide you with teacher's editions, but they are not required to do so.
A homeschool dual enrolled student can participate in sports at a public school on the same basis as regularly enrolled students.
Can my dual enrolled student take college classes under the Post Secondary Enrollment Option?
Under a recent legislative change, homeschooled students can participate in the Post Secondary Enrollment Option and take college classes paid for by the school district. There are limits to the number of classes that can be taken and you can only participate on the same basis as a regularly enrolled student.
HSAP stands for Home School Assistance Program. This is a program that the local school district may offer to families in their district, and how it operates may differ slightly from district to district. A family may choose to participate in an HSAP, and the school district receives funding for each enrolled student. The district provides oversight of the homeschooled child by assigning a teacher to the family. The teacher and family must meet regularly and the requirements of the student are discussed and evaluated at these meetings. The school district may have additional requirements for students enrolled in their programs.
What are the guidelines for testing my child?
Parents choosing the standardized testing option must:
1. Start the testing option when child is 7 or older
2. Choose a test from the list of approved tests in the administrative rules, or request special permission to use another test.
3. Arrange to have the child tested by May 1, or test through the public school.
Dual enrolled students receive free testing. Use the NICHE Testing Certification Form if you are purchasing the test and arranging for administration on your own.
4. Report the results to the resident school district and the Department of Education by June 30.
6. Make special arrangements if the child does not make "adequate progress:" Scores which indicate six months' progress from the previous results or scores which are at or above the child's grade level are used to verify adequate progress.
Do I have to test my student if I am using a supervising teacher?
You do not have to test your child if you are using the services of a supervising teacher unless your supervising teacher requests testing. Under this condition, the student's scores do not have to be submitted to anyone.
NICHE recommends that, if possible, you should always have someone else test your child if you are going to submit those scores as evidence of academic progress. This puts us above reproach and does not call into question your child's test scores.
The Iowa Administrative code does say that "If a student has been administered an approved standardized test by a non-public school during the academic school year for which testing is required, and the administration of the test has met the terms or protocol of the test publisher, the results may be submitted to the resident district and the department of education in original form by either the test administrator or the parent, guardian, or legal custodian of the child being tested, in satisfaction of the annual assessment option. The submitted test results shall be accompanied by a certification statement signed by the test administrator to the effect that the publisher's protocol or terms required for test administration have been meet" (Chapter 31.4(2) c.
This language suggests that as long as the parent tests the child according the test publishers protocol, the scores can be submitted and must be accepted by the district.
Where can I purchase testing materials?
Testing materials can be easily purchased from Bob Jones University Press. You can do this by accessing Home Education Services on their website. The tests available, the cost, and the test publisher's protocols are listed there. This site also gives very helpful information on interpreting test results and using these results to build a strong academic program for your student.
Does the school district have to provide testing in my home?
Chapter 31.7 (3) a states that "A school district or area education agency shall administer standardized tests at the child's home when testing in the home is requested." If the child is dual enrolled there is no charge for the testing. If the child is not dual enrolled, fees apply.
In addition, by October 1 the school district must:
1. Notify you of the times and dates when standardized tests will be administered
2. Tell you the costs, if any.
3. Provide you with a reply form to complete. This form must indicate the date, location, and test selected, including the grade level form of the test. It must also ask if the parent would like to be present during the test and if any special requests are needed such as Braille or large print forms of the test.
"Adequate progress" means, for children in all grade levels of competent private instruction, evaluation scores which are above the thirtieth percentile, nationally normed, in each of the areas of reading, mathematics, and language arts, and which indicate either than the child has made six months' progress from the previous evaluation results or that the child is at or above grade level. For children in grade levels six and above, "adequate progress" also means that the child has achieved evaluation scores in both science and social studies which are above the thirtieth percentile, nationally normed, and which either indicate that the child has made six months' progress from the previous evaluation results or that the child is at or above grade level.
