Iowa Department of Education

Methods of Changing District Boundaries

A few years ago, the Department of Education (DE) put together a summary of how school district boundaries can get changed.  Iowa Code section 275.1 states that all areas of the state shall be included within school districts.  Prior to the formation of area educational agencies (AEAs) in 1974, districts would petition their county board of education to change a boundary,  Now, as stated in Code of Iowa chapters 274 and 275, the following methods exist: By mutual board action... The boundaries of contiguous districts may be changed by the concurrent action of the boards of directors of both or all districts, subject to the approval of the AEA board.  The AEA receives notice of the LEA boards' actions;  if it does not affirmatively disapprove the local action within 30 days, the action stands.  Iowa Code section 274.38 allows any school board to ask the DE to conduct a study and make recommendations with respect to any adjustment of boundary lines. By electorate... Any registered voter within a school district may file a petition with the proper AEA, describing the present boundary lines and proposing the new lines.  Such petition must be signed by registered voters in each affected district equal to the lesser of 400 or 20% of the total number of registered voters.  The AEA sets a hearing and that board makes a decision within 10 days of the hearing.  If a school district doesn't like the AEA's decision, it must appeal to district court - not to the DE.  An aggrieved elector, however, has no right to appeal to either the DE or to district court.  (The details of reorganized, enlarged, or changed boundaries are found in chapter 275 of the Iowa Code.)  NOTE CAREFULLY:  This is not the same as, and should not be confused with, a reorganization whereby consolidation of districts occurs.  By federal government... If the federal government determines that it requires certain real estate within a district for either flood control or national defense, the DE must cooperate by re-drawing district lines as needed.  The feds get whatever land they need.  Our job is to make sure that all children in the affected area are included within a district.