This series of the board policy manual is devoted to the goals and objectives for the school district's noninstructional services and business operations that assist in the delivery of the education program. These noninstructional services include, but are not limited to, transportation, the school lunch program and child care. The board, as it deems necessary, will provide additional noninstructional services to support the education program. To the extent a group of employees has a recognized collective bargaining unit, the provisions of the master contract regarding such topics shall prevail.
It is the goal of the board to provide noninstructional services and to conduct its business operations in an efficient manner.
Approved July 1999
Reviewed January 2021
Revised _____________
Each year at its annual meeting, the board will designate by resolution the name and location of the Iowa located financial depository institution or institutions to serve as the official school district depository or depositories. The board will also designate the maximum amount which may be kept on deposit in each bank. This amount will be designated the first time a new depository is identified, and will be reviewed at least once every five years or when an increase or additional depository is needed. The amount stated in the resolution must be for all depositories and include all of the school district's funds.
It is the responsibility of the board secretary to include the resolution in the minutes of the meeting.
Legal Reference:
Iowa Code §§ 12C; 279.33
Cross Reference:
210.1 Annual Meeting
206.4 Secretary-Treasurer
704.1 Local - State - Federal - Miscellaneous Revenue
Approved July 1999
Reviewed January 2021
Revised ___________
When the necessity for a fund has ceased to exist, the balance may be transferred to another fund or account by board resolution. School district monies received without a designated purpose may be transferred in this manner. School district monies received for a specific purpose or upon vote of the people may only be transferred, by board resolution when the purpose for which the monies were received has been completed. Voter approval is required to transfer monies to the general fund from the capital projects fund and debt service fund.
If all requirements for district use of funds under the Preschool Foundation Aid, Professional Development Supplement, Home School Assistance Program, Teacher Leadership Supplement or any discontinued fund teacher have been met and funds remain unexpended and unobligated at the end of the fiscal year, the district may transfer all or a portion of remaining funds by passage of a board resolution into the district’s flexibility account in accordance with law. Before the expenditure of amounts in the flexibility account, the district shall publish notice of the time, date, and place of a public hearing on the proposed resolution approving said expenditures. The board must find and certify that the statutory requirements of each original source of funds have been met before adopting the resolution approving the expenditures. The district will present a copy of the signed board resolution to the Department of Education.
The District may transfer by board resolution from the general fund to the student activity fund an amount needed to purchase or refurbish protective and safety equipment required for any extracurricular interscholastic athletic contest or competition sponsored or administered by the Iowa High School Athletic Association of Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union.
If the before and after school program exceeds the amount necessary to operate the program, the excess amount may, following a public hearing, be transferred by resolution of the board of directors of the school corporation for deposit in the general fund of the school corporation to be used for school district general fund purposes. The district will present a copy of the signed board resolution to the Department of Education.
Beginning in FY 2024, unexpended and unobligated dollars that remain at the end of a fiscal year in addition to ongoing revenues may be transferred to the Teacher Salary Supplement (TSS) program from Professional Development Supplement (PDS), Talented and Gifted (TAG), and Teacher Leadership Supplement (TLS) without board action.
The district may choose to request approval from the School Budget Review Committee to transfer funds to make a program whole, prior to its elimination.
Temporary transfers (loans) of funds are permitted between funds but must be repaid to the originating fund, with interest, by Oct. 1 following the end of the fiscal year.
It is the responsibility of the board secretary to make recommendations to the board regarding transfers and to provide the documentation justifying the transfer.
Legal Reference:
Iowa Code §§ 24.21-.22; 257.10, 279.8; 279.42; 298A.
Cross Reference:
701.3 Financial Records
703 Budget
704.2 Sale of Bonds
Approved July 1999
Reviewed May 2023
Revised May 2023
Financial records of the school district are maintained in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) as required or modified by law. School district monies are received and expended from the appropriate fund and/or account. The funds and accounts of the school district will include, but not be limited to:
Governmental Fund Type
Proprietary Fund Type – These funds account for operations of the school district operated similar to private business for which a fee is charged to external users for goods or services, or they account for the costs of providing goods and services provided by one department to other departments on a cost reimbursement basis.
Fiduciary Funds-These funds are used to account for monies or assets held by the school district on behalf of, or in trust for, another entity.
Non-Fiduciary Scholarship Fund
Account Groups- The groups are the accounting records for capital assets and long-term debt.
The board may establish other funds in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles and may certify other taxes to be levied for the funds as provided by state law. The status of each fund must be included in the annual report.
It is the responsibility of the superintendent in conjunction with the school business official to implement this policy and bring necessary changes in the maintenance of the school district's financial records to the attention of the board.
Legal Reference: Iowa Code §§291; 298; 298A.
281 I.A.C. 98
Cross Reference: 704 Revenue
705 Expenditures
Approved July 1999
Reviewed January 2021
Revised ___________
School district accounting practices will follow state and federal laws and regulations, generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) and the uniform financial accounting system provided by the Iowa Department of Education. As advised by the school district’s auditor, determination of liabilities and assets, prioritization of expenditures of governmental funds and provisions for accounting disclosures shall be made in accordance with governmental accounting standards.
In Governmental Accounting Standards Board (GASB) Statement No. 54, the board identifies the order of spending unrestricted resources applying the highest level of classification of fund balance - restricted, committed, assigned, and unassigned - while honoring constraints on the specific purposes for which amounts in those fund balances can be spent. A formal board action is required to establish, modify and or rescind a committed fund balance. The resolution will state the exact dollar amount. In the event, the board chooses to make changes or rescind the committed fund balance, formal board action is required.
The Board authorizes the board secretary/business manager to assign amounts to a specific purpose in compliance with GASB 54. An ‘assigned fund balance’ should also be reported in the order of spending unrestricted resources, but is not restricted or committed.
Fund Balance Reporting
Financial reporting for the balances in the District’s governmental funds is based on Governmental Accounting Standards Board (GASB) Statement 54, Fund Balance Reporting and Governmental Fund Types Definitions. Fund balance refers to the difference between assets and liabilities in the governmental funds balance sheets. GASB 54 established a hierarchy that is based on “the extent to which the government is bound to honor constraints on the specific purpose for which the amounts in those funds can be spent.”
The governmental funds can have up to five fund balance classifications. The classifications are defined below from most to least restrictive.
Nonspendable Fund Balance includes amounts that cannot be spent because they are either not in spendable form, or legally or contractually required to be maintained intact. This includes items not expected to be converted to cash, including inventories and prepaid expenses. It may also include other property acquired for resale and the principal of a permanent fund.
Restricted Fund Balance should be reported when constraints placed on the use of resources are either externally imposed by creditors, grantors, contributors, or law or regulations of other governments; or imposed by law through constitutional provisions or enabling legislation. This includes “categorical balances.”
Committed Fund Balance reflects specific purposes pursuant to constraints imposed by formal action of the board. Such constraints can only be removed or changed by board action.
Assigned Fund Balance reflects amounts that are constrained by the government’s intent to be used for specific purposes but meet neither the restricted nor committed forms of constraint. Unless the amount is negative, the assigned fund balance is the residual classification for the governmental funds other than the general fund. If the amount is negative, then the residual amount is shown as unassigned.
Unassigned Fund Balance is the residual classification for the general fund only. As noted above, if a negative residual amount exists in other governmental funds then the amount is reported as unassigned.
It is the responsibility of the superintendent to develop administrative regulations implementing this policy. It is also the responsibility of the superintendent to make recommendations to the board regarding fund balance designations.
Legal Reference:
Iowa Code §§ 257.31(4); 279.8; 297.22-.25; 298A
Cross Reference:
701.3 Financial Records
703 Budget
704 Revenue
Approved June 2011
Reviewed January 2021
Revised
701.5 Fiscal Management
The Board recognizes its fiduciary responsibility to oversee the management of school district funds in keeping with the school district vision, mission, and goals. To achieve this purpose, the board may engage in learning about the financial needs, operations, and requirements of the district as appropriate for the board’s understanding of the district’s financial position. The Board also commits to engaging in annual financial goal setting for the district based upon measurable data and projections for the district.
After the fiscal year has closed, the Superintendent or their designee will provide to the Board concise, timely, well organized financial data. The Board will exercise its oversight responsibilities by reviewing relevant PK-12 public education sector indicators to understand the financial trends of the district.
The board will establish and review financial goals annually. The District will measure whether these goals were obtained as of June 30, but only after completion of the Certified Annual Report due September 15th each year.
Providing the best possible educational experience for all students and meeting federal, state, and local academic goals for each student requires maximizing General Fund resources for use in the instructional program. The board may request from the School Budget Review Committee (SBRC) additional modified spending authority (MSA) where it may be available for items such as:
Any award of modified supplement amount will be levied as a cash reserve based on the recommendation of the superintendent/designee and approved by the Board of Education in keeping with the fiscal management performance measures provided for in district policy.
Legal Reference: Iowa Code §§ 257.7, 31; 279.8
701.5R1 Fiscal Management – Financial Metrics
The following relevant PK-12 public sector indicators will be provided to the Board annually to better understand the financial trends of the district. These indicators will be an accurate depiction as of June 30th of the preceding fiscal year and will depict at a minimum of 3 years of data.
Total revenues and expenditures by fund and major sources;
Financial Solvency Ratio - assigned plus unassigned fund balances divided by total revenue minus AEA flow through;
Unspent Authorized Budget Ratio - amount of maximum spending authority left at year end after deducting the general fund expenditures incurred during the year;
Unspent Authorized Balance Ratio Net of Restricted Fund Balances (Categorical Fund Balances) - amount of maximum spending authority left at year end after deducting both the general fund expenditures incurred during the year and the total restricted fund balances (categorical fund balances) at year end;
Enrollment Trend - funding follows the student so it is important to understand district enrollment numbers;
Staff costs as a percent of total general fund.
Financial Projections
The general fund is the operating fund of the district where the majority of salaries and benefits are funded. Projections will help the board determine sustainability of the annual operating budget and help make future budgetary decisions.
The District is committed to utilizing the following financial metrics in determining district financial goals:
Unspent Authorized Budget Ratio: Maintain unspent authorized budget ratio within the 5-10% target range. The current year’s projected balance will be discussed with the Board before staffing and other spending decisions are finalized for the succeeding year.
Unspent Authorized Budget Net of Restricted Fund Balances (Categorical Balances): Maintain unspent authorized budget ratio net of restricted fund balances (categorical balances) within the 20% target range. The district will attempt to spend the restricted (categorical) annual allocation in the year received to the extent possible.
Solvency Ratio: Maintain an unrestricted, uncommitted general fund balance within the 10-20% target range with 10% being a minimum goal. The current year’s projected balance will be discussed with the Board before establishing the succeeding year’s cash reserve levy and before staffing and other spending decisions are finalized.
Employees may use school district credit cards for the actual and necessary expenses incurred in the performance of work-related duties. Actual and necessary expenses incurred in the performance of work-related duties include, but are not limited to, fuel for school district transportation vehicles used for transporting students to and from school and for school-sponsored events, payment of claims related to professional development of the board and employees, and other expenses required by employees and the board in the performance of their duties.
