PREPARE FOR ENROLLMENT
We're glad you have decided to enroll in Iowa Connections Academy! Before you get started, take a look below at the enrollment process.
Enrollment Information
- Enrollment is open for the 2024-2025 school year.
- Before enrolling, families must complete and submit the Iowa Open Enrollment Application.
- View the latest enrollment updates and application steps.
Popup-23-24
Open Enrollment Application for the 2023-24 School Year
- To enroll, parents must register their student in Pearson Online Classroom and submit an Iowa 2023-24 Open Enrollment Application to the CAM Community School District and your resident district.
- Parents should refer to the Department of Education's Open Enrollment Guidelines for additional information. Parents should also refer to the CAM community school district’s Instructions for Completing the Open Enrollment Application.
Open Enrollment Application Steps
Step 2: Print and complete the Iowa Open Enrollment Application, which can also be accessed in Pearson Online Classroom.
Step 3: Fax or mail the application to the CAM Community School District:
- Fax to CAM Community School District at 712-248-8622
- Mail to CAM Community School District
Attn: Open Enrollment Application
1000 Victory Park Rd
Anita, IA 50020
Step 4: Send the application to your resident district:
- Find your resident school district here.
Popup-24-25
Open Enrollment Application for the 2024-25 School Year
- To enroll, parents must register their student in Pearson Online Classroom and submit an Iowa 2024-25 Open Enrollment Application to the CAM Community School District and your resident district.
- Parents should refer to the Department of Education's Open Enrollment Guidelines for additional information.
Open Enrollment Application Steps
Step 1: Begin your application by registering your student in Pearson Online Classroom, the online system where you will complete the enrollment process with Iowa Connections Academy.
Step 2: Print and complete the Iowa Open Enrollment Application, which can also be accessed in Pearson Online Classroom.
Step 3: Fax or mail the application to the CAM Community School District:
- Fax to CAM Community School District at 712-248-8622
- Mail to CAM Community School District
Attn: Open Enrollment Application
1000 Victory Park Rd
Anita, IA 50020
Step 4: Send the application to your resident district:
- Find your resident school district here.
Video: The Connections Academy Enrollment Process
Enrollment Process
Connections Academy Enrollment Process
Learn about the steps of the Connections Academy enrollment process.
STEP 1
Understand Your Commitment
STEP 2
Check Eligibility
You must meet specific state and program requirements to attend Iowa Connections Academy. Student eligibility requirements in Iowa are determined by the Iowa State Board of Education. To learn how to start online school, review the following eligibility requirements carefully to determine whether your student(s) is eligible to participate in grades K–12. Once your enrollment is confirmed, please immediately withdraw your student from their previous publicly-funded school. Students cannot be simultaneously enrolled in two public schools.
Note: Iowa Connections Academy does not accept students who are currently suspended or expelled from their local school or district.
STEP 3
Prepare Documents
Please have the following documents available when you are ready to begin the enrollment process.
Submit Iowa Open Enrollment Application
Open-Enrollment
Submit the Iowa Open Enrollment Application
Parents must submit an Iowa Open Enrollment Application to the CAM Community School District and your resident district. Please see Step 4 below for additional information.
Child's Proof of Age
Child's Proof of Age
Child's Proof of Age
A copy of one of the following documents must be provided for every student to verify age eligibility:
- Passport
- Date of birth affidavit
- Hospital certificate
- Custody documentation
- Military ID or Driver’s License
- Adoption record
- Baptismal Papers
- School Record
- Medical Records
Not Sure Where to Get That?
- If you need a copy of your child's birth certificate, you can order it online through the Iowa Department of Public Health. Please visit the Bureau of Health Statistics Information for more information.
- If your child was born in another state, please visit the CDC’s Where to Write for Vital Records webpage for more information. When using this tool, please remember to follow the CDC's Application Guidelines.
- Have questions about your U.S. passport? Visit the U.S. Department of State FAQs page.
As a reminder, the age eligibility is as follows:
- Kindergarten: Any student enrolling in kindergarten must be five (5) years old on or before September 15 in the school year for which they are enrolling.
- First Grade: Any student enrolling in first grade must be six (6) years old on or before September 15 in the school year for which they are enrolling.
- Maximum Age: Students can complete the school year in which they turn 21. Any student who turns twenty-one (21) on or before the first day of school will not be eligible to enroll in Iowa Connections Academy.
Proof of Residence
Proof of Residence
Proof of Residence
You must reside in the State of Iowa and provide ONE acceptable proof of residency to be eligible for enrollment in Iowa Connections Academy. You can find out what you need below:
Not Sure What is Accepted as Proof?
- A residential utility bill (gas, electric, water, sewage, cable, home phone, or internet) from the last 60 days, in the resident's name and service address
- Mortgage statement from the last 60 days or current annual lease agreement
- Property tax statement
- Payroll stub from the last 60 days
- W-2 form showing your home address
- Letter from a government agency from the last 60 days
- Driver’s License/State ID
- Resident School District approved Open Enrollment Application
If you do not have any of these documents, please contact the enrollment team at 800-382-6010 to discuss acceptable alternatives.
Child’s Proof of Immunization and Health Screenings
Child’s Proof of Immunization
Child’s Proof of Immunization
All Iowa Connections Academy students must provide evidence of their immunizations and health screenings, as required by the State of Iowa, to be eligible for enrollment.
Not Sure What Immunizations Are Required?