If a child does not show "adequate progress" under competent private instruction, the director of the department of education, or the director's designee, shall notify the parent, guardian, or custodian of the child that the child is required to attend an accredited public or non-public school, unless approval for competent private instruction under a remediation plan is granted. The director, or the director's designee, may provisionally approve continued competent private instruction under an approved remediation plan to improve instruction for up to one year.
A child may be retested, but the test must be administered sufficiently in advance to allow for processing of the test results prior to the first day of classes of the succeeding school year.
Yes, but you must first get permission from the Department of Education prior to using the test.
How can I find someone to test my child?
You need to find out what the test publisher requires of the examiner. Some test providers require that you use a certified teacher. Others want the examiner to have a bachelors degree or receive special training. This information is provided by the test publisher or the test provider. If you need a teacher to administer the test, we recommend that you find one through your local support group or call NICHE and ask for the name of a teacher in your area.
Where do I send my end of year standardized test results?
By May 1 testing should be complete, and the student's scores sent to the Department of Education and the local school district by June 30. For the address of your local school district, check in the phone book. The address for the Iowa Department of Education is:
Iowa Department of Education
Office of Home Instruction
Grimes State Office Building
Des Moines, IA 50319
You will need to have the name and the folder number of your supervising teacher before you complete your CPI form. CPI forms must be submitted by September 15th.
What type of license should my supervising teacher have?
Your supervising teacher must be licensed for the grade level of your child.
Do I need a supervising teacher for each child I homeschool?
You may. A teacher certified K-6, K-8, or K-9 can supervise or evaluate portfolios for children in grades K-9. A teacher certified in grades 5-12 or 7-12 can supervise or evaluate portfolios for students in grades 5-12. You do not need a supervising teacher for a child under 6 or over 16.
How can I find a supervising teacher?
NICHE maintains a list of teachers who are willing to accept referrals of homeschooled students, however, our list is not exhaustive. You may also find a teacher through your local support group. You can request a teacher from our list by completing a request form. You can access this form on our page, Finding a Supervising Teacher.
Choosing a supervising teacher is a very important decision. We recommend that you first read the article, "Using the Supervising Teacher Option" by supervising teacher & homeschooling mom, Terri Miller.
A homeschool supervising teacher must:
1. Possess a valid Iowa teaching certificate which is appropriate to the student's age and grade level
2. Make contact with the student and the student's parent at least twice per quarter -- every 45 days of instruction. One of every two contacts must be face-to-face. The other contacts can be by phone, email, letter, or other means agreed upon by the parent and teacher.
3. Provide supervision for no more than 25 families or no more than 50 homeschooled students.
4. Consult with and advise the student's parent with respect to the following during the course of the year's visits (these do not have to all be covered at every visit):
(a) Lesson plans;
(b) Textbook and supplementary materials;
(c) Setting educational goals and objectives;
(d) Teaching and learning techniques;
(e) Forms of assessment and evaluation of student learning;
(f) Diagnosing student strengths and weaknesses;
(g) Interpretation of test results;
(h) Planning;
(i) Record keeping; and
(j) Other duties as requested or agreed upon.
(k) Provide formal and informal assessments of the student's progress to the student and the student's parent, guardian, or legal custodian.
(l) Maintain a diary, record, or log of visitations and assistance provided.
(m) Refer to the child's district of residence for evaluation a child who the practitioner has reason to believe may be in need of special education.
It is important that you and your supervising teacher clearly understand what each is to expect. The Supervising Teacher Contract is a means to put this into writing. It is an optional tool to be used by those who want their agreement in writing. It also serves as a legal contract prohibiting the teacher from disclosing your child's homeschool experience to anyone without your permission.
What is the Substitute Authorization?
The Substitute Authorization is a designation created a number of years ago that allows a person with a baccalaureate degree (or a paraprofessional certificate) to substitute teach in a middle school, junior high or high school for a maximum of 5 days per assignment.
