reglab/statecodes huggingface dataset:
2023 Iowa Code › Title VII - EDUCATION AND CULTURAL AFFAIRS › Chapter 275 - REORGANIZATION OF SCHOOL DISTRICTS › Section 275.20 - Separate vote in existing districts.

275.20 Separate vote in existing districts.
The voters shall vote separately in each existing school district affected and voters residing in the entire existing district are eligible to vote upon the proposition to create a new school corporation and on any additional provision authorized pursuant to section 275.12, subsection 6. If a proposition receives a majority of the votes cast in each of at least seventy-five percent of the districts, and also a majority of the total number of votes cast in all of the districts, the proposition is carried.
[R60, §2097, 2105; C73, §1800, 1801; C97, §2794; SS15, §2794, 2794-a; C24, 27, 31, 35, §4142, 4166, 4167, 4191; C39, §4142, 4144.1, 4166, 4167; C46, 50, §274.24, 274.27, 276.13; C54, §275.20, 275.21; C58, 62, 66, 71, 73, 75, 77, 79, 81, §275.20]
89 Acts, ch 135, §66; 2014 Acts, ch 1013, §19
Referred to in §257.11A, 275.11, 275.22, 275.23, 275.23A, 275.24
2023 Iowa Code › Title VII - EDUCATION AND CULTURAL AFFAIRS › Chapter 275 - REORGANIZATION OF SCHOOL DISTRICTS › Section 275.22 - Canvass and return.

275.22 Canvass and return.
The canvass shall be conducted pursuant to section 50.24. The county commissioner of elections or controlling commissioner shall certify the results of the election to the area education agency administrator. If the majority of the votes cast by the registered voters is in favor of the proposition, as provided in section 275.20, a new school corporation shall be organized. If the majority of votes cast is opposed to the proposition, a new petition describing the identical or similar boundaries shall not be filed for at least six months from the date of the election. If territory is excluded from the reorganized district, action pursuant to section 274.37 shall be taken prior to the effective date of reorganization. The secretary of the new school corporation shall file a written description of the boundaries as provided in section 274.4.
[S13, §2820-f; SS15, §2794-a; C24, 27, 31, 35, 39, §4144, 4169; C46, 50, §274.26, 275.5, 275.7, 276.16; C54, 58, 62, 66, 71, 73, 75, §275.23; C77, 79, 81, §275.22]
83 Acts, ch 91, §3; 93 Acts, ch 160, §7; 95 Acts, ch 67, §53; 2017 Acts, ch 155, §37, 44
Referred to in §275.11, 275.23, 275.23A, 275.24
2023 Iowa Code › Title VII - EDUCATION AND CULTURAL AFFAIRS › Chapter 275 - REORGANIZATION OF SCHOOL DISTRICTS › Section 275.23 - Frequency of change.

275.23 Frequency of change.
A school district which is enlarged, reorganized, or changes its boundaries under sections 275.12 through 275.18, 275.20, and 275.22, shall not file a petition under section 275.12 for the purpose of reducing the area served or changing the boundaries to exclude areas encompassed by the enlargement, reorganization, or boundary changes for a period of five years following the effective date of the enlargement, reorganization, or boundary change unless the action is approved by the director of the department of education.
[C77, 79, 81, §275.23]
86 Acts, ch 1245, §1463; 2021 Acts, ch 80, §146
Referred to in §275.23A
2023 Iowa Code › Title VII - EDUCATION AND CULTURAL AFFAIRS › Chapter 275 - REORGANIZATION OF SCHOOL DISTRICTS › Section 275.24 - Effective date of change.

275.24 Effective date of change.
When a school district is enlarged, reorganized, or changes its boundary pursuant to sections 275.12 through 275.18, 275.20, and 275.22, the change shall take effect on July 1 following the date of the reorganization election held pursuant to section 275.18.
[C54, 58, 62, 66, 71, 73, 75, 77, 79, 81, §275.24]
83 Acts, ch 53, §3; 2008 Acts, ch 1115, §40, 71; 2021 Acts, ch 80, §147
2023 Iowa Code › Title VII - EDUCATION AND CULTURAL AFFAIRS › Chapter 275 - REORGANIZATION OF SCHOOL DISTRICTS › Section 275.26 - Payment of expenses.

