Open Enrollment

Topics:

Educational Choice

On this page...

Deadlines
Good Cause Circumstances
Application
Handbook

Billing Chart & Scenarios
Transportation Assistance
Guidance on Athletic Eligibility
Contacts

Open Enrollment is the process by which a parent or guardian residing in an Iowa district may enroll their child(ren) into another Iowa school district under the terms and conditions of Iowa Code 282.18 and Iowa Administrative Code 281-17 as amended by Senate File 2435, Division VIII. Senate File 2435, Division VIII reinstates open enrollment deadlines for all applicants and takes effect July 1, 2024.

Deadlines

Deadline	Explanation
Applications to Approved Online Schools	The deadline does not apply to parents/guardians applying for their student to attend a public school district with an approved online school by the Iowa Department of Education.
Sept. 1	Last day a parent/guardian may apply to open enroll their incoming preschool student who receives special education services requiring specially designed instruction (SDI).
Sept. 1	Last day a parent/guardian may apply to open enroll their incoming kindergarten student.
Sept. 2	Applications for incoming preschool students requiring SDI and kindergarten students will be denied unless the parent/guardian is able to demonstrate “good cause” under Iowa Code 282.18.
March 1	Application deadline for students in grades 1-12 to open enroll for the upcoming school year.
March 2	Applications for students grades 1-12 will be denied unless the parent or guardian is able to demonstrate good cause.

* If a parent/guardian moves and wishes for their student to continue at the original resident district under open enrollment (often known as the “continuation rule”), requests cannot be denied due to insufficient classroom space policies.

Good Cause Circumstances

The following circumstances are considered "good cause" and are acceptable conditions for a timeline waiver if the change occurred or began after March 1 (or Sept. 1):

Change in family district of residence
Change in child’s residence from 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 the marital status of the student's parents resulting in a change in resident district
Change in guardianship or custody proceeding that results in a change in resident district
Placement of the child in foster care resulting in a change of residence
Adoption
Participation in a foreign exchange program
Initial placement of a preschool student in a special education program requiring SDI
Participation in a substance abuse or mental health treatment program resulting in a change of residence
Change in the status of a child’s resident district such as removal of accreditation by the Iowa State Board of Education (State Board), surrender of accreditation, or permanent closure of a private school after March 1
Revocation of a charter school contract as provided in section 256F.8
Failure of district negotiations for whole grade sharing or the rejection of a whole grade sharing agreement after March 1*
Failure of district negotiations for reorganization or rejection of a proposed reorganization plan after March 1*
Failure of district negotiations for a dissolution agreement after March 1*
Loss of accreditation or permanent closure of a private school after March 1

Circumstances not defined above that would be considered good cause (and subject to the approval of the board of the resident district and the board of the receiving district) include:

Repeated student harassment that the resident district cannot adequately address or
The child has a serious health condition that a school district cannot adequately address

*The request must be filed within 45 days of last board action or within 30 days of certification of an election, whichever is applicable. This is only applicable to affected students.

Application

The application and process for open enrollment are outlined in the open enrollment application. Mail, email or fax copies of the application to your resident school district and the district you would like for your child to attend. For contacts, addresses or fax numbers for school districts, visit the districts’ websites. Do not send your application to the Iowa Department of Education.

Handbook

2024-25 Open Enrollment Handbook - Provides parents, guardians and school districts with updated information following several changes to Iowa law and rules regarding open enrollment. This handbook is divided into the following sections: Information for Parents and Guardians, Instructions for School Districts, Frequently Asked Questions and Contacts and Resources.

Billing Chart & Scenarios

Transportation Assistance

The following documents provide details on how parents may apply, qualifying income thresholds and options for how the resident district may distribute assistance to families in need.

2025-26 Open Enrollment Transportation Assistance - An updated transportation assistance amount for the 2025-26 school year will be released January 2026.
2024-25 Open Enrollment Transportation Assistance - The updated transportation assistance amount for the 2024-2025 school year is $719.

Guidance on Athletic Eligibility

Unless an exception applies, the General Transfer Rule (281—IAC 36.15(3)) prohibits a student-athlete from participating in varsity athletics for 90 school days (not including summer school) after transferring from one Iowa High School Athletic Association (IHSAA) or Iowa Girls’ High School Athletic Union (IGHSAU) member or associate member school or school district to another.