IPI vs CPI with No Reporting

“What’s the difference between IPI and CPI Option #2 with Opt-Out Reporting?”

Sometimes it's: "What's the difference between IPI and CPI with No Reporting?"

In one of those forms, we get that question a lot around here.

And, so, it's time for a blog post providing an explanation!

Let's Start with a Little Background

In Iowa, there are essentially five homeschooling legal options.

Three of the options offer access to public school services through the filing of paperwork and follow-up consisting of either licensed teacher supervision or annual assessment results reporting.

The other two options do not offer access to public school services, but they also have no initial paperwork filing or any of the follow-up requirements listed above.

These two options are:

In 2013, legislation was drafted to implement these two options, and those bills – along with a bill drafted to implement Parent-Taught Driver Education – were all considered by the Iowa Legislature. At the end of the legislative session, all three of these bills were added as amendments to a larger piece of legislation, and, through a joint conference committee compromise, all three were passed into law.

Because the bills creating each of these three options for homeschooling families were drafted independently at the beginning of the same legislative year, each bill was drafted without reference to the other options (since, of course, the other options were not yet law when the drafting was completed).

This created a bit of confusion that we’re still dealing with today.

Let's Compare

Similarities

HOW ARE IPI and CPI with No Reporting ALIKE?

These two homeschooling legal options do share some basic similarities.

IPI
There are no initial filing requirements for IPI.

CPI Option 2 with Opt-Out
There are no initial filing requirements for CPI Option 2 with Opt-Out.

NOTE: Even though there are no initial filing requirements for either of these two options, we recommend that parents send a written notification to the public school when removing children from public school enrollment and commencing private instruction so that school officials do not view children as absent or truant.

WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN CPI OPTION 2 WITH OPT-OUT AND IPI?

While these two homeschool legal options share many similarities, there are some ways they are not alike.

Here are the basic differences between the two options.

Differences

IPI
There are no initial filing requirements for IPI, but the Iowa Code does allow the Department of Education or local school district superintendent to send a written request for information about IPI programs. Parents can use the NICHE Optional Report of CPI Option 2 with Opt-Out to respond to such a written request.

CPI Option 2 with Opt-Out
There are no filing or reporting requirements for CPI Option 2 with Opt-Out – either initial or follow-up.

MORE INFORMATION

Read more about these two Iowa homeschool legal options here:

2 Comments on “IPI vs CPI with Opt-Out”

Claudia Garcia

08.30.2023 at 10:00 pm

My 6-year old daughter will study with Griggs International Academy.

What is the link to inform the State of Iowa that my daughter will be studying with mommy at home, using this accredited resource?

Reply

Homeschool Iowa
08.31.2023 at 2:06 pm

Welcome to the homeschooling adventure, Claudia!
If you will not be seeking public school services or classes for your daughter, you can use either the IPI option or the CPI with Opt-Out Reporting option, both of which do not require the filing of any initial reports with the public school.
If your daughter was previously enrolled in the public school, we recommend that you send a written notice to the school to let them know that your daughter will be under private instruction. Find more information about this written notice at the bottom of this page on our website:
https://homeschooliowa.org/start-homeschooling/know-the-law-rules/