275.26 Payment of expenses.
1. If a district is established or changes its boundaries it shall pay all expenses incurred by the area education agency administrator and the area education agency board in connection with the proceedings. The county commissioner of elections shall assess the costs of the election against the district as provided in section 47.3. If the proposition is dismissed or defeated at the election, all expenses shall be apportioned among the several districts in proportion to the assessed valuation of property therein.
2. If the proposed district or boundary change embraces territory in more than one area education agency, such expenses shall be certified to and, if necessary, apportioned among the several districts by the joint agency board. If in only one agency, the certification shall be made by the agency administrator.
3. The respective boards to which such expenses are certified shall audit and order the same paid from the general fund. In the event of failure of any board to so audit and pay the expenses certified to it, the area education agency administrator shall certify the expenses to the county auditor in the same manner as is provided for tuition claims in section 282.21 and the funds shall be transferred by the county treasurer from the debtor district to the agency board for payment of said expenses.
[S13, §2820-h; C24, 27, 31, 35, 39, §4147, 4172; C46, 50, §274.32, 275.6, 276.19; C54, 58, 62, 66, 71, 73, 75, 77, 79, 81, §275.26]
2017 Acts, ch 54, §76
Referred to in §331.552
2023 Iowa Code › Title VII - EDUCATION AND CULTURAL AFFAIRS › Chapter 275 - REORGANIZATION OF SCHOOL DISTRICTS › Section 275.27 - Community school districts — part of area education agency.

275.27 Community school districts — part of area education agency.
School districts created or enlarged under this chapter are community school districts and are part of the area education agency in which the greatest number of registered voters of the district reside at the time of the special election called for in section 275.18, and sections of the Code applicable to public or accredited nonpublic schools generally are applicable to these districts in addition to the powers and privileges conferred by this chapter. If a school district, created or enlarged under this chapter and assigned to an area education agency under this section, can demonstrate that students in the district were utilizing a service or program prior to the formation of the new or enlarged district that is unavailable from the area education agency to which the new or enlarged district is assigned, the district may be reassigned to the area education agency which formerly provided the service or program, upon an affirmative majority vote of the boards of the affected area education agencies to permit the change.
[C73, §1715; C97, §2802; S13, §2802; SS15, §2794-a; C24, 27, 31, 35, 39, §4136; C46, 50, §274.18; C54, 58, 62, 66, 71, 73, 75, 77, 79, 81, §275.27]
84 Acts, ch 1078, §11; 91 Acts, ch 44, §1; 95 Acts, ch 49, §6; 2018 Acts, ch 1026, §93
2023 Iowa Code › Title VII - EDUCATION AND CULTURAL AFFAIRS › Chapter 275 - REORGANIZATION OF SCHOOL DISTRICTS › Section 275.28 - Plan of division of assets and liabilities.

275.28 Plan of division of assets and liabilities.
In addition to setting up the territory to comprise the reorganized districts, a reorganization petition shall provide for a division of assets and liabilities of the districts affected among the reorganized districts. However, if territory is excluded from the reorganized district by the petition or by the area education agency board of directors, the division of all assets and liabilities shall be made under the provisions of sections 275.29 through 275.31.
[C46, 50, §275.7; C54, 58, 62, 66, 71, 73, 75, 77, 79, 81, §275.28]
93 Acts, ch 160, §8; 2015 Acts, ch 93, §2, 8; 2016 Acts, ch 1073, §92
Referred to in §275.12
2023 Iowa Code › Title VII - EDUCATION AND CULTURAL AFFAIRS › Chapter 275 - REORGANIZATION OF SCHOOL DISTRICTS › Section 275.29 - Division of assets and liabilities after reorganization.

