Linda Parochetti and her three children moved from Missouri in October or November of 1997. She had previously lived in Bloomfield and intends to live there again, when housing became available. Therefore, she applied for open enrollment upon the family's return to Iowa so her children could once again attend the Davis County Community School District. The Cardinal Community School District denied her applications as being untimely filed. Ms. Parochetti filed this appeal, stating she could not have possibly met the deadline because she didn't know she was going to lose her job in Missouri.

The hearing panel and administrative law judge recommended to the Director of the Department that since the Cardinal Board of Education followed the deadlines contained in state law, the District was justified in denying Ms. Parochetti's requests for open enrollment.