A Provisional Certificate of Immunization will be allowed for one of the following reasons:
- The applicant has "received at least one dose of each of the required vaccines, but has not completed all the required immunizations" or
- Is a transfer student from another school system
The student must provide a valid Provisional Certificate of Immunization.
- Iowa Department of Public Health Certificate of Blood Lead Testing
The IDPH requires all children entering kindergarten to have been tested for lead.
- If your child was tested for lead poisoning at the age of two (which is done during a routine exam for well-care visits with your pediatrician), another test is not required. IDPH will let you and Iowa Connections Academy know if they do not have a record of the test.
- Questions? Please refer to the Questions and Answers for Parents provided by the IDPH.
For additional information, please contact:
Bureau of Lead Poisoning Prevention
515-281-3479 or 800-972-2026
According to the Iowa Department of Public Health, all children newly enrolling in an Iowa elementary or high school are required to have a dental screening. The following are highlights of the school dental screening requirement:
- The requirement applies to kindergarten and ninth grade students only.
- A screening for kindergarten may be performed by a licensed dentist, dental hygienist, nurse, advanced registered nurse practitioner, or physician assistant.
- A screening for ninth grade may be performed by a licensed dentist or dental hygienist only.
- Screenings performed by out-of-state providers are allowed.
- The Iowa Department of Public Health Certificate of Dental Screening is the only acceptable form.
- A screening for kindergarten is valid from the age of three years up to four months after enrollment date.
- A screening for ninth grade is valid from one year prior to enrollment to four months after enrollment date.
Questions? For more information please review the IDPH website.
Where Can I Get Immunizations for My Student?
Immunizations can be obtained from doctor’s offices, clinics, or hospitals. Pediatricians and family doctors or their nurses or medical assistants can give your student the shots he or she needs to meet the requirements for school enrollment. In addition, some large chain pharmacies offer immunizations for older children and adults.
What if I Need Assistance Paying for Vaccines?
If you need assistance paying for shots/vaccinations, you may be able to get free or reduced immunizations through this program:
- Vaccines for Children (VFC) program is a federally funded program that provides vaccines at no cost to children who might not otherwise be vaccinated because of inability to pay. Children who are eligible for VFC vaccines are entitled to receive pediatric vaccines that are recommended by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices.
Immunization Exemptions
- Iowa State Department of Health Certificate of Immunization Exemptions
A student may be exempt from immunizations for medical or religious belief reasons. The student must provide a valid Iowa State Department of Health Certificate of Immunization Medical or Religious Exemption to be exempt from this policy. See the required forms as provided by the IDPH below.
- Religious Exemption: Provide an Iowa Department of Public Health Certificate of Immunization Religious Exemption attesting that your religious beliefs conflict with immunization requirements. The form is only valid if signed by a notary public.
- Medical Exemption: Provide an Iowa Department of Public Health Certificate of Immunization Medical Exemption by a health care provider.
- Certificate of Blood Lead Testing Exemption for Religious Reasons *(see details below)
*An exemption to the required Lead Testing is available for religious reasons. You will need to file this form with the school. A signed and notarized Certificate of Blood Lead Testing Exemption for Religious Reasons is required for the exemption.
Prior Academic Records
Child’s Proof of Immunization
Prior Academic Records
Students across Iowa in grades K-12 are eligible to enroll in Iowa Connections Academy. Those who have previously attended public school, private school, or homeschool will be required to submit academic records for placement.
Report Card
For students applying for grades K–9: Please submit a copy of the report card from the most recent school year.
The following items should be included on the report card:
- Student Name
- Grade Level
- School Year (example: 2023–24)
- School Name
- Grading Scale (example: 90–100%=A)
Unofficial Transcript
For students applying for grades 10–12: Submit an unofficial transcript that includes the complete end-of-year grades from the current school year and any academic documentation (such as a progress report/interim report, class schedule, or marking period/semester report card) issued for the current school year. Additional documentation may be requested for placement.
The following items should be included on the unofficial transcript:
- Student Name
- Grade Level
- School Year (example: 2023–24)
- School Name
- Grading Scale (example: 90–100%=A)
- Credits Earned
Not Sure How to Get Your Child’s Report Card or Transcript?
- Contact your student's previous school and request the document, providing them with the information outlined above, OR contact your school's district office with the request.
If after attempting these steps you still cannot obtain your student's report card or transcript, please contact the academic placement services team at 800-382-6010 to discuss acceptable alternatives.
Have Your Child(ren) Been Formerly Homeschooled?
Other Documents for Special Circumstances
Proof of Residence
Other Documents for Special Circumstances
You may need to provide additional documentation if any of the following circumstances apply:
- Custody order: If your legal guardianship is determined by a court order, please submit a copy of the order.
- In the state of Iowa, the receiving district (CAM Community School District) and AEA (Green Hills) along with the sending district and AEA must review the open enrollment application of all student eligible for special education services to determine if the student’s needs can be met at Iowa Connections Academy and CAM Community School District. Additional information may be requested in preparation for this review process.
STEP 4
Get Started
Parents seeking to enroll their student in Iowa Connections Academy for the 2023-24 or 2024-25 school years must follow these steps to start enrollment:
Give Us a Call
If you have any concerns or questions about how to enroll, our enrollment team is here to help.
Please call us at 1-800-382-6010.
Iowa Connections Academy admits students and conducts all educational programs, activities, and employment practices without discrimination on the basis of sex, race, religion, age, national origin, ancestry, creed, sexual orientation, disability, or any other legally protected classification.
Enrollment Support Hours:
Monday - Friday, 8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. CT