The Iowa Board of Education is discussing the rules for open enrollment and possible changes to allow a student who may not suffer what’s legally defined as bullying to still enroll at a new school. Nicole Proesch is the administrative law judge who hears the cases and advises the board once an appeal makes it to the state level.
Proesch says the districts get the request form, and if it is filed in time they move it on, if it is not, they deny it. She says schools boards have a hard time separating bad behavior to a student from bullying.
Board member Mike May of Spirit Lake says he has been frustrated by open enrollment appeals where the student is treated badly, but there is not enough for the board to approve the open enrollment to another school.
May says it is an issue they will continue to work on and will likely have some sort of solution to discuss in a couple of months.
