Iowa Code Title VII. Education and Cultural Affairs [Chs. 256-305B] § 285.4. Pupils sent to another district

1. When a board closes its elementary school facilities for lack of pupils or by action of the board, it shall, if there is a school bus service available in the area, designate for attendance the school operating the buses, provided the board of such school is willing to receive them and the facilities and curricular offerings are adequate. The board of the district where the pupils reside may with the approval of the area education agency board, subject to legal limitations and established uniform standards, designate another rural school and provide their own transportation if the transportation costs will be less than to use the established bus service.

2. All designations must be submitted to the area education agency board on or before July 15, for review and approval. The agency board shall after due investigation alter or change designations to make them conform to legal requirements and established uniform standards for making designations and for locating and establishing bus routes. After designations are made, they will remain the same from year to year except that on or before July 15, of each year, the rural board or parents may petition the agency board for a change of designation to another school. Appeals from the decision of the agency board on designations may be made by either the parents or board to the director of the department of education as provided in section 285.12 and section 285.13.