Iowa Homeschooling

More and more parents in Iowa are joining the millions of homeschooling families in the United States who have chosen to provide a home education for their children. Here you'll find everything you need to successfully home educate your children at home, including information on homeschooling methods, support groups, local and state events, online resources, and much, much more.

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Storybook Hill Children's Zoo
Storybook Hill Children’s Zoo was established in 1976, in partnership with the Optimists Clubs of Dubuque, as an effort to increase the knowledge and understanding of common animals among the people of Dubuque. The zoo is a replica of an American farm from the 1940’s, and contains a wide variety of animals that a person visiting this time period might see on an actual farm.
Privacy Form for Dual-Enrolled or HSAP-Enrolled Student
These option forms are recommended to protect your family's privacy. They inform school officials that you want protections afforded by federal and state laws. The form for dual-enrolled or HSAP-enrolled Students notifies school officials that you are claiming federally mandated privacy protections, and that you do not want any information concerning your enrolled child -- including directory information -- to be released to anyone without your prior consent.
Des Moines Art Center
Recognized by international art critics as a world-class museum in the heart of the Midwest, the Des Moines Art Center has amassed an important collection with a major emphasis on contemporary art. The collection’s overriding principle is a representation of artists of the 19th and 20th century, each through a seminal work. The collection is housed in three major buildings; each designed by a world-renowned architect – Eliel Saarinen, I. M. Pei, and Richard Meier. Admission is free.
Resources for Local Homeschool Support Group Leaders Serving Iowa Homeschooling Families
Find resources for state and local homeschool support group leaders in Iowa along with a list of NICHE speakers to offer presentations at your meetings, covering topics such as Getting Started Homeschooling in Iowa, Homeschool Options in Iowa, Legislative Issues for Iowa Homeschoolers, and The History of Homeschooling in Iowa.
Iowa City Homeschoolers
Support and information to get started and connect with other Iowa City area homeschoolers.
Certificate of Immunization Exemption
This document must be filed with your CPI form if you intend to use the exemption for immunizations. Those using IPI or CPI Option 2 with Opt-Out do not need to file immunization records.
Science Center of Iowa
Located in Des Moines, the Science Center of Iowa offers a chance for kids to learn about science through interactive experiments and exhibits. You'll find exhibits with reptiles and amphibians, lasers, robots, music, a giant pendulum, a space theater, and more.
The Iowa Legislature
This website includes links to the Senate and House sections, legislators' contacts, pending legislation, and more.
Homeschooling in Iowa: Know the Law and Rules
Homeschooling laws vary widely from state to state. The Iowa law and rules may seem quite complicated at first, but NICHE has created a number of resources and forms to help home educators find their way through the maze of regulations. Here, you will find a brief overview of the legal requirements and options in Iowa.
Homes With Heart And CM
Central Iowa Homeschooling families encouraging one another and supporting each other through monthly meetings, and who use Charlotte Mason methods in their homeschooling.
Privacy Form for Non-Enrolled Student
These option forms are recommended to protect your family's privacy. They inform school officials that you want protections afforded by federal and state laws. The form for non-enrolled students notifies school officials of that information about your child -- including directory information -- is confidential information protected by Iowa Code. Failure to have one of these forms on file with the district and the AEA (where your CPI forms are filed) can leave your child's information ope...
Iowa Wildlife Center
The Iowa Wildlife Center is a wildlife sanctuary and education center that rehabilitates furred, feathered and scaled animals, restores habitats and educates the public about its animals and its work.
Receipt for CPI Form Filing
This form may be used by a parent using the Independent Private Instruction (IPI) option when filing an IPI Response Form. A signature of the school distirct official receiving the form is obtained, and the parent can retain this receipt with homeschool records.
CPI Student Eligibility Form
The Iowa Department of Education created this form for parents of CPI students to use when certifying that their students meet eligibility requirements set by state associations for participation in actvities accessed through dual enrollment.
Iowa Compliance: Step-by-Step
A short summary of the different ways to comply with the laws.
Featured Resources

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Miserly Moms: Living on One Income in a Two-Income Economy
Save Thousands of Dollars a Year Jonni McCoy and her family are proof that you live on one income. The McCoys made a successful transition from two incomes to one while living in one of the most expensive parts of America: the San Francisco Bay Area...
The Exhausted School: Bending the Bars of Traditional Education
These 13 essays, presented at the 1993 National Grassroots Speakout on the Right to School Choice, illustrate how education reform actually works. Written by award-winning teachers and their students, these essays present successful teaching methods ...
Help for the Harried Homeschooler : A Practical Guide to Balancing Your Child's Education with the Rest of Your Life
Homeschooling moms and dads can be overwhelmed by the demands on their time. Between their children’s educational needs; their roles as spouse, parent, and more; and their own individual desires and goals, these mothers and fathers struggle to ...
Home Education: A Homeschooling Classic
Home Education consists of six lectures by Charlotte Mason about the raising and educating of young children (up to the age of nine), for parents and teachers. She encourages us to spend a lot of time outdoors, immersed in nature and handling natural...
Christian Unschooling : Growing Your Children in the Freedom of Christ
Is unschooling incompatible with Christianity? Elissa Wahl and Teri Brown argue that they are not incompatible, but complementary. Unschooling offers a different path to learning. This book explains what unschooling is (and isn't) and offers support ...
Quote of the Day

It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it.

Aristotle