Employees and officers using a school district credit card must submit a detailed receipt in addition to a credit card receipt indicating the date, purpose and nature of the expense for each claim item. Failure to provide a proper receipt will make the employee responsible for expenses incurred. Those expenses are reimbursed to the school district no later than ten working days following use of the school district's credit card. In exceptional circumstances, the superintendent or board may allow a claim without proper receipt. Written documentation explaining the exceptional circumstances will be maintained as part of the school district's record of the claim.
The school district may maintain a school district credit card for actual and necessary expenses incurred by employees and officers in the performance of their duties. The superintendent may maintain a school district credit card for actual and necessary expenses incurred in the performance of the superintendent's duties.
It is the responsibility of the superintendent to determine whether the school district credit card use is for appropriate school business. It is the responsibility of the board to determine through the audit and approval process of the board whether the school district credit card use by the superintendent and the board is for appropriate school business.
The superintendent is responsible for developing administrative regulations regarding actual and necessary expenses and use of a school district credit card. The administrative regulations will include the appropriate forms to be filed for obtaining a credit card.
Legal Reference:
Iowa Constitution, Art. III, § 31.
Iowa Code §§ 279.8, .29, .30
281 I.A.C. 12.3(1).
Cross Reference:
216.3 Board of Directors' Member Compensation and Expenses
401.7 Employee Travel Compensation
Approved July 1999
Reviewed May 2023
Revised May 2023
The amount of cash that may be kept in the school building for any one day is sufficient for that day's operations. Funds raised by students are kept in the activity fund.
A minimal amount of cash is kept in the central administration office at the close of the day. Excess cash is deposited in the authorized depository of the school district.
It is the responsibility of the superintendent to determine the amount of cash necessary for each day's operations and to comply with this policy.
Legal Reference:
Iowa Code § 279.8
Cross Reference:
701.1 Depository of Funds
704 Revenue
Approved July 1999
Reviewed January 2021
Revised
Prior to certification of the budget, the board will review the projected revenues and expenditures for the school district and make adjustments where necessary to carry out the education program within the revenues projected. The budget of the school district is the authority for the expenditures of the school district for the fiscal year for which the budget was adopted and certified. It is the responsibility of the superintendent to operate the school district within the budget.
A budget for the school district is prepared annually for the board's review. The budget will include the following:
It is the responsibility of the board secretary/business manager to prepare the budget for review by the board prior to the April 30 deadline each year. The District will provide all of the information necessary for the Proposed Property Tax Statement to the Department of Management by March 15.
Mailing of Proposed Property Tax Hearing Statements is completed by the county auditor by March 20. A public hearing for the Proposed Property Taxes is then held not less than 10 days and not more than 20 days prior to the date of hearing. The hearing notice is published in a newspaper designated for official publication in the school district. The hearing notice must also be posted on the district website and district social media accounts on the same day it is published in the newspaper. The hearing on the Proposed Property Tax must be a unique and separate meeting and be the only item on the agenda.
Prior to the adoption of the proposed budget by the board, the public is apprised of the proposed budget for the school district. Prior to the adoption of the proposed budget by the board, members of the school district community will have an opportunity to review and comment on the proposed budget. A public hearing for the proposed budget of the board is held each year in sufficient time to file the adopted budget no later than April 30.
The proposed budget filed by the board with the board secretary and the time and place for the public hearing on the proposed budget is published in a newspaper designated for official publication in the school district. It is the responsibility of the board secretary to publish the proposed budget and public hearing information at least 10 but no more than 20 days prior to the public hearing.
The board will adopt and certify a budget for the operation of the school district to the county auditor by April 30. It is the responsibility of the board secretary to file the adopted and certified budget with the county auditor and the Iowa Department of Management.
The board may amend the budget for the fiscal year in the event of unforeseen circumstances. The amendment procedures will follow the procedures for public review and adoption of the original budget by the board outlined in these policies.
It is the responsibility of the superintendent and the board secretary to bring any budget amendments necessary to the attention of the board to allow sufficient time to file the amendment with the county auditor no later than May 31 of each year.
Legal Reference:
Iowa Code §§ 24; 257; 279.8; 297; 298; 618
Cross Reference:
214 Public Hearings
703 Budget
704 Revenue
705 Expenditures
Approved July 1999
Reviewed February 2024
Revised
Revenues of the school district are received by the board treasurer or their designee. Other persons receiving revenues on behalf of the school district will promptly turn them over to the board treasurer or their designee.
Revenue, from whatever source, is accounted for and classified under the official accounting system of the school district. It is the responsibility of the board treasurer to deposit the revenues received by the school district in a timely manner. School district funds from all sources will not be used for private gain or political purposes.
Tuition fees received by the school district are deposited in the general fund. The tuition fees for kindergarten through twelfth grade during the regular academic school year are set by the board based upon the superintendent's recommendation in compliance with current law. Tuition fees for summer school, driver's education and adult education are set by the board prior to the offering of the programs.
The board may charge materials fees for the use or purchase of educational materials. Educational materials fees received by the school district are deposited in the general fund. It is the responsibility of the superintendent to recommend to the board when educational materials fees will be charged and the amount of the materials fees.
Rental fees received by the school district for the rental of school district equipment or facilities are deposited in the general fund. It is the responsibility of the superintendent to recommend to the board a fee schedule for renting school district property.
Proceeds from the sale of real property are placed in the physical plant and equipment levy (PPEL) fund. However, following a properly noticed public hearing, the board of directors may elect to deposit proceeds from the sale of real property or buildings into any fund under the control of the school corporation. Notice for the public hearing must be published in a newspaper of general circulation within the district not less than ten and no more than twenty days prior to the proposed public hearing. Notice of the public hearing must include the date, time and location of the public hearing, and a description of the proposed action. The proceeds from the sale of other school district property are placed in the general fund.
The board may claim exemption from the law prohibiting competition with private enterprise for the following activities:
It is the responsibility of the superintendent to bring to the board's attention additional sources of revenue for the school district.
Legal Reference:
Iowa Code §§ 12C; 23A; 257.2; 279.8; 282.2, .6, .24; 291.12, .13; 297.9-.12, .22; 301.1.
Cross Reference:
701.1 Depository of Funds
703 Budget
803 Selling and Leasing
905 Use of School District Facilities & Equipment
Approved July 1999
Reviewed May 2024
Revised May 2024
DEBT LIMITS
Credit Ratings
The school district seeks to maintain the highest possible credit ratings for all categories of short- and long-term debt that can be achieved without compromising the delivery of services and the achievement of adopted objectives. The school district recognizes that external economic, natural, or other events may from time to time affect the creditworthiness of its debt. Nevertheless, the school district is committed to ensuring that actions within their control are prudent.
Debt Limits
For general obligation debt, the school district’s outstanding debt limit shall be no more than five percent (5%) of the actual value of property within the school district’s boundaries, as prescribed the Iowa constitution and statutory restrictions.
For revenue debt, the school district’s goal is to provide adequate debt service coverage of at least 1.20 times the annual debt service costs.
In accordance with Iowa law, the school district may not act as a conduit issuer or issue municipal securities to raise capital for revenue-generating projects where the funds generated are used by a third party (“conduit borrower”) to make payments to investors.
PURPOSES AND USES OF DEBT
Capital Planning
To enhance creditworthiness and prudent financial management, the school district is committed to systematic capital planning, intergovernmental cooperation and coordination and long-term financial planning.
Capital Financing
The school district may issue long-term debt for capital projects as authorized by Iowa law, which include, but are not limited to, the costs of planning, design, land acquisition, buildings, permanent structures, attached fixtures or equipment, and movable pieces of equipment. Capitalized interest may be included in sizing any capital project debt issue. The types of debt instruments to be used by the school district include:
· General Obligation Bonds
· General Obligation Capital Loan Notes
· Bond Anticipation Notes
· Revenue Anticipation Notes
· School Infrastructure Sales, Services and Use Tax Revenue Bonds
· Lease Purchase Agreements, including Certificates of Participation
Working Capital Financing
The school district may issue debt for working capital for operations after cash flow analysis has determined that there is a mismatch between available cash and cash outflows. The school district shall strive to repay working capital debt by the end of the fiscal year in which the debt was incurred. A Working Capital Reserve may be included in sizing any working capital debt issue.
Refundings
Periodic reviews of all outstanding debt will be undertaken to determine if refunding opportunities exist. Refunding will be considered (within federal tax law restraints) if and when there is a net economic benefit of the refunding or if the refunding is otherwise in the best interests of the school district, such as to release restrictive bond covenants which affect the operations and management of the school district.
In general, advance refundings for economic savings will be undertaken when a net present value savings exceeds three percent of the refunded debt can be achieved. Current refundings, which produce a new present value savings of less than three percent will be considered on a case by case basis taking into consideration bond covenants and general conditions. Refundings with negative savings will not be considered unless there is a compelling public policy objective for doing so.
DEBT STANDARDS AND STRUCTURE
Length of Debt
Debt will be structured for the shortest period consistent with a fair allocation of costs to current and future beneficiaries or users. Long-term debt will not be issued for periods exceeding the useful life or average useful lives of the project or projects to be financed. All debt issued will adhere to state and federal law regarding the length of time the debt may be outstanding.
Debt Structure
Debt will be structured to achieve the lowest possible net cost to the school district given market conditions, the urgency of the capital project, the type of debt being issued, and the nature and type of repayment source. To the extent possible, the school district will design the repayment of its overall debt to rapidly recapture its credit capacity for future use.
Generally, the school district will only issue fixed-rate debt. In very limited circumstances, the school district may issue variable rate debt, consistent with the limitations of Iowa law and upon a finding of the board that the use of fixed rate debt is not in the best interest of the school district and a statement of the reasons for the use of variable rate debt.
All debt may be structured using discount, par or premium coupons, and as serial or term bonds or notes, or any combination thereof, consistent with Iowa law. The school district should utilize the coupon structure that produces the lowest True Interest Cost (TIC) taking into consideration the call option value of any callable maturities.
The school district will strive to structure their debt in sinking fund installments for each debt issue that achieves, as nearly as practicable, level debt service within an issue or overall debt service within a particular classification of debt.
Derivatives (including, but not limited to, interest rate swaps, caps, collars, corridors, ceiling and floor agreements, forward agreements, float agreements, or other similar financing arrangements), zero-coupon or capital appreciation bonds are not allowed to be issued consistent with State law.
Decision Analysis to Issue Debt
Whenever the school district is contemplating the issuance of debt, information will be developed concerning the following four categories commonly used by rating agencies assessing the school district’s credit worthiness, listed below.
Debt Analysis – Debt capacity analysis; purpose for which debt is proposed to be issued; debt structure; debt burden; debt history and trends; and adequacy of debt and capital planning.
Financial Analysis – Stability, diversity, and growth rates of tax or other revenue sources; trend in assessed valuation and collections; current budget trends; appraisal of past revenue and expenditure trends; history and long-term trends of revenues and expenditures; evidences of financial planning; adherence to GAAP; audit results; fund balance status and trends in operating and debt funds; financial monitoring systems and capabilities; and cash flow projections.
