The Denison Community School District recognizes that families with students of compulsory attendance age may select alternative forms of education outside the traditional school setting, including private instruction. The applicable legal requirements for private instruction, including, but not limited to those relating to reporting and evaluations for progress, shall be followed.
Except as otherwise exempted, in the event a child of compulsory attendance age as defined by law does not attend public school or an accredited nonpublic school, the child must receive private instruction. Private instruction means instruction using a plan and a course of study in a setting other than a public or organized accredited nonpublic school.
Private instruction can take the form of competent private instruction and independent private instruction. The Iowa Department of Education recognizes three options for delivery of this form of instruction: two options for delivery of competent private instruction and one option for independent private instruction.
Competent private instruction means either private instruction provided on a daily basis for at least one hundred forty-eight days during a school year, to be met by attendance for at least thirty-seven days each school quarter, by or under supervision of a licensed practitioner which results in the student making adequate progress; or private instruction provided by a parent, guardian, or legal custodian.
Independent private instruction means private instruction that meets the following criteria: (i) is not accredited, (ii) enrolls not more than four unrelated students, (iii) does not charge tuition, fees, or other remuneration for instruction, (iv) provides private or religious-based instruction as its primary purpose, (v) provides enrolled students with instruction in mathematics, reading and language arts, science, and social studies, (vi) 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, (vii) is not a nonpublic school and does not provide competent private instruction as defined herein, and (viii) is exempt from all state statutes and administrative rules applicable to a school, a school board, or a school district, except as otherwise provided by law.
It is the responsibility of the superintendent to develop administrative regulations regarding this policy.
Date Board Adopted: 7/13/1992
Date Board Updated/Reviewed: 3/21/2022
Legal Reference: Iowa Code §§ 299, 299A.
281 I.A.C. 31.
The parent, guardian, or custodian of a student receiving competent private instruction may also enroll the student in the school district in accordance with state law and policy. The student is considered under dual enrollment. The parent, guardian, or custodian requesting dual enrollment for the student should notify the district office no later than September 15 of the school year in which dual enrollment is sought on forms provided by the school district. On the form, they will indicate the extracurricular and academic activities in which the student is interested in participating. The forms are available at the district office.
A dual enrollment student is eligible to participate in the school district's extracurricular and academic activities in the same manner as other students enrolled in the school district. The policies and administrative rules of the school district will apply to the dual enrollment students in the same manner as the other students enrolled the school district. These policies and administrative rules will include, but not be limited to, athletic eligibility requirements, the good conduct rule, academic eligibility requirements, and payment of applicable fees.
A dual enrollment student whose parent, guardian, or custodian has chosen standardized testing as the form of the student's annual assessment will not be responsible for the cost of the test or the administration of the test.
After the student notifies the school district which activities in which they wish to participate, the school district will provide information regarding the specific programs.
The applicable legal requirements for dual enrollment including, but not limited to those related to reporting and eligibility, shall be followed. It is the responsibility of the superintendent to develop administrative regulations regarding this policy.
Date Board Adopted: 7/13/1992
Date Board Updated/Reviewed: 3/21/2022
Legal Reference: Iowa Code §§ 279.8, 299A (2015)
281 I.A.C. 31.