Although it would seem at first that this does not relate to home educators, it does indeed, as we have verified that the Department of Education approves the use of a substitute authorization in place of a regular teacher’s license (either initial, standard, master’s, or substitute) in privately-funded home schools.
To put it simply, if you have a four-year college degree, and you’re willing to “jump through the required hoops” to obtain a substitute authorization, you can be your own child’s (or other people’s children’s) supervising teacher. This is true only if the supervision is done outside of the public school system.
What is the difference between a Substitute License and a Substitute Authorization?
A person holding a substitute teaching license must have completed a teacher education program. A substitute teaching license authorizes the person to substitute teach in any area, on any level, K-12, for a maximum of 90 days per assignment.
A person holding a substitute authorization must have a baccalaureate degree (or a paraprofessional certificate) and complete a substitute training program (described later). A substitute authorization allows the person to substitute in the middle school, junior high or high school for a maximum of 5 days per assignment. (Note that the substitute authorization is only valid for grades 5-12.)
According to the Department of Education, either a substitute license folder number or a substitute authorization folder number will be accepted as a licensed supervising teacher folder number in privately-funded home schools.
How can someone obtain a Substitute Authorization:
The Substitute Authorization may be issued to an individual who:
1. Has successfully completed all the requirements of the approved Substitute Authorization course.
2. Has achieved at least one of the following:
(a) Holds a baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited institution, OR
(b) Has completed an approved Paraeducator Certification Program
and holds a Paraeducator Certificate.
3. Has attained a minimum age of 21 years.
4. Has successfully completed an Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation background check.
5. Has successfully completed a national criminal history background check.
The Substitute Authorization Course
The Substitute Authorization Course has been developed and offered in several of the Area Education Agencies in the state of Iowa. A quick search online revealed information about courses offered at AEA 8, AEA 10, AEA 11, and AEA 13. To find out if your local AEA offers the Substitute Authorization Course, contact the Staff Development Coordinator at the AEA. A list of all the Iowa Area Education Agencies, and their contact information, is available at http://www.iowa.gov/boee/AEAs.html
The Substitute Authorization Course must, according to state law, cover the following four components:
1. Classroom Management - Participants will develop an understanding of individual and group motivation and behavior that will enable them to create a learning environment that encourages positive social interaction, active engagement in learning, and self motivation.
2. Strategies for Learning - Participants will develop skills to use a variety of learning strategies that encourage student development of critical thinking, problem solving, and performance skills.
3. Diversity - Participants will develop an understanding of how students differ in their approaches to learning, will be able to create learning opportunities that are equitable and are adaptable to diverse learners, and will develop an understanding of the diversity within the classroom.
4. Ethics - Participants will develop an understanding of how to foster relationships with parents, school colleagues, and organizations in the larger community to support student learning and development and become aware of the Board's Rules of Professional Practice and Code of Ethics.
Can someone with a Substitute Authorization be my child's supervising teacher?
Yes. The Department of Education will accept a valid Substitute Authorization folder number in the same way they would accept a valid Iowa teaching license folder number -- as long as the student is in grades 5-12 and the holder of the Substitute Authorization is using it for privately-funded home education.
Where to I get the forms to obtain a Substitute Authorization?
The required forms for the Substitute Authorization are available for download from the State of Iowa Bureau of Educational Examiners website:http://www.state.ia.us/boee/forms/sub_auth.pdf
Unless you have a medical or religious exemption to immunizations, you are required to submit evidence of immunizations when submitting your reporting form for the first time. If you have a medical or religious reason for not immunizing your children, you are expected to submit a form indicating this. The Iowa Department of Public Health Certificate of Immunization Exemption Form is submitted with your
The Iowa Code on Immunizations states that diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus, poliomyelitis, rubeola, rubella and chicken pox are required for children enrolled in school. Evidence of hepatitis type B immunization is required of a child born on or after July 1, 1994, prior to enrollment in school in kindergarten.
