How to File a Competent Private Instruction [CPI] Form A Copyright 2011 Julie Naberhaus & Network of Iowa Christian Home Educators Reprint or reuse by permission only
If you want to homeschool your child of compulsory attendance age [6-16] in Iowa, you'll need to file a CPI Form A. Here's how to do it!
The Competent Private Instruction Report [also known as Form A] is a single page, double-sided form. The front page has required and informational items, and it must be completed fully. The back page has optional items which can be completed, if desired, to access public school services.
The CPI Report Form A is to be filed in duplicate with the resident school district at the beginning of each school year, by August 26 -- or, if homeschooling commences during the school year, the form is to be at least partially completed and filed within 14 days, and fully completed and filed within 30 calendar days, of removing the child from an Iowa accredited school or moving to Iowa.
One copy is retained by the resident school district and the other copy is sent to the area education agency.
One set of duplicate forms must be completed and filed for each homeschooled child of compulsory school age, which is defined as 6 years old and older, but younger than 16, by September 15.
Item-by-Item Instructions for Filing the CPI Report Form A
Item #1 - Name and Birth Date
Fill in the child's full name in the box labeled "Name".
In the box labeled "Birth Date" you have two options. Iowa Code specifies that the CPI Report Form A can request the "age" of the child.
A child's birth date could be considered sensitive, confidential information, which the law does not specifically require.
You can decide whether to put: a) your child's birth date in this box, or b) your child's age (e.g. "age 7 as of September 15, 2011")
Item # 2 - Name and Address of Person Filing Report
Fill in your name in the box labeled "Name". Check the appropriate box to the right (parent, guardian, or legal or actual custodian).
Fill in your address, city and zipcode. You are not required to provide your phone number.
Item #3 - Immunization Information
If you are filing a CPI Report Form A for the first time, you will need to attach evidence of immunizations required by the state of Iowa.
In lieu of this, you may file either a medical or religious exemption form. For more information about immunization requirements & exemptions click here.
Item #4 - Instructional Program Information
For first-time filers, this item can sound a bit overwhelming. Relax. It's not as difficult as it sounds.
This item requests an attached outline of the course of study on a separate sheet. You can use one of our NICHE Plan of Instruction Forms -- either lined or unlined -- to fulfill this requirement. To download a NICHE Plan of Instruction Form, click here.
You'll only need to fill in the titles and authors or publishers of the curricula you are using.
Item #5 - Number of Days of Instruction
Here's an easy one! Just write in "at least 148 days" -- and you're done with this item.
Item #6 - Appropriately Licensed Teacher Providing Instruction or Supervision
If you have selected the supervising teacher option to comply with the Iowa homeschool legal requirements, this is where you will list the teacher's name, address and Iowa teaching license folder number.
If you, the parent/guardian/custodian are an appropriately licensed teacher, you can write your name, address and teaching license folder number in these boxes. If you have procured the services of an appropriately licensed teacher to supervise your homeschool, you can write that teacher's name and folder number in these boxes. You are not required to provide the teacher's phone number or signature.
Item #7 - Alternative to Supervising Teacher - Annual Assessment
This item is merely information. It notifies you that you must provide for annual assessment of your child if you have not procured the services of an appropriately licensed teacher to provide supervision or actual instruction.
Parent/Guardian/Custodian Signature
Although not specifically mentioned in the Iowa Code or Rules, the Department of Education has included this line. Attorneys have advised us that a signature line is an appropriate requirement for a legal document such as this. It validates the information is being filed by the person who has been identified as the parent/guardian/custodian.
Item #8 - Child Identified as Requiring Special Education
You only need to deal with this item if your child has been identified by the public school as a child requiring special education.
Have you participated in a "staffing meeting" where an Individual Educational Program [IEP] was designed for your child? Then, your child has been identified by the public school system as a child requiring special education, and you'll need to mark "yes" on the first question under Item 8.
If you mark "yes" on the first question under Item 8, you'll need to carefully consider your answer to the second question under Item 8.
