Iowa Department of Education

Expelled Students and their Options

Other than continuing to serve a student with an Individualized Education Program (IEP), a school that expels a student - even a compulsory attender - has no obligation to provide for the educational needs of the student during the period of expulsion. A district may choose to continue to serve an expelled regular education student (but does not have to do so) via an alternative placement.   Iowa Code section 282.4 states that an expelled student "shall not be permitted to enroll in a school district until the board of directors of the school district approves, by a majority vote, the enrollment of the student" if the period of expulsion is not expired.  (It is strongly recommended that the board obtain permission of the board that expelled the student before acting under 282.4.)  There is no obligation of a school or school district to enroll a student whose period of expulsion has not expired, and this is true even of students who legitimately move into a new district.  Of course, once the period of expulsion is over, a resident student must be enrolled if the student meets age (under 21) and residency requirements.   This leaves one viable option for the family of students of compulsory attendance age, competent private instruction (CPI).   A district must allow a resident student who has been expelled to file Form A, Report of CPI.  However, the district does not have to allow the student to dual enroll or enroll in a Home School Assistance Program (HSAP), if the district provides a HSAP