Judge says Iowa regents have the power to close lab school at University of Northern Iowa

From The Des Moines Register: A judge says the Iowa Board of Regents can follow through with its decision to close a laboratory school run by the University of Northern Iowa. Judge Alan Pearson has dismissed a lawsuit filed by supporters of Malcolm Price Laboratory School, who argued that state law did not give the regents the authority to close it. Pearson ruled that the regents do have the power to close the school. The regents voted in February to close the school by June 30, saying it was too expensive to operate.

MARCH 2012....from The Northern Iowan: The Iowa Board of Regents has voted to approve University of Northern Iowa President Benjamin Allen's recommendation to close Malcolm Price Laboratory School by June 30. The closure now moves onto the state legislature for approval. Allen has said closing the lab school can save the university $2 million a year as well as $30 million in estimated necessary renovation costs. The school, on Northern Iowa's Cedar Falls campus, has about 365 students in its preK-12 program and provides opportunities for classroom experience to prospective teachers at the university.

Also: Supporters of the the Price Lab School have an online petition to keep the school open.