The Centers for Disease Control also has a list of Recommended Immunizations. Parents need to be well informed about immunizations. You can find helpful information about immunizations on the internet and there are numerous books available on this subject. We recommend that you educate yourself about this important issue.
Do home schooling families qualify to take the religious exemption?
IA recent change in the immunization religious exemption allows for more families to take advantage of this option. Recent court decisions have upheld the rights of individuals seeking exemptions from immunizations based upon personal and religious reasons. It was determined by court case that a state may not deny an exemption simply because a person is not a member of a formal religious organization. Subsequent court rulings had declared that restricting religious exemptions from vaccination solely and exclusively to bona fide members of a recognized religious organization to be unconstitutional.
To that end home educators in Iowa can take the religious exemption for immuizations. There is no longer a requirement in Iowa stating an applicant must be a member or adherent of a recognized religious denomination or bona fide church to take the religious exemption for immunizations.
Please remember the Certificate of Immunization Exemption for religious reasons is valid only when notarized. Religious exemptions shall become null and void during times of emergency as determined by the state board of health and declared by the director of public health. This part of the regulation has not changed.
The form you need to file is called Iowa Department of Public Health Certificate of Immunization Exemption. Complete this form and have it notorized. You should make a copy and send the original to your district.
Any certified teacher can evaluate your child's portfolio as long as they are certified in the grade level of your child. As with choosing a supervising teacher, it is very important who you choose as your portfolio evaluator. Reading the article, "Using the Supervising Teacher Option" by supervising teacher & homeschooling mom, Terri Miller, will help you choose an evaluator that will complement your teaching style.
It is best to meet with your evaluator at the beginning of the school year to formulate a plan. You should agree on what items must be included in the portfolio. You should also meet during the year and make sure the work you child is doing is acceptable to the evaluator. It is very unwise to expect a teacher to receive a portfolio of your child's work at the end of the year and approve it. If your materials are lacking at the end of the year, you will be found noncompliant in the eyes of the state and you may fall under truancy laws or found to not have made "adequate progress". If you child has not made "adequate progress", you may have to get permission to homeschool next year.
The law does say the district needs to approve the portfolio evaluator. As long as the evaluator is certified in the grade level for your child, there is no basis for the district to reject the teacher you have chosen. Some school districts have developed a mechanism for approving your evaluator. Any form other than the CPI form is not a required document.
NICHE has put together a form telling the district you have chosen a certified teacher who is certified in the grade level of the child and that no further documentation is necessary. You can choose to use this form if you would like. It is called, The Portfolio Evaluator Form. We also have developed a Portfolio Evaluator Contract for you to use with your evaluator. This contract protects you and the evaluator against unlawful viewing of your student's work without your expressed permission.
A portfolio should include for each required subject area, a book of lesson plans, a diary or other written record, an outline of the curriculum used, samples of the child's work, and any other completed assessment evaluation. Your portfolio evaluator will tell you if he or she needs additional information.
Remember the teacher's evaluation of your child's portfolio must be submitted by June 30. Be sure to meet with your evaluator in time for him or her to review your child's work and submit the required written report . The evaluator's report must be submitted to the local school district and the Department of Education.
The Iowa Rules state that a baseline test must be included in the materials submitted to your portfolio evaluator. The Iowa Code, however, does not required that a base line standardized test be administered the year prior to using portfolio, but rather it states that an evaluation be done. The law states "a child, who is seven years of age and is receiving competent private instruction for the first time, shall be administered an evaluation for purposes of obtaining educational baseline data." [299A.4 (2)]. An evaluation is the first portfolio done for that year.
The Department of Education does not agree. Their policy is consistent with the rules. In essence, the rules may have gone beyond the law in requiring baseline testing. In order for this to change, there would need to be a rule change. Rule changes are accomplished by either an action by the department or a court challenge. We recommend that if you are not going to do a baseline standardized test, you have competent counsel. We strongly recommend that you join Homeschool Legal Defense Association. You can reach them at hslda.org.
