Iowa Open Enrollment
Iowa open enrollment allows a student to attend any public school district in Iowa outside their home district, free of charge.
What It Is: Free option for students to attend any public school district in Iowa outside their home district. This is a public school choice program that provides access to different public schools without requiring families to move or pay tuition.
Current Participation: 44,500+ students currently enrolled through open enrollment (2025)
Who Can Participate:
- All Iowa K-12 students
- No income restriction
- Available to all grades K–12
Tuition: $0. Open enrollment is completely free with no tuition charges.
Application Deadlines (2025–26 school year):
- Regular deadline: March 1 for students in grades 1–12
- Kindergarten deadline: September 1
- Pre-K (special education): September 1
Late Applications: Applications after March 1 may be denied unless “good cause” is documented (e.g., change of residence, loss of school accreditation)
Continuing Enrollment:
- Once approved, open enrollment continues automatically each year until student graduates, drops out, changes districts, or enrolls in a private school
- No annual reapplication needed
- Ongoing once approved
How It Differs from Private School: Open enrollment allows a student to attend any public school district in Iowa outside their home district, free of charge. Private school programs (ESA, STO) require enrollment in a nonpublic (private) accredited school. Open enrollment is a public school choice; private programs are private school choice.
Cannot Combine with ESA: ESAs are for students enrolled in accredited private schools. Open enrollment is for public school attendance. A student cannot receive an ESA while attending a public school, even if they open-enrolled to a different district.