In May, 1995, the Pruitts moved from the Dexfield Community School District to the Stuart-Menlo Community School District. At that time, Ms. Pruitt requested applications for open enrollment for all three children, so they could continue in the Dexfield School District. The Dexfield and Stuart-Menlo Districts share grades 6 through 12. They do not share elementary grades. At the time she requested open enrollment applications in 1995, Ms. Pruitt was told by Superintendent Turner, superintendent of the Dexfield Community School District, and Superintendent Nulph, superintendent of the Stuart-Menlo Community School District, that it would make no difference which district Kristie and Joshua were in because of the gradesharing. Therefore, Ms. Pruitt did not request open enrollment for Kristie and Joshua at that time. She did request open enrollment for her youngest son, Brandon, and this request was granted.

Kristie and Joshua are both active in school activities. The Pruitts live in the country. Ms. Pruitt works full time in West Des Moines. This creates a hardship regarding transportation. Kristie needs a school driving permit to be able to get to and from school and numerous school activities. If the children were open enrolled in the Dexfield District, there is a good chance that Kristie could get a school driving permit. Kristie is only 15 years of age. Since they are in the Stuart-Menlo District, Kristie cannot get a school permit because the District will not give Kristie a permit.

In addition, Joshua goes to school in Redfield. The family lives near Dexter. When Joshua rides the bus, he has to be on the bus at 7:10 a.m. but he does not get to school until 8:30 a.m. Ms. Pruitt worked with the District to try to get this revised, but as of the time of the hearing, had been unsuccess-ful. The Pruitts are transporting the children to and from school, because of the length of time of the bus ride and the inability of Kristie to obtain a school driving permit from the Stuart-Menlo Community School District. At the hearing, Mr. Nulph testified he would change the busing schedule for the 1996-97 school year, so that Joshua doesn't have to ride the bus for an hour and 20 minutes each way. In order to accomplish this, Ms. Pruitt had to request that the District revise the bus schedule for the following year. At the time Superintendent Nulph told Ms. Pruitt it would make no difference which district the children were enrolled in, he meant that it would make no difference in the school the children would attend. Ms. Pruitt interpreted this to mean that there would be no difference in any respect if her children attended either district.

We are very sympathetic to the plight of the Pruitt family in their attempt to find transportation to and from school and school activities which will work best for their family. However, the fact that Ms. Pruitt had a good reason for requesting open enrollment for her children does not mean that this meets the statutory definition of "good cause." Even though Ms. Pruitt interpreted what was said to her to mean there would be no difference if she did not open enroll her children, the panel is convinced there was no intent to mislead Ms. Pruitt by either district. The fact that the Stuart-Menlo District has a policy of not issuing school driving permits, in combination with Ms. Pruitt's belief that it would make no difference which district her children attended, does not rise to the level of "good cause" as defined by the Legislature.

That the decision of the Board of Directors of the Stuart-Menlo Community School District made on March 14, 1996, which denied Ms. Pruitt's request for open enrollment for her children, Kristie and Joshua, into the Dexfield Community School District for the 1996-97 school year, was affirmed.