Governmental and Administrative Analysis – Government organization structure; location of financial responsibilities and degree of control; adequacy of basic service provision; intergovernmental cooperation/conflict and extent of duplication; and overall planning efforts.
Economic Analysis – Geographic and location advantages; population and demographic characteristics; wealth indicators; types of employment, industry and occupation; housing characteristics; new construction; evidences of industrial decline; and trend of the economy.
DEBT ISSUANCE
Credit Enhancement
Credit enhancements (.i.e., bond insurance, etc.) may be used but only when the net debt service on the debt is reduced by more than the costs of the credit enhancement.
Costs and Fees
All costs and fees related to issuing the debt will be paid out of debt proceeds and allocated across all projects receiving proceeds of the debt issue.
Method of Sale
Generally, all school district debt will be sold through a competitive bidding process. Bids will be awarded on a TIC basis providing other bidding requirements are satisfied.
The school district may sell debt using a negotiated process in extraordinary circumstances when the complexity of the issue requires specialized expertise, when the negotiated sale would result in substantial savings in time or money, or when market conditions of school district credit are unusually volatile or uncertain.
Professional Service Providers
The school district will retain external bond counsel for all debt issues. All debt issued by the school district will include a written opinion by bond counsel affirming that the school district is authorized to issue the debt, stating that the school district has met all Iowa constitutional and statutory requirements necessary for issuance and determining the debt’s federal income tax status. The bond counsel retained must have comprehensive municipal debt experience and a thorough understanding of Iowa law as it relates to the issuance of the particular debt.
The school district will retain an independent financial advisor. The financial advisor will be responsible for structuring and preparing all offering documents for each debt issue. The financial advisor retained will have comprehensive municipal debt experience, experience with diverse financial structuring and pricing of municipal securities.
The treasurer shall have the authority to periodically select other service providers (e.g., escrow agents, verification agents, trustees, arbitrage consultants, rebate specialist, etc.) as necessary to meet legal requirements and minimize net debt costs. These services can include debt restructuring services and security or escrow purchases.
Compensation for bond counsel, financial advisor and other service providers will be as economical as possible and consistent with industry standards for the desired qualification levels.
DEBT MANAGEMENT
Investment of Debt Proceeds
The school district shall invest all proceeds received from the issuance of debt separate from the school district’s consolidated cash pool unless otherwise specified by the authorizing bond resolution or trust indenture. Investments will be consistent with those authorized by Iowa law and the school district’s Investment Policy to maintain safety of principal and liquidity of the funds.
Arbitrage and Record Keeping Compliance
The treasurer shall maintain a system of record keeping reporting and compliance procedures with respect to all federal tax requirements which are currently, or may become applicable through the lifetime of all tax-exempt or tax credit bonds.
Federal tax compliance, record-keeping reporting and compliance procedures shall include not shall not be limited to:
1) post-issuance compliance procedures (including proper use of proceeds, timely expenditure of proceeds, proper use of bond financed property, yield restriction and rebate, and timely return filing);
2) proper maintenance of records to support federal tax compliance;
3) investments and arbitrage compliance;
4) expenditures and assets;
5) private business use; and
6) designation of primary responsibilities for federal tax compliance of all bond financings.
Financial Disclosure
The school district is committed to full and complete financial disclosure, and to cooperating fully with rating agencies, institutional and individual investors, other levels of government, and the general public to share comprehensible and accurate financial information. The school district is dedicated to meeting secondary disclosure requirements on a timely and comprehensive basis, as promulgated by the Securities and Exchange Commission.
The Official Statements accompanying debt issues, Annual Audits, and Continuing Disclosure statements will meet the standards articulated by the Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board (MSRB), the Government Accounting Standards Board (GASB), the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). The treasurer shall be responsible for ongoing debt disclosure as required by any Continuing Disclosure Certificate for any debt issue and for maintain compliance with disclosure standards promulgated by state and federal regulatory bodies.
Legal Reference
Iowa Code §§ 74-76; 278.1; 298; 298A.
Cross Reference:
701 Financial Accounting System
704 Revenue
Approved October 2013
Reviewed February 2016
Revised
1. Role of Compliance Coordinator/Board Treasurer
The board treasurer shall:
a) Be responsible for monitoring post-issuance compliance;
b) Maintain a copy of the transcript of proceedings or minutes in connection with the issuance of any tax-exempt obligations and obtain records that are necessary to meet the requirements of this regulation;
c) Consult with bond counsel, a rebate consultant, financial advisor, IRS publications and such other resources as are, necessary to understand and meet the requirements of this regulation;
d) Seek out training and education to be implemented upon the occurrence of new developments in the area and upon the hiring of new personnel to implement this regulation.
2. Financing Transcripts’ Filing and Retention
The board treasurer shall confirm the proper filing of an IRS 8038 Series return and maintain a transcript of proceedings and minutes for all tax-exempt obligations issued by the school district including but not limited to all tax-exempt bonds, notes and lease-purchase contracts. Each transcript shall be maintained until 11 years after the tax-exempt obligation documents have been retired. The transcript shall include, at a minimum:
a) Form 8038;
b) Minutes, resolutions, and certificates;
c) Certifications of issue price from the underwriter;
d) Formal elections required by the IRS;
e) Trustee statements;
f) Records of refunded bonds, if applicable;
g) Correspondence relating to bond financings; and
h) Reports of any IRS examinations for bond financings.
3. Proper Use of Proceeds
The board treasurer shall review the resolution authorizing issuance for each tax-exempt obligation issued by the school district, and the school district shall:
a) Obtain a computation of the yield on such issue from the school district's financial advisor;
b) Create a separate Project Fund (with as many sub-funds as shall be necessary to allocate proceeds among the projects being funded by the issue) into which the proceeds of issue shall be deposited;
c) Review all requisitions, draw schedules, draw requests, invoices and bills requesting payment from the Project Fund;
d) Determine whether payment from the Project Fund is appropriate and, if so, make payment from the Project Fund (and appropriate sub-fund if applicable);
e) Maintain records of the payment requests and corresponding records showing payment;
Code No. 704.2R1
Page 2 of 4
POST-ISSUANCE COMPLIANCE REGULATION FOR TAX-EXEMPT OBLIGATIONS
f) Maintain records showing the earnings on, and investment of, the Project Fund;
g) Ensure that all investments acquired with proceeds are purchased at fair market value;
h) Identify bond proceeds or applicable debt service allocations that must be invested with a yield-restriction and monitor the· investments of any yield-restricted funds to ensure that the yield on such investments do not exceed the yield to which such investments are restricted;
i) Maintain records related to any investment contracts, credit enhancement transactions, and the bidding of financial products related to the proceeds.
4. Timely Expenditure and Arbitrage/Rebate Compliance
The board treasurer shall review the Tax-Exemption Certificate (or equivalent) for each tax-exempt obligation issued by the school district and the expenditure records provided in Section 2 of this regulation, above, and shall:
a) Monitor and ensure that proceeds of each such issue are spent within the temporary period set forth in such certificate;
b) Monitor and ensure that the proceeds are spent in accordance with one or more of the applicable exceptions to rebate as set forth in such certificate if the school district does not meet the "small issuer" exception for said obligation;
c) Not less than 60 days prior to a required expenditure date confer with bond counsel and a rebate consultant if the school district will fail to meet the applicable temporary period or rebate exception expenditure requirements of the Tax-Exemption Certificate. In the event the school district fails to meet a temporary period or rebate exception:
1. Procure a timely computation of any rebate liability and, if rebate is due, file a Form 8038-T and arrange for payment of such rebate liability;
2. Arrange for timely computation and payment of yield reduction payments" (as such term is defined in the Code and Treasury Regulations), if applicable.
5. Proper Use of Bond Financed Assets
The board treasurer shall:
a) Maintain appropriate records and a list of all bond financed assets. Such records shall include the actual amount of proceeds (including investment earnings) spent on each of the bond financed assets;
b) Monitor and confer with bond counsel with respect to all proposed bond financed assets;
1. management contracts;
2. service agreements;
3. research contracts;
4. naming rights contracts;
5. leases or sub-leases;
6. joint venture, limited liability or partnership arrangements;
7. sale of property; or
8. any other change in use of such asset.
Code No. 704.2R1
Page 3 of 4
POST-ISSUANCE COMPLIANCE REGULATION FOR TAX-EXEMPT OBLIGATIONS
c) Maintain a copy of the proposed agreement, contract, lease or arrangement, together with the response by bond counsel with respect to said proposal for at least three years after retirement of all tax-exempt obligations issued to fund all or any portion of bond financed assets; and
d) Contact bond counsel and ensure timely remedial action under IRS Regulation Sections 1.141-12 in the event the school district takes an action with respect to a bond financed asset, which causes the private business tests or private loan financing test to be met.
6. General Project Records
For each project financed with tax-exempt obligations, the board treasurer shall maintain, until three years after
retirement of the tax-exempt obligations or obligations issued to refund those obligations, the following:
a) Appraisals, demand surveys or feasibility studies;
b) Applications, approvals and other documentation of grants;
c) Depreciation schedules;
d) Contracts respecting the project.
7. Advance Refundings
The board treasurer shall be responsible for the following current, post issuance and record retention
procedures with respect to advance refunding bonds. The board treasurer shall:
a) Identify and select bonds to be advance refunded with advice from internal financial personnel, and
a financial advisor;
b) Identify, with advice from the financial advisor and bond counsel, any possible federal tax compliance issues prior to structuring any advance refunding;
c) Review the structure with the input of the financial advisor and bond counsel, of advance refunding issues prior to the issuance to ensure
(1) that the proposed refunding is permitted pursuant to applicable federal tax requirements if there has been a prior refunding of the original bond issue;
(2) that the proposed issuance complies with federal income tax requirements which might impose restrictions on the redemption date of the refunded bonds;
(3) that the proposed issuance complies with federal income tax requirements which allow for the proceeds and replacement proceeds of an issue to be invested temporarily in higher yielding investments without causing the advance refunding bonds to become "arbitrage bonds"; and
(4) that the proposed issuance will not result in the issuer's exploitation of the difference between tax exempt and taxable interest rates to obtain an financial advantage nor overburden the tax exempt market in a way that might be considered an abusive transaction for federal tax purposes;
d) Collect and review data related to arbitrage yield restriction and rebate requirements for advance refunding bonds. To ensure such compliance, the board treasurer shall engage a rebate consultant to prepare a verification report in connection with the advance refunding issuance. Said report shall ensure said requirements are satisfied;
e) Whenever possible, purchase State and Local Government Series (SLGS) to size each advance refunding escrow. The financial advisor shall be included in the process of subscribing SLGS. To the extent SLGS are not available for purchase, the Board treasurer shall, in consultation with bond counsel and the financial advisor, comply with IRS regulations;
f) Ensure, after input from bond counsel, compliance with any bidding requirements set forth by the IRS regulations to the extent as issuer elects to the purchase a guaranteed investment contract;
g) In determining the issue price for any advance refunding issuance, obtain and retain issue price certification by the purchasing underwriter at closing;
h) After the issuance of an advance refunding issue, ensure timely identification of violations of any federal tax requirements and engage bond counsel in attempt to remediate same in accordance with IRS regulations.
