This bill modifies existing provisions related to private instruction and dual enrollment in Iowa. It amends the requirements for parents, guardians, or legal custodians placing a child under competent private instruction, including the removal of the obligation to provide evidence of immunizations and blood lead tests for elementary school-age children. The bill also revises the report that must be submitted to the school district, changing the requirements to include the child's name, age, duration of instruction, an outline of the course of study or texts used, and the instructor's name and address, while eliminating the previous definition of an outline of the course of study.

Additionally, the bill redefines independent private instruction, removing restrictions on the number of unrelated students and the prohibition on charging tuition. It ensures that students in all grade levels receive instruction in core subjects and clarifies that students do not need to be related to the primary instructor. The bill allows for greater flexibility in dual enrollment, permitting students to receive any amount of instruction from public school academic programs. It also establishes that diplomas or credentials from competent or independent private instruction are equivalent to a high school diploma and prohibits discrimination based on the source of these diplomas. Lastly, it grants parents the authority to verify various educational statuses and information related to their children’s private instruction.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 299.4, 299A.2, 299A.8, 299A.10