Independent Private Instruction (IPI)

Independent Private Instruction refers to instruction that meets the following criteria:

  1. Is not accredited,
  2. Enrolls not more than four unrelated students,
  3. Does not charge tuition, fees, or other remuneration for instruction,
  4. Provides private or religious-based instruction as its primary purpose,
  5. Provides enrolled students with instruction in mathematics, reading and language arts, science, and social studies,
  6. Provides, upon written request from the superintendent of the school district in which the independent private instruction is provided, or from the director of the department of education, a report identifying the primary instructor, location, name of the authority responsible for the independent private instruction, and the names of the students enrolled,
  7. Is not a nonpublic school and does not provide competent private instruction as defined in Iowa Code section 299A.1 and these rules, and
  8. Is exempt from all state statutes and administrative rules applicable to a school, a school board, or a school district, except as otherwise provided in Iowa Code chapters 299 and 299A.

No process or form is required for providing IPI, but parents are encouraged to notify the district of their intent to do so. There are no annual assessment or reporting requirements for students receiving IPI, so IPI providers are accountable only to themselves. Students receiving IPI are exempt from state immunization and health screening requirements. Student receiving IPI may not dual enroll for academics, special education, or extracurricular activities, but they are entitled to participate in driver’s education.