Appellants in this appeal are residents of the Dexfield District and parents of students in the District. Appellants seek reversal of decisions of the Board of Directors of the District made on October 28, 1999 that failed to continue a whole grade sharing agreement with the Stuart-Menlo Community School District.

Appellants want to preserve the whole grade sharing arrangement between the Stuart-Menlo and the Dexfield Community School Districts because it allows the high school to offer 68 to 70 courses; it allows the high school to offer block scheduling, which means that the students are in each class for longer periods of time; it allows the high school students to be in a separate building from the middle school students; and it allows the middle school students to have an age-appropriate curriculum. Dexfield Board President Light specifically stated in answer to questioning that he agreed with Superintendent Hoover on the following:

1. Dexfield would have serious problems meeting accreditation to standards on its own for the high school students;2. Entering into a one-way whole grade sharing agreement or 28E agreements with Stuart-Menlo for next year would be preferable to dismantling the District; and3. It would be financially possible for Dexfield either to enter into a one-way whole grade sharing agreement with Stuart-Menlo or to enter into 28E agreements to take care of its high school students. The State Board concludes that Dexfield's decision not to enter into a one-way whole grade sharing agreement with Stuart-Menlo was unreasonable and contrary to the best interest of education. First, in terms of its unreasonableness, the State Board finds that the evidence was undisputed that the Dexfield Superintendent, Middle School Principal, and Board President agreed that Dexfield would not be able to meet state accreditation standards for high school students on its own. The evidence was undisputed that Dexfield would be able financially to enter into a one-way whole grade sharing agreement with Stuart-Menlo. Second, the State Board further concludes that the Dexfield Board's decision not to enter into a one-way whole grade sharing agreement with Stuart-Menlo was contrary to the best interest of education. In addition to the evidence that Dexfield would not be able to meet accreditation standards on its own, the State Board applied the five factors listed in Iowa Code section 256.9(34)(1999) regarding whether a whole grade sharing agreement is in the best interest of education.

Although the State Board is sympathetic to Appellants' desire for the West Central District to remain intact, it cannot provide the remedy Appellants seek. The Iowa Code provides that whole grade sharing agreements must be signed by February 1 before the academic year in which the agreement will begin. That deadline has passed. Since the Iowa Code does not authorize the Department of Education to waive this deadline, the State Board at this point cannot require the District to sign a one-way whole grade sharing agreement with Stuart-Menlo. The academic and extracurricular fate of Dexfield's high school students is in serious jeopardy and the uncertainty as to where those students would attend school needs to be resolved so that planning can be done for the 2000-2001 school year. For the sake of continuity, it would be in the best interest of the high school students to continue where they are until other longer-term arrangements can be made.

The academic and extracurricular fate of Dexfield's high school students is in serious jeopardy and the uncertainty as to where those students would attend school needs to be resolved so that planning can be done for the 2000-2001 school year. For the sake of continuity, it would be in the best interest of the high school students to continue where they are until other longer-term arrangements can be made. The State Board strongly recommends, therefore, the following: 1. The State Board strongly prefers that, first, the Dexfield Superintendent should contact the Stuart-Menlo Superintendent as soon as possible to discuss and negotiate 28E agreements between the two districts for Dexfield's high school academics and extracurricular programs, including athletics; and for Dexfield's middle school extracurricular programs, including athletics; and2. If a 28E agreement with Stuart-Menlo is not reached, the Dexfield Board should then make arrangements as soon as possible to discontinue grades 9 through 12 of its high school under the provisions of Iowa Code section 282.7(1999).

That the Dexfield Community School District Board of Director's decision, made on October 28, 1999, be reversed.