8. Continuing Disclosure
The board treasurer shall assure compliance with each continuing disclosure certificate and annually, per continuing disclosure agreements, file audited annual financial statements and other information required by each continuing disclosure agreement. The board treasurer will monitor material events as described in each continuing disclosure agreement and assure compliance with material event disclosure. Events to be reported shall be reported promptly, but in no event not later than 10 business days after the day of the occurrence of the event. Currently, such notice shall be given in the event of:
a) Principal and interest payment delinquencies;
b) Non-payment related defaults, if material;
c) Unscheduled draws on debt service reserves reflecting financial difficulties;
d) Unscheduled draws on credit enhancements relating to the bonds reflecting financial difficulties;
e) Substitution of credit or liquidity providers, or their failure to perform;
f) Adverse tax opinions, the issuance by the Internal Revenue Service of proposed or final determinations of taxability, Notices of Proposed Issue (IRS Form 5701-TEB) or other material notices or determinations with respect to the tax-exempt status of the bonds, or material events affecting the tax-exempt status of the bonds;
g) Modifications to rights of Holders of the Bonds, if material;
h) Bond calls (excluding sinking fund mandatory redemptions), if material, and tender offers;
i) Defeasances of the bonds;
j) Release, substitution, or sale of property securing repayment of the bonds, if material;
k) Rating changes on the bonds;
1) Bankruptcy, insolvency, receivership or similar event of the Issuer;
m) The consummation of a merger, consolidation, or acquisition involving the Issuer or the sale of all or substantially all of the assets of the Issuer, other than in the ordinary course of business, the entry into a definitive agreement to undertake such an action or the termination of a definitive agreement relating to any such actions, other than pursuant to its terms, if material; and
n) Appointment of a successor or additional trustee or the change of name of a trustee, if material.
Legal Reference:
Iowa Code §§ 257.31(4); 279.8; 297.22-.25; 298A (2011).
http://www.irs.gov/taxexemptbond/article/0,,id=243503,00.html
Cross Reference:
704 Revenue
707 Fiscal Reports
School district funds in excess of current needs are invested in compliance with this policy. The goals of the school district's investment portfolio in order of priority are:
To provide safety of the principal;
To maintain the necessary liquidity to match expected liabilities; and
To obtain a reasonable rate of return.
In making investments, the school district will exercise the care, skill, prudence and diligence under the circumstances then prevailing that a prudent person acting in a like capacity and familiar with such matters would use to meet the goals of the investment program.
School district funds are monies of the school district, including operating funds. "Operating funds" of the school district are funds which are reasonably expected to be used during a current budget year or within fifteen months of receipt. When investing operating funds, the investments must mature within three hundred and ninety-seven days or less. When investing funds other than operating funds, the investments must mature according to the need for the funds.
The board authorizes the board secretary/business manager to invest funds in excess of current needs in the following investments.
Interest bearing savings, money market, and checking accounts at the school district's authorized depositories;
Iowa Schools Joint Investment Trust Program (ISJIT); and,
Certificates of deposit and other evidences of deposit at federally insured Iowa depository institutions.
It is the responsibility of the board secretary/business manager to oversee the investment portfolio in compliance with this policy and the law.
The board secretary/business manager is responsible for reporting to and reviewing with the board at its regular meetings the investment portfolio's performance, transaction activity and current investments.
It is the responsibility of the superintendent to deliver a copy of this policy to the school district's depositories, auditor and outside persons doing investment business with the school district.
It will also be the responsibility of the superintendent, in conjunction with the board secretary/business manager, to develop a system of investment practices and internal controls over the investment practices. The investment practices are designed to prevent losses, to document the officers' and employees' responsibility for elements of the investment process and address the capability of the management.
Legal Reference:
Iowa Code §§ 11.2, .6; 12.62; 12B.10; 12C; 22.1, .14; 28E.2; 257; 279.29; 283A; 285; 502.701; 633.123 (2011).
Cross Reference:
206.4 Treasurer
704 Revenue
Approved July 1999
Reviewed February 2016
Revised ____________
The board believes gifts, grants, and bequests to the school district may be accepted when they will further the interests of the school district. The board will have sole authority to determine whether the gift furthers the interests of the school district.
Gifts, grants, and bequests are approved by the board. Once it has been approved by the board, a board member or the superintendent may accept the gift on behalf of the school district.
Gifts, grants, and bequests once accepted on behalf of the school district will become the property of the school district. Gifts, grants, and bequests will be administered in accordance with terms, if any, agreed to by the board.
Legal Reference:
Iowa Code §§ 279.42; 565.6 (2013).
Cross Reference:
217 Gifts to Board of Directors
402.4 Gifts to Employees
508.1 Class or Student Group Gifts
Approved July 1999
Reviewed February 2016
Revised ___________
Revenue raised by students or from student activities will be deposited and accounted for in the student activities fund. This revenue is the property of and is under the financial control of the board. Students may use this revenue for purposes approved by the superintendent or building principal.
Whether such revenue is collected from student contributions, club dues, and special activities or result from admissions to special events or from other fund-raising activities, all funds will be under the jurisdiction of the board and under the specific control of the superintendent or building principal. They will be deposited in a designated depository and will be disbursed and accounted for in accordance with instructions issued by the superintendent.
It is the responsibility of the board secretary to keep student activity accounts up-to-date and complete.
Any unencumbered class or activity account balances will automatically revert to the activity fund when a class graduates or an activity is discontinued.
Legal Reference:
Iowa Code §§279.8
Cross Reference:
504 Student Activities
701 Financial Accounting System
Approved July 1999
Reviewed February 2016
Revised ___________
Fundraising can foster a sense of community and pride in the school district through group efforts to accomplish a common goal. The school board believes fundraising campaigns can further the interests of the district. Care must be taken to help ensure fundraising efforts are done properly and safely to benefit the school community. The school board is responsible for approving all district affiliated and student fundraising. Any person or entity acting on behalf of the district and wishing to conduct a fundraising campaign for the benefit of the district shall begin the process by seeking prior approval from the board or its designee. Any fundraising efforts conducted using the district's resources, name, logos, symbols, or imagery will be conducted in accordance with all policies, regulations and rules for fundraising within the district.
District Affiliated Fundraising
There are times when the school board may decide to engage in district-affiliated fundraising efforts to benefit the school district. All district affiliated fundraising efforts will fulfill a public purpose and will not benefit only one single individual or family, except in unique circumstances pre-approved by the school board. The use of district owned resources to conduct fundraising efforts will be in accordance with all applicable laws and regulations and other relevant district policies and procedures.
Money or items raised by any district affiliated fundraising campaign will be the property of the district only upon acceptance by the board and will be used only in accordance with the terms for which they were given, as agreed to by the board.
Student Fundraising
Students may raise funds for school-sponsored events with the permission of the school board. The school board delegates to the Superintendent the authority to approve routine student fundraising as deemed appropriate. Collection boxes for school fund raising must have prior approval from the school board or its designee before being placed on school property. All funds generated from district-sponsored student fundraising will be placed in the district’s student activity fund. The Superintendent will develop necessary regulations to ensure the safety and equity of student fundraising efforts.
Online Fundraising
The use of the district’s name, logos, symbols, or imagery for online fundraising will be subject to the approval of the Superintendent. All online fundraising efforts will fulfill a public purpose, and will not benefit only one single individual or family except in unique circumstances pre-approved by the school board. If approved, the requestor shall be responsible for preparing all materials and information related to the online fundraising campaign and keeping district administration apprised of the status of the campaign.
All items and money generated from online fundraising are subject to the same controls and regulations as other district property and shall be deposited or inventoried accordingly. No money raised or items purchased shall be distributed to individual employees.
Legal Reference: |
Senior Class of Pekin High School v. Tharp, 154 N.W.2d 874 (Iowa 1967). |
I.C. Iowa Code |
Description |
Iowa Code § 279.42 |
|
Iowa Code § 279.8 |
|
Iowa Code § 565.6 |
|
Case Law |
Description |
Senior Class of Pekin HS v. Tharp |
154 N.W.2d 874 (Iowa 1967) |
Cross References
Code |
Description |
508.01 |
|
704.04 |
|
904.02 |
All district affiliated fundraising will be approved by the school board. Once approved, funds collected related to district affiliated fundraising will be placed in the appropriate fund in accordance with applicable laws and board policies. Prior to approval of district affiliated fundraising efforts, the board will consider:
Student Fundraising
Student fundraising can enhance a student’s educational experience, but it must not be at the expense of the safety and education of the district’s students. The following are additional regulations to assist the administration in developing procedures necessary for successful fundraising efforts:
The board supports economic development in Iowa, particularly in the school district community. As permitted by law, purchasing preference will be given to Iowa goods and services from locally-owned businesses located within the school district or Iowa based companies if the cost and other considerations are relatively equal and meet the required specifications. However, when spending federal Child Nutrition Funds, geographical preference is allowed only for unprocessed agricultural food items. Other statutory purchasing preferences will be applied as provided by law, including goals with regard to procurement from certified targeted small businesses, minority-owned businesses, and female owned businesses.
Goods and Services
The board shall enter into goods and services contract(s) as the board deems to be in the best interest of the school district. It shall be the responsibility of the superintendent to approve purchases, except those requiring board approval or as provided by in law. The superintendent may coordinate and combine purchases with other governmental bodies to take advantage of volume price breaks. Joint purchases with other political subdivisions will be considered in the purchase of equipment, accessories, or attachments with an estimated cost of $50,000 or more.
Purchases for goods and services shall conform to the following:
In the event that only one quotation or bid is submitted, the board may proceed if the quotation or bid meets the contract award specifications.
The contract award shall be based on the total cost considerations including, but not limited to the following:
The board may elect to exempt certain professional services contracts from the thresholds and procedures outlined above. The thresholds and procedures related to purchases of goods and services do not apply to public improvement projects.
Public Improvements
The board shall enter into public improvement contract(s) as the board deems to be in the best interest of the school district. ‘Public improvement’ means “a building or construction work which is constructed under the control of a governmental entity and for which either of the following applies: (1) has been paid for in whole or in part with funds of the governmental entity; (2) a commitment has been made prior to construction by the governmental entity to pay for the building or construction work in whole or in part with funds of the governmental entity. This includes a building or improvement constructed or operated jointly with any public or private agency.”
The district shall follow all requirements, timelines, and processes detailed in Iowa law related to public improvement projects. The thresholds regarding when competitive bidding or competitive quotations is required will be followed. Competitive bidding is required for public improvement contracts exceeding the minimum threshold stated in law. Competitive quotations are required for public improvement projects that exceed the minimum threshold amount stated in law, but do not exceed the minimum set for competitive bidding. The board shall approve competitive bids and competitive quotes. If the total cost of the public improvement does not warrant either competitive bidding or competitive quotations, the district may nevertheless proceed with either of these processes, if it so chooses.
The award of all contracts for the public improvement shall be awarded to the lowest responsive, responsible bidder. In the event of an emergency requiring repairs to a school district facility that exceed bidding and quotation thresholds, please refer to Policy 802.3 – Emergency Repairs.
