Students may request to enroll into another school district at any time during the school-year. The district to which the student wishes to open enroll may refuse the enrollment request based on insufficient space as defined in the receiving districts’ school board policy.

Parents/guardians of open enrolled students whose income falls below 200% of the federal poverty guidelines are eligible for transportation assistance. This may be in the form of actual transportation or in the form of a cash stipend.

Restrictions on participation in interscholastic athletic contests and competitions: A pupil who transfers school districts under open enrollment in any of the grades 9 – 12 shall not be eligible to participate in varsity interscholastic contests and competitions during the first 90 school days of the transfer. This restriction also shall apply to transfers resulting from an approved petition filed by a parent or guardian to transfer to an alternative receiving district and when the pupil returns to the district of residence using the process outlined in DE Administrative Rules. The 90-school-day restriction does not prohibit the pupil from practicing with an athletic team during the 90 school days of ineligibility. The 90-school-day restriction is not applicable to a pupil who:

• participates in an athletic activity in the receiving district that is not available in the district of residence.

• participates in an athletic activity for which the resident district and receiving district have a “cooperative student participation agreement” in place as provided by rule 281-36.20(280).

• is requesting open enrollment due to a change in circumstances that meet the definition of good cause exemption from the 90-day waiting period in Iowa Code 282.18, subsection 11, paragraph 1, subparagraph 8, including:

  • change in child’s residence due to a change in family residence.

  • change in child’s residence from the residence of one parent or guardian to the residence of a different parent or guardian.

  • change in the state in which the family residence is located.

  • change in a child’s parents’ marital status, a guardianship or custody proceeding, placement in foster care, adoption, participation in a foreign exchange program.

  • participation in a substance abuse or mental health treatment program.

  • change in the status of a child’s resident district such as removal of accreditation by the state board, surrender of accreditation, or permanent closure of a nonpublic school, revocation of a charter school contract, the failure of negotiations for a whole grade sharing, reorganization agreement, or the rejection of a current whole grade sharing agreement or reorganization plan.

For the 2024-2025 school year, the deadline is July 1st, 2024

For the 2025-2026 school year, the deadline is March 1st, 2025

You can find more information on open enrollment, and access an application, from the Iowa Department of Education.

Need help filling out the Open Enrollment Application?  Contact Barb Bachman at 515.574.5651 or Email Barb Bachman