Changes to Iowa’s Open Enrollment Policy Leads to Student Movement in Quad-Cities
Recent changes to Iowa’s open enrollment policy have resulted in significant movement of students in the Quad-Cities area. The policy, which permits parents in Iowa to send their children to any public school in the state, has provided parents with more options for their children’s education. A three-part series by the Quad-City Times focused on the impact of these changes on the Bettendorf, Davenport, North Scott, and Pleasant Valley school districts.
During the last school year, a total of 1,591 students from these districts chose to leave their home schools and attend elsewhere. Davenport district residents accounted for half of that total, with a net loss of 790 students in the 2022-23 academic year. In contrast, Bettendorf schools experienced a gain of 362 students, resulting in the need to turn students away. Pleasant Valley gained a modest eight students but was also forced to deny enrollment to some. North Scott gained 216 students.
The data clearly shows where students are leaving and where they are enrolling. Davenport has closed some schools, not necessarily due to open enrollment policies, while Bettendorf and Pleasant Valley lack the space and staff to accommodate more students. However, all four school districts are adapting and making efforts to meet the changes with appropriate facilities and staff.
Over the past five years, the number of students attending schools outside their home districts has increased by 33% across the four districts. This growth can be attributed to two recent policy changes. In 2021, Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds eliminated school districts’ ability to deny open enrollment based on voluntary diversity plans. Davenport was among the five districts in Iowa that had implemented such plans. The following year, Reynolds eliminated the prior March 1 open enrollment deadline, allowing Iowa families to enroll their children in any Iowa school district at their convenience. While this made decision-making easier for parents, it made planning and preparation more challenging for school districts.
Superintendents from the four school districts interviewed for the series expressed their concerns about the impact of these changes. Staffing levels and financial resources are typically determined in March, April, and May, well before the previous academic year ends. Therefore, enrollment changes make it difficult to maintain an appropriate balance between students and teachers in the curriculum. The sudden transfer of students in the final weeks of the previous academic year also negatively affects students’ academic performance and the schools they transfer to.
To address these concerns, school administrators are of the unanimous opinion that reinstating an open enrollment deadline would enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of schools. Pleasant Valley Superintendent Brian Strusz suggests setting the deadline for May or June to allow parents sufficient time to make important decisions while providing stability for school districts to meet the upcoming academic year’s demands.
In conclusion, the changes to Iowa’s open enrollment policy have led to a significant movement of students in the Quad-Cities area. The series by Quad-City Times shed light on the impact of these changes on the Bettendorf, Davenport, North Scott, and Pleasant Valley school districts. The removal of the open enrollment deadline and the elimination of school district denials based on voluntary diversity plans have resulted in challenges for schools in terms of staffing and financial planning. Reinstating a deadline, as suggested by school administrators, would benefit both parents and school districts in making informed decisions and ensuring smooth operations.