The district shall comply with all federal and state laws and regulations required for procurement, including the selection and evaluation of contractors. The superintendent or designee is responsible for developing an administrative process to implement this policy, including, but not limited to, procedures related to suspension and debarment for transactions subject to those requirements.
Legal Reference:
Iowa Code §§ 18.6(9); 23A; 28E.20; 72.3; 73; 73A; 285.10(3), .10(7); 301
261 I.A.C. 54.
281 I.A.C. 43.25.
Cross Reference:
705 Expenditures
801.4 Site Acquisition
802 Maintenance, Operation and Management
802.3 Emergency Repairs
803 Selling and Leasing
Approved July 1999
Reviewed February 2021
Revised March 2023
In connection with transactions subject to federal suspension and debarment requirements, the district is generally prohibited from entering into transactions with parties that are debarred, suspended, or otherwise excluded from or ineligible for participation in federal assistance programs or activities.
When soliciting bids or otherwise preparing to enter into such a transaction, the superintendent or designee shall use at least one of the following verification methods to ensure that any parties to the transaction are not suspended or debarred prior to committing to any sub-award, purchase, or contract:
Approved August 2018
Reviewed August 2018
Revised
In addition to the District’s standard procurement and purchasing procedures, the following procedures for vendors/contractors paid with federal funds are required. When federal, state, and local requirements conflict, the most stringent requirement will be followed.
2 CFR Part 200, Subpart D Subsection §200.318 (c)(1)
No District employee, officer, or agent may participate in the selection, award and administration of contracts supported by a Federal award if he or she has a real or apparent conflict of interest. Such a conflict of interest would arise when the employee, officer, or agent, any member of his or her immediate family, his or her partner, or an organization which employs or is about to employ any of the parties indicated herein, has a financial or other interest in or a tangible personal benefit from a firm considered for a contract. District officers, employees, and agents may neither solicit nor accept gratuities, favors, or anything of monetary value from contractors or parties to subcontracts. However, for situations where the financial interest is not substantial or the gift is an unsolicited item of nominal value, district employees must abide by all relevant board policies. Violation of this requirement may result in disciplinary action for the District employee, officer, or agent.
2 CFR Part 200, Subpart D Subsection §200.320 (e)(1-4)
Procurement for contracts paid with federal funds may be conducted by noncompetitive (single source) proposals when one or more of the following circumstances apply: (1) the item is only available from a single source; (2) public exigency or emergency will not permit the delay resulting from competitive bids; (3) the Federal awarding agency or pass-through entity expressly authorizes noncompetitive proposals in response to a written request from the non-Federal entity; or (4) after solicitation of a number of sources, competition is inadequate.
2 CFR Part 200, Subpart D Subsection §200.321
The District will take all necessary affirmative steps to assure that minority businesses, women's business enterprises, and labor surplus area firms are used when possible. Affirmative steps must include: (1) placing such businesses on solicitation lists; (2) soliciting such businesses whenever they are potential sources; (3) when economically feasible, dividing contracts into smaller tasks or quantities to allow participation from such businesses; (4) establishing delivery schedules that encourage participation by such businesses; (5) when appropriate, utilizing the Small Business Administration and the Minority Business Development Agency of the Department of Commerce; and (6) requiring the primary contractor to follow steps (1) through (5) when subcontractors are used.
The district will include the following provisions in all procurement contracts or purchase orders include the following provisions when applicable:
2CFR Part 200 Appendix II
(A) Contracts for more than the simplified acquisition threshold currently set at $150,000, which is the inflation adjusted amount determined by the Civilian Agency Acquisition Council and the Defense Acquisition Regulations Council (Councils) as authorized by 41 U.S.C. 1908, must address administrative, contractual, or legal remedies in instances where contractors violate or breach contract terms, and provide for such sanctions and penalties as appropriate.
(B) All contracts in excess of $10,000 must address termination for cause and for convenience by the non-Federal entity including the manner by which it will be effected and the basis for settlement.
(C) Equal Employment Opportunity. Except as otherwise provided under 41 CFR Part 60, all contracts that meet the definition of “federally assisted construction contract” in 41 CFR Part 60-1.3 must include the equal opportunity clause provided under 41 CFR 60-1.4(b), in accordance with Executive Order 11246, “Equal Employment Opportunity” (30 FR 12319, 12935, 3 CFR Part, 1964-1965 Comp., p. 339), as amended by Executive Order 11375, “Amending Executive Order 11246 Relating to Equal Employment Opportunity,” and implementing regulations at 41 CFR part 60, “Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs, Equal Employment Opportunity, Department of Labor.”
(D) Davis-Bacon Act, as amended (40 U.S.C. 3141-3148). When required by Federal program legislation, all prime construction contracts in excess of $2,000 awarded by non-Federal entities must include a provision for compliance with the Davis-Bacon Act (40 U.S.C. 3141-3144, and 3146-3148) as supplemented by Department of Labor regulations (29 CFR Part 5, “Labor Standards Provisions Applicable to Contracts Covering Federally Financed and Assisted Construction”). In accordance with the statute, contractors must be required to pay wages to laborers and mechanics at a rate not less than the prevailing wages specified in a wage determination made by the Secretary of Labor. In addition, contractors must be required to pay wages not less than once a week. The non-Federal entity must place a copy of the current prevailing wage determination issued by the Department of Labor in each solicitation. The decision to award a contract or subcontract must be conditioned upon the acceptance of the wage determination. The non-Federal entity must report all suspected or reported violations to the Federal awarding agency. The contracts must also include a provision for compliance with the Copeland “Anti-Kickback” Act (40 U.S.C. 3145), as supplemented by Department of Labor regulations (29 CFR Part 3, “Contractors and Subcontractors on Public Building or Public Work Financed in Whole or in Part by Loans or Grants from the United States”). The Act provides that each contractor or subrecipient must be prohibited from inducing, by any means, any person employed in the construction, completion, or repair of public work, to give up any part of the compensation to which he or she is otherwise entitled. The non-Federal entity must report all suspected or reported violations to the Federal awarding agency.
(E) Contract Work Hours and Safety Standards Act (40 U.S.C. 3701-3708). Where applicable, all contracts awarded by the non-Federal entity in excess of $100,000 that involve the employment of mechanics or laborers must include a provision for compliance with 40 U.S.C. 3702 and 3704, as supplemented by Department of Labor regulations (29 CFR Part 5). Under 40 U.S.C. 3702 of the Act, each contractor must be required to compute the wages of every mechanic and laborer on the basis of a standard work week of 40 hours. Work in excess of the standard work week is permissible provided that the worker is compensated at a rate of not less than one and a half times the basic rate of pay for all hours worked in excess of 40 hours in the work week. The requirements of 40 U.S.C. 3704 are applicable to construction work and provide that no laborer or mechanic must be required to work in surroundings or under working conditions which are unsanitary, hazardous or dangerous. These requirements do not apply to the purchases of supplies or materials or articles ordinarily available on the open market, or contracts for transportation or transmission of intelligence.
(F) Rights to Inventions Made Under a Contract or Agreement. If the Federal award meets the definition of “funding agreement” under 37 CFR §401.2 (a) and the recipient or subrecipient wishes to enter into a contract with a small business firm or nonprofit organization regarding the substitution of parties, assignment or performance of experimental, developmental, or research work under that “funding agreement,” the recipient or subrecipient must comply with the requirements of 37 CFR Part 401, “Rights to Inventions Made by Nonprofit Organizations and Small Business Firms Under Government Grants, Contracts and Cooperative Agreements,” and any implementing regulations issued by the awarding agency.
(G) Clean Air Act (42 U.S.C. 7401-7671q.) and the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (33 U.S.C. 1251-1387), as amended—Contracts and subgrants of amounts in excess of $150,000 must contain a provision that requires the non-Federal award to agree to comply with all applicable standards, orders or regulations issued pursuant to the Clean Air Act (42 U.S.C. 7401-7671q) and the Federal Water Pollution Control Act as amended (33 U.S.C. 1251-1387). Violations must be reported to the Federal awarding agency and the Regional Office of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
(H) Debarment and Suspension (Executive Orders 12549 and 12689)—A contract award (see 2 CFR 180.220) must not be made to parties listed on the government wide exclusions in the System for Award Management (SAM), in accordance with the OMB guidelines at 2 CFR 180 that implement Executive Orders 12549 (3 CFR part 1986 Comp., p. 189) and 12689 (3 CFR part 1989 Comp., p. 235), “Debarment and Suspension.” SAM Exclusions contains the names of parties debarred, suspended, or otherwise excluded by agencies, as well as parties declared ineligible under statutory or regulatory authority other than Executive Order 12549.
(I) Byrd Anti-Lobbying Amendment (31 U.S.C. 1352)—Contractors that apply or bid for an award exceeding $100,000 must file the required certification. Each tier certifies to the tier above that it will not and has not used Federal appropriated funds to pay any person or organization for influencing or attempting to influence an officer or employee of any agency, a member of Congress, officer or employee of Congress, or an employee of a member of Congress in connection with obtaining any Federal contract, grant or any other award covered by 31 U.S.C. 1352. Each tier must also disclose any lobbying with non-Federal funds that takes place in connection with obtaining any Federal award. Such disclosures are forwarded from tier to tier up to the non-Federal award.
(J) See §200.322 Procurement of recovered materials.
§200.216 Prohibition on certain telecommunications and video surveillance services or equipment
(a) The district is prohibited from obligating or expending loan or grant funds to:
Procure or obtain;
Extend or renew a contract to procure or obtain; or
Enter into a contract (or extend or renew a contract) to procure or obtain equipment, services, or systems that uses covered telecommunications equipment or services as a substantial or essential component of any system, or as critical technology as part of any system. As described in Public law 115-232, section 889, covered telecommunications equipment is telecommunications equipment produced by Huawei Technologies Company or ZTE Corporation (or any subsidiary or affiliate of such entities).
i. For purpose of public safety, security of government facilities, physical security surveillance of critical infrastructure, and other national security purposes, video surveillance and telecommunication equipment produced by Hytera Communications Corporation, Hangzhou Hikvision Digital Technology Company, or Dahua Technology Company (or any subsidiary or affiliate of such entities).
ii. Telecommunications or video surveillance services provided by such entities or using such equipment.
iii. Telecommunications or video surveillance equipment or services produced or provided by an entity that the Secretary of Defense, in consultation with the Director of the National Intelligence of the Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, reasonably believes to be an entity owned by or controlled by, or otherwise connected to, the government of a foreign country.
(b) In implementing the prohibition under Public Law 115-232, section 889, subsection (f), paragraph (l), heads of executive agencies administering loan, grant, or subsidy programs shall prioritize available funding and technical support to assist affected businesses, institutions and organizations as is reasonably necessary for those affected entities to transition from covered communications equipment and services, to procure replacement equipment and services, and to ensure that communications service to users and customers is sustained.
(c) See Public Law 115-232, section 889 for additional information.
(d) See also §200.471.
Generally, the school district will not purchase items on behalf of employees. The school district may in unusual and unique circumstances do so. It is within the discretion of the board to determine when unique and unusual circumstances exist.
