Iowa law requires that the parent or legal guardian of any child living in the state not attending a recognized public school or an Iowa accredited non-public school file a report declaring their intentions each school year. This report is available from the local Department of Education and must be submitted before the first day of school in the resident district. The report must include the name and address of the parent or legal guardian, the name and date of birth of the student, the number of days of instruction the child will receive and information about who will be teaching the child. The report should also include an outline of the planned curriculum and evidence of proper immunizations required for school-aged children, according to the Homeschooling in Iowa website.
Home school students in Iowa must be instructed either by a parent or legal guardian or must have an instructor with a valid Iowa teaching certificate. The instructor must teach the child face-to-face and should not be involved in the instruction of more than 50 students during a school term.
Iowa schools require that children receive no less than 148 days of instruction in a school year, according to the Home School Legal Defense Association website. This requirement applies to public school, private school and home school students.
If a home school student receives instruction from a parent or guardian who does not have a valid Iowa teaching certificate or practitioner's license, then the state requires that the students take part in an annual evaluation testing. These evaluations include annual progress or achievement tests like the ones taken by all other state institutions. When entering the home school system for the first time at age seven or later, home schooled students must also take an initial baseline test to determine their education level.
The compulsory attendance age for students in Iowa ranges from those children who turn six before September 15 to those who turn 16 after September 15. All laws concerning home school education are mandated for children of compulsory attendance age. Requirements such as number of instruction days and mandatory annual testing do not apply before age six or after age 16.
Iowa state law requires that all home school students who fail to show adequate progress based on annual evaluations must enroll in an accredited public or non-public school the following year.