275.29 Division of assets and liabilities after reorganization.
1. Between July 1 and July 20, or on a date determined by agreement of the initial board and the boards of districts receiving territory of the school districts affected, but not later than August 30, the initial board shall meet with the boards of districts receiving territory of the school districts affected, for the purpose of reaching joint agreement on an equitable division of the assets and an equitable distribution of the liabilities of the school districts affected. In addition, if outstanding general obligation indebtedness is in existence in any district, the initial board of directors of the newly formed school district shall meet with the boards of all school districts affected prior to April 15 prior to the school year the reorganization is effective to determine the distribution of liability for payment of the general obligation bonded indebtedness between the districts so that the newly formed district may certify its budget under the procedures specified in chapter 24. The boards shall consider the mandatory levy required in section 76.2 and shall assure the satisfaction of outstanding obligations. If a school district affected by the reorganization has outstanding bonds issued under section 423E.5 or 423F.4, the joint agreement shall assure that the estimated revenue under section 423F.2 for each district to which liability for payment of such bonds is assigned is sufficient for the payment of principal and interest on the outstanding bonds required to be paid in the budget year following reorganization.
2. For bonds issued under section 423E.5 or 423F.4, the approval of the joint agreement creates a lien on the revenues from the secure an advanced vision for education fund received by the school district to which liability is assigned, subject to the same priority as provided by the affected school district that issued the bonds.
[C73, §1715; C97, §2802; S13, §2802, 2820-g; C24, 27, 31, 35, 39, §4137; C46, 50, §274.19; C54, 58, 62, 66, 71, 73, 75, 77, 79, 81, §275.29]
84 Acts, ch 1078, §12; 85 Acts, ch 221, §6; 93 Acts, ch 1, §6; 93 Acts, ch 160, §9; 2015 Acts, ch 93, §3, 8
Referred to in §256.11, 275.1, 275.12, 275.28
2023 Iowa Code › Title VII - EDUCATION AND CULTURAL AFFAIRS › Chapter 275 - REORGANIZATION OF SCHOOL DISTRICTS › Section 275.30 - Arbitration.

275.30 Arbitration.
1. If the boards cannot agree on such division and distribution, the matters on which they differ shall be decided by disinterested arbitrators, one selected by the initial board of directors of the newly formed district, one selected jointly by the boards of directors of contiguous districts receiving territory of the school districts affected, and one selected by the area education agency administrator.
2. The decision of the arbitrators shall be made in writing and filed with the secretary of the new corporation, and a party to the proceedings may appeal the decision to the district court by serving notice on the secretary of the new corporation within twenty days after the decision is filed. The appeal shall be tried in equity and a decree entered determining the entire matter, including the levy, collection, and distribution of any necessary taxes.
3. a. If a school district affected by the reorganization has outstanding bonds issued under section 423E.5 or 423F.4, the arbitrators’ decision and any decision of the court on appeal shall assure that the estimated revenue under section 423F.2 for each district to which liability for payment of such bonds is assigned is sufficient for the payment of principal and interest on the outstanding bonds required to be paid in the budget year following reorganization.
b. The issuance of the arbitrators’ decision or court decision on appeal creates a lien on the revenues from the secure an advanced vision for education fund received by the district to which the liability for payment of the bonds were assigned, subject to the same priority as provided by the affected school district that issued the bonds.
[C73, §1715; C97, §2802; S13, §2802, 2820-g; C24, 27, 31, 35, 39, §4138; C46, 50, §274.20; C54, 58, 62, 66, 71, 73, 75, 77, 79, 81, §275.30]
93 Acts, ch 160, §10; 2015 Acts, ch 93, §4, 8
Referred to in §256.11, 275.1, 275.12, 275.28
2023 Iowa Code › Title VII - EDUCATION AND CULTURAL AFFAIRS › Chapter 275 - REORGANIZATION OF SCHOOL DISTRICTS › Section 275.35 - Change in number of directors — change in method of elections.

