School district records are housed in the central administration office of the school district. It is the responsibility of the superintendent and board secretary to oversee the maintenance and accuracy of the records. The following records are kept and preserved according to the schedule below:
Secretary's financial records Permanently
Treasurer's financial records Permanently
Open meeting minutes of the Board of Directors Permanently
Annual audit reports Permanently
Annual budget Permanently
Permanent record of individual pupil Permanently
School election results Permanently
Real property records (e.g., deeds, abstracts) Permanently
Records of payment of judgments against the school district 20 years
Bonds and bond coupons 11 years after maturity, cancellation, transfer, redemption, and/or replacement
Written contracts 10 years
Cancelled warrants, check stubs, bank
statements, bills, invoices, and related record 5 years
Recordings and minutes of closed meetings 1 year
Program grants As determined by the grant
Nonpayroll personnel records 10 years after leaving district
Employment applications 2 years
Payroll records 3 years
School meal programs accounts/records 3 years after submission of the final claim for reimbursement
In the event that any federal or state agency requires a record be retained for a period of time longer than that listed above for audit purposes or otherwise, the record shall be retained beyond the listed period as long as is required for the resolution of the issue by the federal or state agency.
Employees' records are housed in the central administration office of the school district. The employees' records are maintained by the superintendent, the building administrator, the employee's immediate supervisor, and the board secretary.
An inventory of the furniture, equipment, and other nonconsumable items other than real property of the school district is conducted annually under the supervision of the superintendent. This report is filed with the board secretary.
The permanent and cumulative records of students currently enrolled in the school district are housed in the central administration office of the attendance center where the student attends. Permanent records shall be housed in a fire resistant safe or vault or electronically with a secure backup file. The building administrator is responsible for keeping these records current. Permanent records of students who have graduated or are no longer enrolled in the school district are housed in the [insert location] and will be retained permanently. These records will be maintained by the superintendent.Special education records shall be maintained in accordance with law.
The superintendent may digitize or otherwise electronically retain school district records and may destroy paper copies of the records. An electronic record which accurately reflects the information set forth in the paper record after it was first generated in its final form as an electronic record, and which remains accessible for later reference meets the same legal requirements for retention as the original paper record.
Legal Reference: 7 C.F.R. § 210.23(c).
Iowa Code §§ 22.3; 22.7; 91A.6; 279.8; 291.6; 554D.114; 554D.119; 614.1(13).
281 I.A.C. 12.3(4); 41.624.
City of Sioux City v. Greater Sioux City Press Club, 421 N.W.2d 895 (Iowa 1988).
City of Dubuque v. Telegraph Herald, Inc., 297 N.W.2d 523 (Iowa 1980).
Cross Reference:
206.3 Secretary
215 Board of Directors' Records
401.5 Employee Records
506 Student Records
901 Public Examination of School District Records
Approved July 2000
Reviewed November 2022
Revised July 2021