No purchase is made unless the employee has paid the school district prior to the order being placed and the employee has agreed to be responsible for any taxes or other expenses due.
Legal Reference:
Iowa Code § 279.8 (2013).
Cross Reference:
703 Budget
Approved July 1999
Reviewed February 2016
Revised___________
The board authorizes the issuance of warrants for payment of claims against the school district for goods and services. The board will allow the payment after the goods and services have been received and accepted in compliance with board policy.
The board authorizes the board secretary/business manager, upon approval of the superintendent, to issue payment for verified bills, for reasonable and necessary expenses, when the board is not in session. The board secretary/business manager will examine the claims and verify the bills. The board will approve the bills at its next regular meeting.
The secretary will determine to the secretary's satisfaction that the claims presented to the board are in order and are legitimate expenses of the school district. It is the responsibility of the secretary to bring claims to the board.
The board president and board secretary/business manager may sign warrants by use of a signature plate or rubber stamp. If the board president is unavailable to personally sign warrants, the vice president may sign warrants on behalf of the president.
It is the responsibility of the superintendent to develop the administrative regulations regarding this policy.
Legal Reference:
Love v. City of Des Moines, 210 Iowa 90, 230 N.W. 373 (1930).
Iowa Code §§ 279.8, .29, .30, .36; 291.12; 721.2(5) (2013).
281 I.A.C. 12.3(1).
1980 Op. Att'y Gen. 102, 160, 720.
1976 Op. Att'y Gen. 69.
1972 Op. Att'y Gen. 130, 180, 392, 456, 651.
1936 Op. Att'y Gen. 375.
Cross Reference:
705 Expenditures
Approved July 1999
Reviewed February 2016
Revised ___________
The board recognizes that school district funds are public funds, and as such, should be used to further a public purpose and the overall educational mission of the school community. The district is committed to managing and spending public funds in a transparent and responsible manner. Prior to making a purchase with public funds, an individual should be comfortable defending the purchase/reimbursement to the taxpayers in the district. If the individual is uncomfortable doing so, the purchase may not fulfill a public purpose and additional guidance should be sought before the purchase is made.
Individuals who have concerns about the public purpose of a purchase or reimbursement should utilize the district’s Internal Controls policy and regulation as a resource for questioning a purchase. Concerns should be reported to the superintendent and/or the board president.
The superintendent shall develop a process for approving expenditures of public funds. The board will review expenditures and applicable reports as necessary to ensure proper oversight of the use of public funds. To the extent possible, expenditures shall be pre-approved by the district prior to expending the funds. Purchases of food and refreshment for district staff, even within district, should comply with the district’s Employee Travel Compensation policy, and all other applicable policies. All purchases/reimbursements shall comply with applicable laws, board policies and district accounting requirements.
Additional guidance regarding appropriate expenditures of school funds is provided in the regulation accompanying this policy
Legal References:
Iowa Constitution Art. III, sec. 31;
Iowa Code §§ 68A.505; 279.8; 721.2.
281 I.A.C. 98.70
Cross References: 401.7 Employee Travel Compensation
704.1 Local-State-Federal-Miscellaneous Revenue
704.5 Student Activities Fund
705.1 Purchasing-Bidding
705.2 Purchasing on Behalf of Employees
705.3 Payment for Goods and Services
707.5 Internal Controls
905.1 Community Use of School District Facilities & Equipment
705.4R1 USE OF PUBLIC FUNDS REGULATION
The following is a list of examples organized by activity for what is allowable, or not allowable as a purchase/reimbursement using public funds. This regulation is intended as guidance and there may be situations that are not listed here. Any questions regarding the appropriateness of an expenditure should be submitted to administration prior to expending funds.
Reimbursements to an Individual
Supplies for Public Areas
Staff Parties/Receptions
School/ Student Activity Banquets
Memorial Gifts
Student Incentives
Meetings
The payroll period for the school district is monthly. Employees are paid on the 20th day of each month. If this day is a holiday, recess, or weekend, the payroll is paid on the last working day prior to the holiday, recess or weekend.
It is the responsibility of the board secretary/business manager to issue payroll to employees in compliance with this policy.
Legal Reference:
Iowa Code §§ 20.9; 91A.
Cross Reference:
706.2 Payroll Deductions
Approved July 1999
Reviewed March 2021
Revised
Ease of administration is the primary consideration for payroll deductions, other than those required by law. Payroll deductions are made for federal income tax withholdings, Iowa income tax withholdings, federal insurance contributions, and the Iowa Public Employees' Retirement System (IPERS). In addition, any employee may elect to have payments withheld for district related and mutually agreed upon group insurance coverage and/or tax-sheltered annuity programs.
Written requests for the purchase of or a change in tax-sheltered annuities shall be on file in the payroll department thirty (30) days prior to the desired effective date. Requests for reductions in gross wages for contributions to tax-sheltered annuities shall conform to the standards of Internal Revenue Service, and all other governing and regulatory agencies in effect at the time of the request. Deductions for tax-sheltered annuities may be revoked thirty (30) days after receiving a written request from the employee.
The district may deduct wages as required or allowed by state or federal law or by order of the court of competent jurisdiction.
It is the responsibility of the superintendent or superintendent's designee to determine which additional payroll deductions will be allowed.
Payroll deduction requirements stated in the employee handbook, if any, will be followed.
Legal Reference:
Iowa Code §§ 91A.2(4), .3; 294.8-9, .16
Cross Reference:
406.6 Licensed Employee Tax Shelter Programs
412.4 Classified Employee Tax Shelter Programs
706.1 Payroll Periods
Approved July 1999
Reviewed May 2024
Revised May 2024
The district provides leaves of absences to allow employees to be absent from work to attend to important matters outside of the workplace. As public employers, school districts are expected to record and monitor the work that employees perform and to conform to principles of public accountability in their compensation practices.
Consistent with principles of public accountability, it is the policy of the district that, when an employee is absent from work for less than one work day and the employee does not use accrued leave for such absence, the employee’s pay will be reduced or the employee will be placed on leave without pay if:
In each case in which an employee is absent from work for part of a work day, a deduction from compensation will be made or the employee will be placed on leave without pay for a period of time which is equal to the employee’s absence from the employee’s regularly scheduled hours of work on that day.
Legal Reference:
29 U.S.C. Sec. 213(a)
29 CFR Part 541
Cross Reference:
409.8 Licensed Employee Unpaid Leave
414.9 Classified Employee Unpaid Leave
Approved July 1999
Reviewed March 2021
Revised _____________
The district complies with all applicable laws with respect to payment of wages and benefits to employees including laws such as the federal Fair Labor Standards Act and the Iowa Wage Payment Collection Act. The district will not make pay deductions that violate either the federal or state laws.
Any employee who believes that the district has made an inappropriate deduction or has failed to make proper payment regarding wages or benefits is encouraged to immediately consult with the appropriate supervisor. Alternatively, any employee may file a formal written complaint with the Superintendent. Within 15 business days of receiving the complaint, the Superintendent will make a determination as to whether the pay deductions were appropriate and provide the employee with a written response that may include reimbursement for any pay deductions that were not appropriately made.
This complaint procedure is available in addition to any other complaint process that also may be available to employees.
The district recognizes the importance and value of fulfilling timely reporting requirements. Regularly providing updated financial information assists the board in making informed decisions for the future financial health of the district.
At the annual meeting, the treasurer will give the annual report stating the amount held over, received, paid out, and on hand in the general and all other funds. This report is in written form and sent to the board with the agenda for the board meeting. The treasurer will also furnish the board with a statement from each depository showing the balance then on deposit. It is the responsibility of the treasurer to submit this report to the board annually.
The board secretary will report to the board each month about the receipts, disbursements and balances of the various funds. This report will be in written form and sent to the board with the agenda for the board meeting.
Following board approval, each month the schedule of bills allowed by the board is published in a newspaper designated as a newspaper for official publication. Annually, the total salaries paid to employees regularly employed by the school district will also be published in a newspaper designated as a newspaper for official publication. It is the responsibility of the board secretary to publish these reports in a timely manner.
Legal Reference:
Iowa Code §§ 279; 291.7; 618
In accordance with state law, to review the funds and accounts of the school district, the board will employ an independent auditor certified in the state of Iowa to perform an annual audit of the financial affairs of the school district. The superintendent or designee will use a request for proposal procedure in selecting an auditor. The administration will cooperate with the auditors. Annual audit reports will be filed with the State Auditor and remain on file as permanent records of the school district.
Legal Reference:
Iowa Code § 11.6
Cross Reference:
701 Financial Accounting System
707 Fiscal Reports
Approved July 1999
Reviewed May 2024
Revised May 2024
The Board expects all board members, employees, volunteers, consultants, vendors, contractors, students and other parties maintaining any relationship with the school district to act with integrity, due diligence, and in accordance with all laws in their duties involving the school district’s resources. The board is entrusted with public dollars and no one connected with the school district should do anything to erode that trust.
Internal control is the responsibility of all employees of the school district. The superintendent and business manager/board secretary are responsible for developing internal controls designed to prevent and detect fraud, financial impropriety, or fiscal irregularities within the school district subject to review and approval by the board. Administrators will be alert for any indication of fraud, financial impropriety, or irregularity within the administrator’s area of responsibility.
Any employee who suspects fraud, impropriety, or irregularity will report their suspicions immediately to his/her immediate supervisor or the superintendent. The superintendent will have primary responsibility for any necessary investigations and will coordinate investigative efforts with the board’s legal counsel, auditing firm, and other internal or external departments and agencies, including law enforcement officials, as the superintendent may deem appropriate.
Employees bringing forth a legitimate concern about a potential impropriety will not be retaliated against and those who do retaliate against such an employee will be subject to disciplinary action up to, and including, discharge.
In the event the concern or complaint involves the superintendent, the concern is brought to the attention of the board vice-president, who is empowered to contact the board’s legal counsel, insurance agent, auditing firm, and any other agency to investigate the concern or complaint.
Upon approval of the board, the superintendent, may contact the State Auditor or elect to employ the school district’s auditing firm or State Auditor to conduct a complete or partial forensic/internal control/SAS99 audit annually or otherwise as often as deemed necessary. The superintendent is authorized to order a complete forensic audit if, in the superintendent’s judgment, such an audit would be useful and beneficial to the school district. The superintendent will ensure the State Auditor is notified of any suspected embezzlement or theft pursuant to Iowa law. In the event, there is an investigation, records will be maintained for use in the investigation. Individuals found to have altered or destroyed records will be subject to disciplinary action, up to, and including termination.
Legal References:
American Competitiveness and Corporate Accountability Act of 2002, Pub. L. No. 107-204.
Cross References: 401.12 Employee Use of Cell Phones
707.6 Audit Committee
Approved December 2011
Revised March 2021
Reviewed
Fraud, financial, or fiscal improprieties, or irregularities include, but are not limited to:
● Forgery or unauthorized alteration of any document or account belonging to the district.
● Forgery or unauthorized alteration of a check, bank draft, or any other financial document.
● Misappropriation of funds, securities, supplies, or other assets.