275.35 Change in number of directors — change in method of elections.
1. A school district may change the number of directors to either five or seven and may also change its method of election of school directors to any method authorized by section 275.12 by submission of a proposal, stating the proposed new method of election, by the school board of such district to the electors at an election held on a date specified in section 39.2, subsection 4, paragraph “c”. The school board shall notify the county commissioner of elections who shall publish notice of the election in the manner provided in section 49.53. The election shall be conducted pursuant to chapters 39 through 53 by the county commissioner of elections. Such proposal shall be adopted if it is approved by a majority of the votes cast on the proposition.
2. If the proposal adopted by the voters requires the establishment of or change in director district boundaries, the school board shall draw the necessary boundaries within forty days after the date of the election. The boundaries shall be drawn according to the requirements of section 275.23A. Following adoption by the school board, the plan shall be submitted to the state commissioner of elections for approval.
[C58, 62, 66, 71, 73, 75, 77, 79, 81, §275.35]
2002 Acts, ch 1134, §83, 115; 2008 Acts, ch 1115, §41, 71
Referred to in §275.23A, 278.1
2023 Iowa Code › Title VII - EDUCATION AND CULTURAL AFFAIRS › Chapter 275 - REORGANIZATION OF SCHOOL DISTRICTS › Section 275.36 - Submission of change to electors.

275.36 Submission of change to electors.
1. If a petition for a change in the number of directors or in the method of election of school directors is filed with the school board of a school district pursuant to the requirements of section 278.2, the school board shall submit such proposition to the voters at an election held on a date specified in section 39.2, subsection 4, paragraph “c”. The petition shall be accompanied by an affidavit as required by section 275.13. If a proposition for a change in the number of directors or in the method of election of school directors submitted to the voters under this section is rejected, it shall not be resubmitted to the voters of the district in substantially the same form within the next three years; if it is approved, no other proposal may be submitted to the voters of the district under this section within the next six years.
2. If the proposal adopted by the voters requires the establishment of or a change in director district boundaries pursuant to section 275.12, subsection 2, paragraph “b”, “c”, “d”, or “e”, the school board shall draw the necessary boundaries within forty days after the date of the election. The boundaries shall be drawn according to the requirements of section 275.23A. Following adoption by the school board, the plan shall be submitted to the state commissioner of elections for approval. The new boundaries shall become effective on July 1 following approval.
[C58, 62, 66, 71, 73, 75, 77, 79, 81, §275.36]
93 Acts, ch 143, §44; 2002 Acts, ch 1134, §84, 115; 2008 Acts, ch 1115, §42, 71
Referred to in §275.23A, 278.1
2023 Iowa Code › Title VII - EDUCATION AND CULTURAL AFFAIRS › Chapter 275 - REORGANIZATION OF SCHOOL DISTRICTS › Section 275.37 - Increase in number of directors.

275.37 Increase in number of directors.
At the next succeeding regular school election in a district where the number of directors has been increased from five to seven, and directors are elected at large, there shall be elected a director to succeed each incumbent director whose term is expiring in that year, and two additional directors. Upon organizing as required by section 279.1, either one or two of the newly elected directors who received the fewest votes in the election shall be assigned a term of two years as necessary in order that as nearly as possible one-half of the members of the board shall be elected biennially. If some or all directors are elected from director districts, the board shall assign terms appropriate for the method of election used by the district.
[C58, 62, 66, 71, 73, §275.37, 275.38; C75, 77, 79, 81, §275.37]
2002 Acts, ch 1134, §85, 115; 2008 Acts, ch 1115, §14, 21
Referred to in §39.24, 275.38, 277.23, 278.1
2023 Iowa Code › Title VII - EDUCATION AND CULTURAL AFFAIRS › Chapter 275 - REORGANIZATION OF SCHOOL DISTRICTS › Section 275.37A - Decrease in number of directors.