Can I homeschool my special needs child?
Yes, you may homeschool your special needs child. If your child has been identified as a special needs child you are required to indicate that on your CPI form. Before submitting your CPI form you will need to get permission from your local AEA.
The rules state that the request for approval for placement under Competent Private Instruction by the parent or guardian may be presented to the special education director at any time during the calendar year. The director has 30 days to render a decision.
The AEA director must give you a written decision explaining why your program will not meet the needs of your child. The director can approve the program with certain conditions or modifications, or he or she can deny approval. The decision is based on whether the program you choose is appropriate for the child given the individual disability. The decision cannot be based on lost revenues to the district. If you are not in agreement with the opinion, you may appeal it.
Children with special needs bring addition funds into the district and some districts may object to removing your child from programs. If you are having trouble placing your child in home instruction, we recommend that you contact HSLDA. They have much experience dealing with this issue and can be very helpful.
Can I refuse the special education services of the school district?
Yes, you can refuse special education services from your school district. The rules state,
"The director of special education shall advise the parent, guardian, or legal custodian of a child requiring special education of the probable consequences of placing the child under private instruction and withdrawing the child from specialized instruction and services to which the child is entitled. The director of special education may require the parent, guardian, or legal custodian of a child requiring special education to accept full responsibility for the parent's, guardian's or legal custodian's decision to reject special education programs and services, forgoing a later request for compensatory education for the period of time when the child was under private instruction." (Chapter 31.9)
What resources are available to parents homeschooling a special needs child?
Home schooling children with special needs is gaining in popularity. As this continues, you will see much more support and resources available to you. Below we have listed organizations that may be helpful to you. Some of the resources listed are Christian and some are secular. Sometimes, the explanatory type will tell you, sometimes not. As always, families need to be discerning.
NATHHAN - National Challenged Homeschoolers Associated Network
Homeschooling Children With Special Needs - A website with references to other resources
Linguisystems - Resources for help for speech an learning
Woodbine House - Resources on teaching children with disabilities
Almaden Valley Christian School - a Service for Families Home Schooling Children with Special Needs
A recommended reading list for those considering home educating a child with special needs includes:
Home Schooling Children With Special Needs by Sharon Hensley
Slow and Steady Get Me Ready by June Oberlander
The Out-of-Sync Child: Recognizing and Coping with Sensory Processing Disorder, Revised Edition by Carol Stock Kranowitz
The Source for Dyslexia and Dysgraphia (Spiral-bound)
Home School Legal Defense Association offers assistance to those member who are home schooling a child with special needs. If you are a member, you can call them and ask to speak with their coordinator. Her name and contact information is below.
HSLDA Coordinator for Special Needs –Betty Statnic
Phone: (540) 338-5600
Email: betty@hslda.org
Can I used the final report from the correspondence school my child is enrolled in as evidence of progress for the school year?
The rules do allow a parent to use the final report from an accredited correspondence school as evidence that the child has made academic progress for that year. NICHE has put together a List of Accredited Correspondence Schools whose final report should be accepted by the DE and the school district. This list needs to be used with great caution. NICHE is unable to track of the accreditation status of all the correspondence schools in the country. Parents wanting to use this option bear the responsibility of confirming that the school they want to use is appropriately accredited and has maintained this accreditation while the student is enrolled.
What is the HSLDA discount number?
The HSLDA discount number is 292160. This number is to be used by those choosing to join NICHE and HSLDA.
Must a district provide driver's education to a resident student who is open-enrolled to a neighboring district, but who wants the district of residence to provide driver's education?
No. Iowa Code section 321.178 was amended in 2007 by having the following sentenced added to that law: "The receiving district shall be the school district responsible for making driver education available to a student participating in open enrollment under section 282.18." A resident district may offer driver education to a resident student who is open enrolled out, but does not have to do so. The receiving district must offer driver education to all eligible open enrolled-in students.