● Impropriety in the handling of money or reporting of financial transactions.
● Profiteering because of “insider” information of district information or activities.
● Disclosing confidential and/or proprietary information to outside parties.
● Accepting or seeking anything of material value, other than items used in the normal course of advertising, from contractors, vendors, or persons providing services to the district.
● Destroying, removing, or inappropriately using district records, furniture, fixtures, or equipment.
● Failing to provide financial records to authorized state or local entities.
● Failure to cooperate fully with any financial auditors, investigators or law enforcement.
● Any other dishonest or fraudulent act involving district monies or resources.
● Acting for purposes of personal financial gain, rather than in the bet intrests of the district.
● Providing false, inaccurate, or misleading financial information to district administrators or the board of directors.
The superintendent and/or board president will investigate reports of fraudulent activity in a manner that protects the confidentiality of the parties and the facts. All employees involved in the investigation are advised to keep information about the investigation confidential. The superintendent and/or board president may engage qualified independent auditors to assist in the investigation.
If an investigation substantiates the occurrence of a fraudulent activity, the superintendent and/or the board president or board vice-president if the investigation centers on the superintendent, will issue a report to the board and appropriate personnel. The final disposition of the matter and any decision to file or not file a criminal complaint or to refer the matter to the appropriate law enforcement and/or regulatory agency for independent investigation is made in consultation with district legal counsel. The results of the investigation will not be disclosed to or discussed with anyone other than those individuals with a legitimate right to know until the results are made public.
School district records will be housed in the central administration office of the school district. It is the responsibility of the superintendent to oversee the maintenance and accuracy of the records. The following records will be kept and preserved according to the schedule below:
Secretary's financial records Permanently
Treasurer's financial records Permanently
Minutes of the Board of Directors Permanently
Annual audit reports Permanently
Annual budget Permanently
Permanent record of individual pupil Permanently
Records of payment of judgments against the school district 20 years
Bonds and bond coupons 10 years
Written contracts 10 years
Cancelled warrants, check stubs, bank statements, bills, invoices,
and related records 5 years
Recordings of closed meetings 1 year
Program grants As determined by the grant
Nonpayroll personnel records 7 years
Payroll records 3 years
School meal programs accounts/records 3 years after submission of teh final claim for reimbursement
Employees' records will be housed in the central administration office of the school district. The employees' records will be 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 will be conducted annually under the supervision of the superintendent. This report will be filed with the board secretary/business manager.
The permanent and cumulative records of students currently enrolled in the school district will be housed in the central administration office of the attendance center where the student attends. Permanent records must be housed in a fireproof vault. The building administrator is responsible for keeping these records current. Records of students who have graduated or are no longer enrolled in the school district will be housed in the secondary office. These records will be maintained by the superintendent.
The superintendent may digitally transfer school district records and may destroy paper copies of the records if they are more than three years old. A properly authenticated reproduction of a digitally transferred record meets the same legal requirements as the original record.
Legal Reference:
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).
Cross Reference:
206.3 Secretary [or Secretary/Treasurer]
215 Board of Directors' Records
401.5 Employee Records
506 Student Records
901 Public Examination of School District Records
Approved July 1999
Reviewed May 2021
Revised
The board will maintain a comprehensive insurance program to provide adequate coverage against major types of risk, loss, or damage, as well as legal liability. The board will purchase insurance at replacement values, when possible, after reviewing the costs and availability of such insurance. The comprehensive insurance program will be reviewed once every three years. Insurance will only be purchased through legally licensed Iowa insurance agents.
The school district will assume the risk of property damage, legal liability, and dishonesty in cases in which the exposure is so small or dispersed that a loss does not significantly affect the operation of the education program or financial condition of the school district.
Insurance of buildings, structures, or property in the open will not generally be purchased to cover loss exposures below $5,000 unless such insurance is required by statute or contract.
The board may retain a private organization for fixed assets management services.
Administration of the insurance program, making recommendations for additional insurance coverage, placing the insurance coverage and loss prevention activities is the responsibility of the superintendent. The business manager is responsible for maintaining the fixed assets management system, processing claims and maintaining loss records.
Legal Reference:
Iowa Code §§ 20.9; 85.2; 279.12, .28; 285.5(6), .10(6); 296.7; 298A; 517A.1; 670.7
Cross Reference:
205 Board Member Liability
804 Safety Program
Approved July 1999
Reviewed May 2021
Revised
The school district will operate a school nutrition program in each attendance center. The school nutrition program will include meals through participation in the National School Lunch Program. Students may bring their lunches from home and purchase milk and other incidental items.
School nutrition program facilities are provided to serve students and employees when school is in session and during school-related activities. They may also be used under the supervision of the Nutrition Director for food service to employee groups, parent-teacher meetings, civic organizations meeting for the purpose of better understanding the schools, and senior citizens in accordance with law and board policy.
The school nutrition program is operated on a nonprofit basis. The revenues of the school nutrition program will be used only for the operation or improvement of such programs. Supplies of the school nutrition program will only be used for the school nutrition program.
The board will set, and annually review, the prices for school nutrition programs. It is the responsibility of the superintendent to make a recommendation regarding the prices of the school nutrition programs, in accordance with federal and state law.
It is the responsibility of the Nutrition Director to administer the program and to cooperate with the superintendent and appropriate personnel for the proper functioning of the school nutrition program.
The district shall comply with all federal and state laws and regulations required for procurement, including the selection and evaluation of contractors. The superintendent or designee is responsible for developing an administrative process to implement this policy, including, but not limited to, procedures related to suspension and debarment for transactions subject to those requirements and prohibitions on purchasing food products misbranded as meat or egg products, or cultivated-protein food products in accordance with applicable laws.
Legal Reference: 42 U.S.C. §§ 1751 et seq..
7 C.F.R. Pt. 210 et seq..
Iowa Code ch. 283A.
281 I.A.C. 58.
Cross Reference: 710.2 Free or Reduced Cost Meals Eligibility
710.3 Vending Machines
710.4 Meal Charge Policy
Approved July 1999
Reviewed December 2024
Revised
Students enrolled and attending school in the school district who meet USDA eligibility guidelines will be provided the school nutrition program services at no cost or at a reduced price. The school district will make reasonable efforts to prevent the overt identification of students who are eligible for free and reduced-price meals.
The district shall at least twice annually notify all families of the availability, eligibility criteria, and application procedures for free or reduced-price meals in accordance with state and federal law.
It is the responsibility of the Director of Nutrition to determine the eligibility of students for free or reduced-price school nutrition programs, in accordance with criteria established by state and federal law. If school personnel have knowledge of a student who is in need of free or reduced-price meals, school personnel shall contact the Director of Nutrition.
If a student owes money for five or more meals, the Director of Nutrition may contact the student’s parent or guardian to provide information regarding the application for free or reduced-price meals. The school is encouraged to provide reimbursable meals to students who request reimbursable meals unless the students’ parent or guardian has specifically provided written direction to the school to withhold a meal from the student.
Employees will be required to pay for meals consumed .
It is the responsibility of the superintendent to develop administrative regulations for implementing this policy.
Legal Reference: 42 U.S.C. §§ 1751 et seq..
7 C.F.R. Pt. 210 et seq..
Iowa Code ch. 283A.
281 I.A.C. 58.
Cross Reference: 710.1 School Nutrition Program
710.3 Vending Machines
710.4 Meal Charge Policy
Approved July 1999
Reviewed December 2022
Revised December 2022
Food served or purchased by students during the school day and food served or purchased for other than special circumstances is approved by the superintendent. Vending machines in the school building are the responsibility of the building principal. Purchases from the vending machines will reflect the guidelines in the Wellness Policy 507.9.
It is the responsibility of the superintendent to develop administrative regulations for the use of vending machines and other sales of food to students.
Legal Reference:
42 U.S.C. §§ 1751 et seq.
7 C.F.R. Pt. 210 et seq.
Iowa Code ch. 283A
281 I.A.C. 58.
Cross Reference:
504.5 Student Fund Raising
710 School Food Services
Approved July 1999
Reviewed December 2022
Revised
In accordance with state and federal law, the Winfield Mt. Union adopts the following policy to ensure school district employees, families, and students have a shared understanding of expectations regarding meal charges. The policy seeks to allow students to receive the nutrition they need to stay focused during the school day, prevent the overt identification of students with insufficient funds to pay for school meals, and maintain the financial integrity of the nonprofit school nutrition program.
Payment of Meals
All meal purchases are to be prepaid before meal service begins. Payments can be made through Infinite Campus or cash/checks will be accepted at any of the district offices. Students who do not have sufficient funds shall not be allowed to charge more than five meals to the account. When an account has been charged two times a student shall not be allowed to charge further meals or a la carte items until the negative account balance is paid. An alternate meal that meets federal and state requirements will be provided.
Students who qualify for free meals shall never be denied a reimbursable meal, even if they have accrued a negative balance from previous purchases. Students with outstanding meal charge debt shall be allowed to purchase a meal if the student pays for the meal when it is received.
Employees may use a charge account for meals but may charge no more than one meal to this account. When an account reaches this limit, an employee shall not be allowed to charge further meals or a la carte items until the negative account balance is paid.
The school district will make reasonable efforts to notify families when meal account balances are low. Additionally, the school district will make reasonable efforts to collect unpaid meal charges classified as delinquent debt. The school district will coordinate communications with families to resolve the matter of unpaid charges. Parents or guardians will be notified of an outstanding negative balance once the student owes five meals or more. Parents or guardians will be notified by email/text. Negative balances of more than $5.00, not paid prior to the end of the school year will be turned over to the superintendent or superintendent’s designee for collection. Options for collection may include: collection agencies, small claims court, or any other legal method permitted by law.
Communication of the Policy
The policy and supporting information regarding meal charges shall be provided in writing to:
Records of how and when the policy and supporting information were communicated to households and staff will be retained.
The superintendent may develop an administrative process to implement this policy.
Legal Reference: 42 U.S.C. §§ 1751 et seq.
7 C.F.R. §§ 210 et seq.
U.S. Dep’t of Agric., SP 46-2016, Unpaid Meal Charges: Local Meal Charge Policies (2016).
U.S. Dep’t of Agric., SP 47-2016, Unpaid Meal Charges: Clarification on Collection of Delinquent Meal Payments (2016).
U.S. Dep’t of Agric., SP 57-2016, Unpaid Meal Charges: Guidance and Q&A (2016).
Iowa Code 283A.
281 I.A.C. 58.
Cross Reference: 710.1 School Food Program
710.2 Free or Reduced Cost Meals Eligibility
710.3 Vending Machine
Approved May 2017
Reviewed December 2022
Revised December 2022
Elementary and middle school students living more than two miles from their designated school attendance centers and high school students living more than three miles from their designated attendance centers are entitled to transportation to and from their attendance center at the expense of the school district.
Transportation of students who require special education services will generally be provided as for other students, when appropriate. Specialized transportation of a student to and from a special education instructional service is a function of that service and, therefore, an appropriate expenditure of special education instructional funds generated through the weighting plan.
