The Iowa–Grant School Board denied a request to move property from the Iowa–Grant school district to the Platteville school district Feb. 8.
The Platteville School Board unanimously approved that request Monday night, leaving the last word most likely with the state Department of Public Instruction School District Boundary Appeal Board.
Jason and Jaclyn Bevan are seeking to move their property on Austin Road in the Town of Lima from the Iowa–Grant School District, to their north, to the Platteville School District, which boundary surrounds the property to the west, south and east, according to a map the Platteville school district provided Monday night.
The Bevans have a daughter born prematurely with hydrocephalus and a shunt to drain fluid from her brain. The girl is open-enrolled in Platteville and attends regular classes, but is susceptible to more severe brain injury due to her shunt.
Jason Bevan said Monday night that a Platteville school bus “travels very close to our home” but isn’t allowed to pick up their daughter.
The Iowa–Grant board voted down the request 4–3 earlier this month.
The Bevans have relatives in the Platteville area who they believe could get their daughter to a hospital quickly in case of a head injury. There is no hospital within Iowa–Grant boundaries.
The Bevans lived in Platteville when their daughter was born, but moved to the Town of Lima while Jackie Bevan worked in Platteville, but no longer does. The Bevans have a younger daughter who will be attending school soon.
The Bevans’ property, which is on a Platteville school district bus route, is assessed at $183,500. Iowa–Grant superintendent Linda Erickson said earlier this month the loss of the property would mean $1,500 in lost tax revenue and the loss of state aid for open-enrolled students. School districts get more state aid for students who live in that district, and less aid for students who open-enroll in or out of the school district.
School districts are also required to educate students who live in the district, while school districts can choose to allow students to open-enroll in or not.
