Opinion ID: 1826878
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 11

Heading: hoyersappeal # 17985

Text: In October 1990, Hoyers had three children, ages 5, 3 and 2. None of the children were attending school in 1990. The Hoyer residence is 8-1/2 miles from Oldham, 10 miles from Ramona and 16 miles from Howard. Bus service is available to the Oldham-Ramona School District. Hoyers are on the Oldham telephone exchange. The board denied Hoyers petition on the following basis: [T]he Board of Education of the Oldham-Ramona School District hereby denies the petition from Clint and Jane Hoyer for minor boundary change. Reasons being there is no educational hardship. There is no mileage hardship. It is the responsibility of the Board of Education to uphold the decision of the majority of the voters. It would result in a loss of county revenue and state aid. It is the responsibility of the Board of Education to educate the students of the district and to maintain the assets of the district, assets being land, students, and state aid. As with Usts' and Jensens' petitions, the board took the economic factors as well as the educational and mileage factors into consideration in denying Hoyers' petition. The board's findings are supported by the facts previously outlined. Although Hoyers' claim significant family and economic ties to Howard, there is no mileage hardship as bus service is provided by the Oldham-Ramona District and Hoyers live closer to the Oldham and Ramona communities than they do to Howard. There is no educational hardship as the Oldham-Ramona School District is accredited academically in all respects as required by state law and Hoyers point to no educational programs they need that are not available in the Oldham-Ramona schools. Hoyers do place heavy emphasis on their family relations in Howard and the fact some family babysitting services are utilized. However, there is no indication in the record that these are essential services that would be curtailed by the children's attendance at the Oldham-Ramona schools or would cause a severe economic hardship for the family. Because the board weighed the appropriate factors in considering Hoyers' petition, we decline to characterize its decision as clearly erroneous, arbitrary, capricious or an abuse of discretion.