Transportation of a student to and from a special education support service is a function of that service, and is specified in the individualized education program (IEP) or the individualized family service plan (IFSP). When the IEP or IFSP team determines that unique transportation arrangements are required and the arrangements are specified in the IEP or IFSP, the school district will provide one or more of the following transportation arrangements for instructional services and the AEA for support services:
The school district is not required to provide reimbursement to parents who elect to provide transportation in lieu of agency-provided transportation.
A student may be required, at the board's discretion, to meet a school vehicle without reimbursement up to three-fourths of a mile. The board may require the parent to transport their children up to two miles to connect with school bus vehicles at the expense of the school district when conditions deem it advisable. It is within the discretion of the board to determine such conditions. Parents of students who live where transportation by bus is impracticable or unavailable may be required to furnish transportation to and from the designated attendance center at the expense of the school district. Parents, who transport their children at the expense of the school district, are reimbursed at the rate per mile set by the state.
Transportation arrangements made by agreement with a neighboring school district will follow the terms of the agreement. Students, who choose to attend a school in a school district other than their resident school district, will provide transportation to and from the school at their own expense.
Legal Reference:
20 U.S.C. §§ 1401, 1701 et seq.
34 C.F.R. Pt. 300 et seq. (2012).
Iowa Code §§ 256B.4; 285; 321
281 I.A.C. 41.98; 43.
Cross Reference:
501.16 Homeless Children and Youth
507.8 Student Special Health Services
603.3 Special Education
711 Transportation
Approved July 1999
Reviewed May 2021
Revised
Students utilizing school transportation will conduct themselves in an orderly manner fitting to their age level and maturity with mutual respect and consideration for the rights of the school vehicle driver and the other passengers. Students who fail to behave in an orderly manner will be subject to disciplinary measures.
The driver will have the authority to maintain order on the school vehicle. It is the responsibility of the driver to report misconduct to the building administrator.
The board supports the use of recording devices on school buses used for transportation to and from school as well as for field trips, curricular or extracurricular events. The recording devices will be used to monitor student behavior and may be used as evidence in a student disciplinary proceeding. The recordings are student records subject to school district confidentiality, board policy and administrative regulations.
After warnings for bad conduct, the building principal will have the authority to suspend transportation privileges of the student or impose other appropriate discipline.
It is the responsibility of the superintendent, in conjunction with the building principal, to develop administrative regulations regarding student conduct and discipline when utilizing school district transportation.
Legal Reference:
Cross Reference:
503 Student Discipline
506 Student Records
804.6 Use of Recording Devices on School Property
Approved July 1999
Reviewed August 2021
Revised
All persons riding in school district vehicles will adhere to the following rules. The driver, sponsor or chaperones are to follow the school bus discipline procedure for student violations of this policy. Video cameras may be in operation on the school buses.
1. Bus riders will be at the designated loading point before the bus arrival time.
2. Bus riders will wait until the bus comes to a complete stop before attempting to enter.
3. Riders must not extend arms or heads out of the windows at any time.
4. Aisles must be kept cleared at all times.
5. All bus riders will load and unload through the right front door. The emergency door is for emergencies only.
6. A bus rider will depart from the bus at the designated point unless written permission to get off at a different location is given to the driver.
7. A rider may be assigned a seat by the driver.
8. Riders who damage seats or other equipment will reimburse the district for the cost of the repair or replacement.
9. Riders are not permitted to leave their seats while the vehicle is in motion.
10. Waste containers are provided on all buses for bus riders' use.
11. Permission to open windows must be obtained from the driver.
12. Classroom conduct is to be observed by students while riding the bus except for ordinary conversation.
13. The driver is in charge of the students and the vehicle, and the driver is to be obeyed promptly and cheerfully.
14. Students will assist in looking after the safety and comfort of younger students.
15. A bus rider who must cross the roadway to board or depart from the bus will pass in front of the bus (no closer than 10 feet), look in both directions and proceed to cross the road or highway only on signal from the driver.
16. Students will not throw objects about the vehicle nor out through the windows.
17. Shooting paper wads, squirt guns or other material in the vehicle is not permitted.
18. Students will keep feet off the seats.
19. Rough housing in the vehicle is prohibited.
20. Students will refrain from crowding or pushing.
21. The use or possession of alcohol, tobacco or look-alike substances is prohibited in the vehicle.
22. The Good Conduct Rule is in effect.
The board in its discretion may provide school district transportation for extracurricular activities including, but not limited to, transporting student participants and other students to and from extracurricular events.
Students participating in extracurricular events, other than those held at the school district facilities, may be transported to the extracurricular event by school district transportation vehicles or by another means approved by the superintendent.
Students, who are provided transportation in school district transportation vehicles for extracurricular events, will ride both to and from the event in the school vehicle unless arrangements have been made with the building principal prior to the event. A student's parent may personally appear and request to transport the student home from a school-sponsored event in which the student traveled to the event on a school district transportation vehicle.
It is the responsibility of the superintendent to make a recommendation to the board annually as to whether the school district will provide the transportation authorized in this policy. In making the recommendation to the board, the superintendent will consider the financial condition of the school district, the number of students who would qualify for such transportation, and other factors the board or superintendent deem relevant.
Legal Reference:
Iowa Code §§ 256B.4; 285.1-.4; 321
281 I.A.C. 41.98; 43.
Cross Reference:
504 Student Activities
711 Transportation
Approved July 1999
Reviewed May 2021
Revised
The school district may use school vehicles for transportation to and from summer extracurricular activities. The superintendent will make a recommendation to the board annually regarding their use.
Transportation to and from the student's attendance center for summer school instructional programs will be within the discretion of the board. It is the responsibility of the superintendent to make a recommendation regarding transportation of students in summer school instructional programs at the expense of the school district. In making the recommendation to the board, the superintendent will consider the financial condition of the school district, the number of students involved in summer school programs, and other factors deemed relevant by the board or the superintendent.
Legal Reference:
Iowa Code § 285.10
281 I.A.C. 43.10.
Cross Reference:
603.2 Summer School Instruction
711 Transportation
Approved July 1999
Reviewed May 2021
Revised
The board has sole discretion to determine the method to be utilized for transporting nonresident and nonpublic students. Nonresident students paying tuition may be, and resident students attending a nonpublic school accredited by the State Department of Education, will be transported on an established public school vehicle route as long as such transportation does not interfere with resident public students' transportation. Nonresident and nonpublic school students will obtain the permission of the superintendent prior to being transported by the school district.
Parents of resident students who provide transportation for their children attending a nonpublic school accredited by the Iowa Department of Education will be reimbursed at the established state rate. This reimbursement will be paid only if the school district receives the funds from the state. If less than the amount of funds necessary to fully reimburse parents of the nonpublic students is received by the school district, the funds will be prorated.
The charge to the nonresident students is determined based on the students' pro rata share of the actual costs for transportation. The parents of these students are billed for the student's share of the actual costs of transportation. The billing is according to the schedule developed by the superintendent. It is the responsibility of the superintendent to determine the amount to be charged and report it to the board secretary for billing.
Continued transportation of nonresident and nonpublic school students on a public school vehicle route will be subject to resident public school students' transportation needs. The superintendent will make a recommendation annually to the board regarding the method to be used. In making a recommendation to the board, the superintendent will consider the number of students to be transported, the capacity of the school vehicles, the financial condition of the school district and other factors deemed relevant by the board or the superintendent.
Nonresident and nonpublic school students are subject to the same conduct regulations as resident public students as prescribed by board policy, and to other policies, rules, or regulations developed by the school district regarding transportation of students by the school district.
Legal Reference:
Iowa Code §§ 285.1-.2, .10, .16
Cross Reference:
711 Transportation
Approved July 1999
Reviewed May 2021
Revised
School district vehicles may be available to local nonprofit entities which promote cultural, educational, civic, community, or recreational activities for transporting to and from nonschool-sponsored activities within the state as long as the transportation does not interfere with or disrupt the education program of the school district and does not interfere with or delay the transportation of students. The local nonprofit entity must pay the cost of using the school district vehicle as determined by the superintendent. Prior to making the school district transportation vehicle available to the local nonprofit entity, the "school bus" signs will be covered and the flashing warning lamps and the stop arm made inoperable.
It is the responsibility of the superintendent to develop administrative regulations for use of school district transportation vehicles to transport students and others to school-sponsored events within the state and for application for, use of, and payment for using the school district transportation vehicles by local nonprofit entities for a nonschool-sponsored activity.
Legal Reference:
Iowa Code §§ 285.1(21), .10(9), (10)
281 I.A.C. 43.10.
Cross Reference:
711 Transportation
900 Principles and Objectives for Community Relations
Approved July 1999
Reviewed May 2021
Revised
The school district will conduct school bus safe riding practices instruction and emergency safety drills twice a year for students who utilize school district transportation.
Each school bus vehicle will have, in addition to the regular emergency safety drill, a plan for helping those students who require special assistance to safety during an emergency. This will include, but not be limited to, students with disabilities.
Employees are responsible for instructing the proper techniques to be followed during an emergency, as well as safe riding practices. It is the responsibility of the superintendent to develop administrative regulations regarding this policy.
Legal Reference:
Iowa Code §§ 279.8; 321
281 I.A.C. 43.40.
Cross Reference:
503 Student Discipline
507 Student Health and Well-Being
804.2 Warning Systems and Emergency Plans
Approved July 1999
Reviewed May 2021
Revised
School district buses will not operate when weather conditions due to fog, rain, snow or other natural elements make it unsafe to do so. Because weather conditions may vary around the school district and may change quickly, the best judgment possible will be used with the information available.
The final judgment as to when conditions are unsafe to operate will be made by the superintendent. The superintendent will be assisted by the actual "on location" decisions and reports of the drivers.
Several drivers each year will be specially designated to report weather and road conditions by bus radio when requested to do so. Other drivers and students will be notified by commercial radio when school is cancelled or temporarily delayed. When school is cancelled because of weather anywhere in the school district, all schools will be closed.
When weather conditions deteriorate during the day after school has begun, cancellation notices will be announced by commercial radio. Students will be returned to their regular drop-off sites unless weather conditions prevent it. In that case, students will be kept at or returned to school until they are picked up by the parents.
Legal Reference:
Iowa Code § 279.8
Cross Reference:
601.2 School Day
Approved July 1999
Reviewed May 2021
Revised
The board recognizes that it has a role in reducing environmental pollutants and in assisting students and others be free from pollutants that may impact their respiratory health. Unnecessary vehicle idling emits pollutants and wastes fuel. The board directs the superintendent, in conjunction with the Director of Transportation, to work on administrative regulations to implement this policy and reduce school vehicle idling time.
Legal References:
Iowa Code §279.8
Cross References:
403 Employee Health and Well-Being
507 Student Health and Well-Being
711 Transportation
Approved July 2011
Reviewed May 2021
Revised
The district shall utilize three-point lap-shoulder belts on district school buses as required by state law. All three-point lap-shoulder belts available on district buses will be used by passengers when the vehicle is in any non-stationary gear.
Legal Reference: 281 I.A.C. 43.10(6)
Cross Reference: 711.7 School Bus Safety Instruction
Approved May 2021
Reviewed
Revised