DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) -- Applications for preschool grants from about 30 districts received a failing grade because the districts didn't follow directions.

The districts, hoping to share $14.6 million in state funding, were asked for a double-spaced narrative describing how they would use the money. Instead, the districts single spaced their explanations and their applications were rejected.

Keith Sersland, superintendent of the Mason City school district, said that while he understood the need for the rule, the process was frustrating. His appeal to the Iowa Department of Education, which rejected the applications, was turned down.

'We had five great teachers as well as an AEA (Area Education Agency) consultant, working on this,' he said. 'They worked hard in a short turnaround time; it was a great application.'

State officials said the rule was clear to applicants as were other requirements, such as font use and type size. When it comes to competitive grants, such rules are common, they said.

'We told them up front,' said Carol Greta, legal counsel for the department who testified before a legislative panel looking into the spacing issue. 'If you want the public's money, follow the rules.'

Stephen McAllister, superintendent at Danville, said his district did follow the rules but its application was tossed nonetheless.

He claims the district's application was double-spaced using Apple Works software, but appeared smaller when viewed using Microsoft Word.

'We're still trying to sort through all this,' McAllister said.

Officials said it would be unfair to let some districts give longer, single-spaced explanations, but Greta conceded that some applications that used one-and-a-half spaces may have sneaked through.

'It was a little harder to catch those, frankly,' Greta said.