Homeschool benefits: Chariton Community School District
Chariton Community School District's Home School Assistance Program (HSAP) gives your family a Home School Assistance Teacher for 16 contacts a year, district-bought materials, and free annual Iowa Assessment testing. Register by August 25 with Form A and the HSAP enrollment form in the 2026-2027 handbook.
Who qualifies
Files Form A each year
Submit two copies of Form A for each child and check the HSAP box. First-time filers attach immunization proof or an exemption.
Completes the HSAP enrollment form
The enrollment form in the handbook asks how often you want contacts: weekly, every other week, or two meetings a quarter plus two more contacts.
Meets the teacher 16 times
Families must have at least 16 contacts a year with the director or designee, eight of them face to face. The rest can be virtual, by phone, or by email.
Shows adequate progress
Your child shows progress through a standardized test or a portfolio review. A score below the 30th percentile starts a remediation process with the Iowa Department of Education.
What the program gives you
The terms come from Chariton's 2026-2027 Homeschool Assistance Program and Competent Private Instruction Handbook.
- Teacher contacts each quarter
- 4, 2 in person
- Teacher contacts each year
- 16, 8 in person
- Iowa Assessment testing
- Free
- Materials you suggest
- District buys and owns
- Consumables such as workbooks
- Sometimes, kept by you
- Textbooks and laptops
- Returned each June
The district cannot reimburse anything you buy yourself: the HSAP Director must approve materials in advance and the district buys them directly.
From registering to reporting progress
- By Aug. 25, 2026
Register
Return Form A, the HSAP enrollment form, and immunization proof for first-time filers. Iowa's legal deadline is September 1, but the district asks for August 25 to plan staffing.
- Each quarter
Meet your HSAP teacher
The teacher makes four contacts a quarter, two face to face with your child, and documents progress.
- By May 1
Portfolio review, if chosen
Grades 1-5 show reading, language arts, and math samples; grades 6-12 add science and social studies.
- By May 31
Testing, if chosen
Iowa Assessment testing is done by May 31. Specific dates are mailed to parents.
- By Aug. 1
Results reported
Results go to the district by August 1. A student below the 30th percentile can retest or use another option and report by that date.
What it includes
Included
- Home School Assistance Teacher
- District-purchased curriculum and materials
- Annual assessment testing
- Activities for students and parents
- Help filing yearly paperwork
Not included
- Reimbursement for materials you buy
- Religious materials
- Teachers' manuals and tests
- High school credit from non-accredited work
Anything the district buys for HSAP stays district property and can be used by other students, and non-consumables come back at the end of the year.
Good to know
Your child can dual enroll for classes and sports
Dual enrollment lets your child take any academic course, join extracurricular or co-curricular activities, or receive special education services. Request it by September 1; later requests are a local decision.
The district can buy approved curriculum
Your current curriculum can be bought if the HSAP Director approves it in advance and the district purchases it under its curriculum policy. The district owns the materials, and it cannot reimburse you for anything you buy yourself.
Who to contact about the program
Natasha (Tess) Davis, HSAP Director and Chariton Middle School principal, answers questions about enrollment and services.
natasha.davis@chariton.k12.ia.us 641-774-5114 Handbook and forms
Homeschool rules and statewide help in Iowa
You do not have to file a homeschool notice for independent private instruction.
Iowa sets these rules:
- Subjects: IPI must cover mathematics, reading and language arts, science, and social studies at all grade levels. CPI must provide at least 148 days of instruction annually, with attendance on at least 37 days each school quarter; its other rules depend on the option.
- Testing: No standardized testing required for independent option.
- Records: IPI must provide specified instructor, location, authority, and student information on written request; CPI reporting and record rules depend on the option.
- Teachers: Iowa does not require a teaching certificate or degree to homeschool your own child.
Read the Iowa homeschooling guide See statewide programs in Iowa
Questions parents ask
- Does testing cost anything?
- No. The annual assessment is free for students under competent private instruction Option 1 or Option 2, and you do not have to join HSAP or dual enroll to request it.
- Will Chariton High School accept our homeschool credits?
- No. Chariton Community High School only accepts graduation credits from accredited schools, so meet with the principal or counselor before your child transitions.
- Can a homeschooled teen take driver's education?
- Yes. Homeschool students on any path can take the district's driver's education program, paying the same as regularly enrolled students if an outside provider runs it.
Turn support into your child’s next lesson
College classes can cover part of high school. We teach the subjects your child needs alongside them, starting at the right level in each subject.
$149/month per child after the trial.
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