708 - School District Records

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 designee, 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	11 years
Cancelled warrants, check stubs, bank statements, bills, invoices, and related record	5 years
Recordings and minutes of closed meetings	1 year
Program grants	As determined by the grant
Nonpayroll personnel records Payroll personnel records	7 years after leaving district 3 years after leaving the district
Employment applications	2 years
Payroll records	3 years
School meal programs accounts/records Records of complaints of sex discrimination, and conduct that reasonably may constitute sex discrimination, plus all responsive records and outcomes and training materials on this topic.	3 years after submission of the final claim for reimbursement 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 the custodian of the district records.

 

An inventory of the furniture, equipment, and other non consumable 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 secure backups. 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 administration office and will be retained permanently. These records will be maintained by the superintendent. Special education records shall be maintained in accordance with law.

 

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 vault and will be retained permanently. These records will be maintained by the custodian of the district records.  Special education records shall be maintained in accordance with law.

 

To the extent allowed by law, the custodian of the district records may digitize or otherwise electronically retain school district records and may destroy paper copies of the records. Necessary records related to the Child Nutrition Program must be retained in their original form during the retention period. 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; 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

                                      215.E1                                      Board of Directors' Records-Board Meeting Minutes

                                      401.5                                      Employee Records

                                      401.5R1   Employee Records Access-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

 

 

 

 

 

 

Adopted: 04/13/1987

Reviewed: 08/10/2026

Revised: 08/10/2026