Anchor Homeschooling in Iowa
medium regulation
What Iowa requires
- Notice to authorities: Yes. Form A required for CPI options (3, 4, 5) -- file with resident district by September 1 (or 14 days if starting mid-year). Options 1 (Independent Private Instruction) and 2 (Opt-out) require no notice.
- Instructional days: 148 per year
- Portfolio: Required as one option (or testing).
- Standardized testing: One option — you may test or submit a portfolio.
- Annual evaluator: Not required.
- Quarterly reports: Not required.
- Legal paths: independent private instruction, opt out, cpi annual assessment, cpi supervising teacher, home school assistance program
How to start homeschooling in Iowa
- File your notice with the state. Choose from 5 legal options. For CPI options 3-5, file Form A with your resident school district by September 1 and provide 148 days/year of instruction (37 per quarter). Option 1 (IPI) and Option 2 require no notice. File online with the state →
- Plan your school year. Iowa expects 148 instructional days per year — set your calendar before you start so the count takes care of itself.
- Put assessment on the calendar. Each year you'll submit either standardized test results or a portfolio of work — decide which at the start of the year so you collect the right evidence as you go.
- Keep records from your first day. Attendance, samples of work, and any test or evaluation results — every requirement above is answered from these three, and they're painless to keep daily and miserable to reconstruct in May.
How Anchor helps
Anchor logs every day automatically when you make an activity entry. It builds the portfolio your state expects, generates the attendance PDF, and reminds you about evaluations before they're due.
Common questions about homeschooling in Iowa
Do I have to notify anyone to homeschool in Iowa?
Yes. Iowa requires notice to the authorities before you begin home education. Form A required for CPI options (3, 4, 5) -- file with resident district by September 1 (or 14 days if starting mid-year). Options 1 (Independent Private Instruction) and 2 (Opt-out) require no notice.
How many days or hours of school does Iowa require?
Iowa requires 148 instructional days per year. Anchor counts each day for you as you log activities, and shows how many you have left.
Does Iowa require a portfolio or standardized testing?
Iowa requires either a portfolio or standardized testing — you choose which to submit.
Does Iowa require an annual evaluation?
No. Iowa does not require an annual evaluator review.
What records should I keep to homeschool in Iowa?
Keep attendance for every school day, samples of your student's work, and any test or evaluation results Iowa asks for. Homeschool Anchor builds all three from your daily logs and turns this state's rules into dated checkpoints, so nothing is reconstructed at the deadline.
Stay compliant without the paperwork
Free for 1 student. $8/month for the full family with PDF exports, photo activity logging, and AI-assisted summaries.
Start free trialHomeschooling in nearby states
Sources: HSLDA — Iowa · Iowa Department of Education · last verified 2026-08-08 · Always verify with your state homeschool association before relying on this.