Article is from 2016, so it's been happening for awhile, they filled up their school with kids from Des Moines. Similar to how West Branch brings in their athletes from the Iowa City area.
“VAN METER, Iowa — As the suburbs continue to grow, neighboring school districts are beginning to see the effects.
That’s one of the biggest draws to the Van Meter School District. Class sizes are in the high teens and low twenties. But some parents are deciding to open-enroll their kids from neighboring districts.
We pick up kids as they go. For example, last year’s graduating class had 32 when they started kindergarten and graduated with 59,” said Durflinger.
Van Meter is seeing the most open enrollment from Waukee schools with 62 students choosing their district. Next is Adel-Desoto-Minburn with 46.
Van Meter is in the process of building four new elementary classrooms to help handle more students in the future but does not have any other plans for expansion."
https://who13.com/news/van-meter-schools-could-curb-open-enrollment/