If you want to continue to access public school services for your child's special education needs, mark "yes" on the second question under Item 8. When you do this, it will also require you to obtain permission from the special education director at the area education agency in order to homeschool your child.
If you do not want to utilize public school services for your special education child, you can mark "no" on the second question under Item 8. When you do this, you will be indicating that you have chosen to provide for your child's special education needs privately -- and you will not be required to obtain permission from the special education director of the AEA.
Item #9 - Dual Enrollment [Optional]
Mark "yes" on Item #9 only if you want to utilize dual enrollment to access one of these services from your resident public school: - participation in extra-curricular activities - participation in classes (including Post Secondary Enrollment Option [PSEO] college-level classes) - no-cost standardized testing - use of available public school textbooks/materials - access area education agency services
If you do not want to utilize any of these public school services, you can mark "no" on the first question under Item #9 and skip this Item.
If you do want to utilize public school services, you'll need to mark "yes" to the first question under Item #9 and then mark the categories that apply to the services you want. [Academic, Extra-Curricular Activities, Special Education, Testing -- mark all that apply.] You'll also need to provide the grade level of your child, so the school can determine where to place the child, and you'll need to write in the provided chart a list of classes or activities in which you want your child to participate. [Notice that, for school scheduling purposes, the chart is divided into 1st semester and 2nd semester.]
When you mark "yes" on Item #9, your resident school district will receive state funding to cover the cost of providing service for your child. The funding level is set at 10% of the funding provided for regularly enrolled student -- except for secondary students taking academic classes, whose funding levels are set as shared-time student on a percentage rate based on the number of classes taken.
The Department of Education maintains that schools can deny dual enrollment if the request is filed after September 15. [This is based upon the deadlines set for public schools to submit their enrollment data in order to receive state funding.]
For more information about dual enrollment, click here.
Item #10 - Home School Assistance Program Enrollment [Optional]
Mark "yes" on Item #10 only if you want to utilize the Home School Assistance Program [HSAP] at your resident public school. Not every public school has a HSAP.
When you select enrollment in the public school Home School Assistance Program, you will be assigned a supervising teacher employed by the school. That teacher is required to meet with you sixteen times throughout the year -- four times every quarter. Some Home School Assistance Programs provide programming and/or lending libraries to enrolled families. Iowa Administrative Rules allow HSAPs to impose any additional requirements upon enrolled families that they deem necessary.
When you mark "yes" on Item #10, your resident school
district will receive state funding to cover the cost of providing
service for your child. The funding level is set at 30% of the funding provided for regularly enrolled student.
The Department of Education maintains that schools can deny HSAP enrollment if the request is filed after September 15. [This is based upon the deadlines set for public schools to submit their enrollment data in order to receive state funding.]
If you do not want to utilize the public school Home School Assistance Program [HSAP], you can mark "no" under Item #10 and skip
this Item.
For more information about Home School Assistance Programs, click here. Filing the Competent Private Instruction Report Form A
NICHE also recommends that you include a privacy protection form with your CPI Report Form A.
To download a privacy protection form, click here.
When you have completed all of these steps, you can make two copies of of the CPI form (and attachments, except for immunization information, which only needs to be filed at the resident school district) and either mail them or deliver them in person to your resident school district. Personal delivery will allow you to obtain a receipt from the school official who receives your forms -- an extra precautionary step that we encourage you to take. You can make a simple receipt listing all of the forms you filed, and the date on which you filed them, and have the school official who receives the forms sign it. Keep this for your records.
If you have additional questions about filing the CPI form, contact niche@homeschooliowa.org.
Copyright 2011 Julie Naberhaus & Network of Iowa Christian Home Educators Permission to reprint or reuse is required
Serving Families Homeschooling in Iowa - Since 1992 Network of Iowa Christian Home Educators - Box 158, Dexter, IA, 50070 - (515) 830-1614 - (800) 723-0438 in Iowa
