Open Enrollment
Open Enrollment is the process by which a parent or guardian residing in an Iowa school district may enroll their child(ren) into another Iowa school district at no cost. The process is subject to the terms and conditions of Iowa Code 282.18 and Iowa Administrative Code 281-17.
Open Enrollment Process
Application Process
Parents/guardians of students entering K-12 this fall who would like to request open enrollment for their student(s) in a school district other than their resident district must complete and submit a 24-25 Open Enrollment Application to both the resident and receiving school districts.
Parents/guardians of students moving out of the district during the current school year and requesting open enrollment to continue with Indianola Schools will need to complete and submit a 24-25 Open Enrollment Application to both the resident and receiving school districts.
Hard copies of the Open Enrollment Application forms are available at the Indianola Community School District Operations Center.
Additional information may be found on the Iowa Department of Education Open Enrollment webpage.
Approval Process
When an open enrollment application is filed before the deadline, the receiving school district acts first to approve, followed by the resident or sending district. After June 30, 2024, the resident district acts first.
Appeals of open enrollment decisions must be filed as a court action in Iowa District Court, unless the application claims pervasive harassment or serious health need. Indianola residents must file such appeals in the Warren County District Court (Judicial District 5).
Appeals regarding harassment or serious health condition may be filed with the Iowa Department of Education within 30 days of the board decision. 281-IAC 17.5(2)
Termination
Open enrollment terminates only when the student graduates, moves into the receiving district, moves out of state, moves into another Iowa district and chooses to attend the new resident district, attends an accredited nonpublic school, drops out of school, or the parents notify the district that they wish to terminate open enrollment. If a student is temporarily placed in foster care, a juvenile detention center, a treatment facility, or a similar placement, the open enrollment status is automatically reinstated when the student returns.
Questions
Questions regarding open enrollment may be directed to Denise Moss, District Enrollment Coordinator, at enrollment@indianola.k12.ia.us or 515.961.9500; ext. 1516.