708 - Care, Maintenance and Disposal of School District Records

School district records are housed in the central administration office of the school district. It is the responsibility of the superintendent and board secretary as custodian of district records, or their designer, to oversee the maintenance and accuracy of the records. The following records are kept and preserved according to the schedule below:

• Secretary's financial records-Permanently
• Treasurer's financial records-Permanently
• Open meeting minutes of the Board of Directors-Permanently
• Annual audit reports-Permanently
• Annual budget-Permanently
• Permanent record of individual pupil-Permanently
• School election results-Permanently
• Real property records (e.g., deeds, abstracts)-Permanently
• Records of payment of judgments against the school district-20 years
• Bonds and bond coupons-11 years after maturity, cancellation, transfer, redemption, and/or replacement
• Written contracts-1 year
• Cancelled warrants, check stubs, bank statements, bills, invoices, and related record- 5 years
• Recordings and minutes of closed meetings-1 year
• Program grants- As determined by the grant
• Nonpayroll personnel records-7 years after leaving the district
• Payroll personnel records - 3 years after leaving the district
• Employment applications-2 years
• Payroll records-3 years
• School meal programs accounts/records 3 years after submission of the final claim for reimbursement
• Records of complaints of sex discrimination, and conduct the reasonably may constitute sex discrimination, plus all responsive records and coutcomes and training materials on the topic-7 years 

In the event that any federal or state agency requires a record be retained for a period of time longer than that listed above for audit purposes or otherwise, the record shall be retained beyond the listed period as long as is required for the resolution of the issue by the federal or state agency.

Employees' records are housed in the central administration office of the school district. The employees' records are maintained by the superintendent, the building administrator, the employee's immediate supervisor, and custodian of district records.

An inventory of the furniture, equipment, and other nonconsumable items other than real property of the school district is conducted annually under the supervision of the superintendent. This report is filed with the board secretary.

The permanent and cumulative records of students currently enrolled in the school district are housed in the central administration office of the attendance center where the student attends. Permanent records shall be housed in a fire resistant safe or vault or electronically with a secure backup file. The building administrator is responsible for keeping these records current. Permanent records of students who have graduated or are no longer enrolled in the school district are housed in the District office and will be retained permanently. These records will be maintained by the custodian of district records. Special education records shall be maintained in accordance with law.

The custodian of district records or their designee may digitize or otherwise electronically retain school district records and may destroy paper copies of the records. An electronic record which accurately reflects the information set forth in the paper record after it was first generated in its final form as an electronic record, and which remains accessible for later reference meets the same legal requirements for retention as the original paper record.

 

 

Legal Reference:
7 C.F.R. § 210.23(c).
34 C.F.R.§ 106.8
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-Treasurer
215 Board of Directors' Records
215E1 Board of Directors’ Records-Board Meeting Minutes
401.5 Employee Records
401.5R1 Employee Records-Regulation
506.1 Education Records Access
506.1R1 Education Records Access-Regulation
506.1E1 Education Records Access-Request of Nonparent for Examination or Copies of Education Records
506.1E2 Education Records Access-Authorization for Release of Education Records
506.1E3 Education Records Access- Request for Hearing on Correction of Education Records
506.1E4 Education Records Access-Request for Examination of Education Records
506.1E5 Education Records Access- Notification of Transfer of Education Records
506.1E6 Education Records Access- Letter to Parent Regarding Receipt of a Subpoena
506.1E7 Education Records Access- Juvenile Justice Agency Information Sharing Agreement
506.1E8 Education Records Access-Annual Notice
901 Public Examination of School District Records
 

Approved: 3-13-89  
Reviewed: 4-14-25
Revised: 4-14-25