Homeschool benefits: Marion Independent School District
Marion Home School Assistance Program (MHSAP) assigns your family a state-certified supervising teacher and offers K-12 enrichment classes, field trips, a resource library, and dual enrollment in Marion Independent School District classes. Marion residents can enroll any time of year, and families within 45 miles can open enroll.
Who qualifies
Lives in Marion or open enrolls
Students must live in the Marion district or open enroll into it. Families outside Marion who live within 45 miles can open enroll.
Turns 5 by Sept. 15
A student must be at least age five on or before September 15 to enroll.
Meets the open enrollment deadline
For 2026-27, new open enrollment for grades 1-12 closed March 1, 2026, and kindergarten closes September 1, 2026. Currently open-enrolled students do not renew.
Meets the supervising teacher
The teacher makes four contacts a quarter with the student and parent, half of them face to face.
What the program gives you
These terms come from the MHSAP enrollment, program services, and FAQ pages.
- State-certified supervising teacher
- 1 per family
- Teacher contacts
- 4 a quarter
- Enrichment classes
- Grades K-12, optional
- Resource library
- Weekdays 9 a.m.-3:30 p.m.
- Field trips
- Optional, family format
- Grant Wood AEA services
- Testing, screening, media
Open enrollment approval can take a month or more and must come before enrichment class registration in early June, so file early.
From enrolling to keeping it
- By March 1
Open enroll if outside Marion
Families in grades 1-12 file by March 1; kindergarten families file by September 1. Send forms to secretary Tami Pollock.
- To enroll
Call the office
Marion residents call to enroll at any time and fill out the MHSAP Application Form.
- After approval
Attend orientation
The program sets up an orientation interview and a PowerSchool account for your family.
- Early June
Register for enrichment
Enrichment class registration happens in early June for approved students.
- Each quarter
Meet your supervising teacher
Keep four contacts, half face to face.
What it includes
Included
- State-certified supervising teacher
- Optional K-12 enrichment classes
- Field trips and family activities
- Resource library
- Special education, testing, and vision and hearing screening through Grant Wood AEA
Not included
- New open enrollment for grades 1-12 after March 1 without good cause
- Families more than 45 miles away
Dual enrollment, marked on the open enrollment or MHSAP enrollment form, adds academic and extracurricular access to Marion Independent School District programs.
Who to contact about the program
The MHSAP office at the Emerson Learning Center, 1400 10th Avenue, handles enrollment and open enrollment forms, weekdays 9 a.m.-3:30 p.m.
tpollock@marion-isd.org 319-373-9209 Enrollment page
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
- Do currently open-enrolled families need to reapply to MHSAP?
- No. The deadline applies only to new students from outside the district.
- Can my child take classes at a Marion school?
- Yes. Mark dual enrollment on your enrollment form to join selected academic classes or extracurricular activities on the same basis as full-time students.
- Who pays for the program?
- The state. Home school assistance programs are part of the public school system, and each hosting district receives state funding to serve enrolled homeschool families.
Turn support into your child’s next lesson
Local classes cover the subjects they offer. We teach the remaining subjects, so a local class can stay part of the year without becoming the whole curriculum.
$149/month per child after the trial.
Find benefits for your ZIP code