275.37A Decrease in number of directors.
1. A change from seven to five directors shall be effected in a district at the first regular school election after authorization by the voters in the following manner:
a. If at the first election in the district there are four terms expiring, two directors shall be elected. At the second election in that district, if three terms are expiring, three directors shall be elected.
b. If at the first election there are three terms expiring, one director shall be elected. At the second election in that district, if four terms are expiring, three directors shall be elected for a four-year term and one director shall be elected for a two-year term.
2. If some or all of the directors are elected from director districts, the board shall devise a plan to reduce the number of members so that as nearly as possible one-half of the members of the board shall be elected biennially and so that each district will be continuously represented.
2002 Acts, ch 1134, §86, 115; 2008 Acts, ch 1115, §15, 21; 2010 Acts, ch 1033, §37
Referred to in §39.24
2023 Iowa Code › Title VII - EDUCATION AND CULTURAL AFFAIRS › Chapter 275 - REORGANIZATION OF SCHOOL DISTRICTS › Section 275.38 - Implementing changed method of election.

275.38 Implementing changed method of election.
If change in the method of election of school directors is approved at an election, the directors who were serving unexpired terms or were elected concurrently with approval of the change of method shall serve out the terms for which they were elected. If the plan adopted is that described in section 275.12, subsection 2, paragraph “b”, “c”, “d”, or “e”, the board shall at the earliest practicable time designate the districts from which residents are to be elected as school directors at each of the next two succeeding regular school elections, arranging so far as possible for elections of directors as residents of the respective districts to coincide with the expiration of terms of incumbent members residing in those districts. If an increase in the size of the board from five to seven members is approved concurrently with the change in method of election of directors, the board shall make the necessary adjustment in the manner prescribed in section 275.37, as well as providing for implementation of the districting plan under this section.
[C75, 77, 79, 81, §275.38]
2008 Acts, ch 1115, §16, 21, 43, 71
2023 Iowa Code › Title VII - EDUCATION AND CULTURAL AFFAIRS › Chapter 275 - REORGANIZATION OF SCHOOL DISTRICTS › Section 275.39 - Excluded territory included in new petition.

275.39 Excluded territory included in new petition.
Territory described in the petition of a proposed reorganization which has been set out of the proposed reorganization by the area education agency board or the joint boards and in the event of an appeal, after the decision of the director of the department of education or the courts, may be included in any new petition for reorganization.
[C62, 66, 71, 73, 75, 77, 79, 81, §275.39]
86 Acts, ch 1245, §1464
2023 Iowa Code › Title VII - EDUCATION AND CULTURAL AFFAIRS › Chapter 275 - REORGANIZATION OF SCHOOL DISTRICTS › Section 275.51 - Dissolution commission.

275.51 Dissolution commission.
1. As an alternative to school district reorganization prescribed in this chapter, the board of directors of a school district may establish a school district dissolution commission to prepare a proposal of dissolution of the school district and attachment of all of the school district to one or more contiguous school districts and to include in the proposal a division of the assets and liabilities of the dissolving school district. A school district dissolution commission shall be established by the board of directors of a school district if a dissolution proposal has been prepared by eligible electors who reside within the district. The proposal must contain the names of the proposed members of the commission and be accompanied by a petition which has been signed by eligible electors residing in the school district equal in number to at least twenty percent of the registered voters in the school district.
2. The dissolution commission shall consist of seven members appointed by the board for a term of office ending either with a report to the board that no proposal can be approved or on the date of the election on the proposal. Members of the dissolution commission must be eligible electors who reside in the school district, not more than three of whom may be members of the board of directors of the school district. Members shall be appointed from throughout the school district and should represent the various socioeconomic factors present in the school district.
3. Members of the dissolution commission shall serve without compensation and may be appointed to a subsequent commission. A vacancy on the commission shall be filled in the same manner as the original appointment was made.
4. The board of the school district shall certify to the area education agency board that a commission has been formed, the names and addresses of commission members, and that the commission members represent the various geographic areas and socioeconomic factors present in the district.
[C81, §275.51]
88 Acts, ch 1263, §3; 93 Acts, ch 160, §14; 94 Acts, ch 1175, §6; 95 Acts, ch 49, §7; 2001 Acts, ch 56, §13; 2017 Acts, ch 54, §76
2023 Iowa Code › Title VII - EDUCATION AND CULTURAL AFFAIRS › Chapter 275 - REORGANIZATION OF SCHOOL DISTRICTS › Section 275.52 - Meetings.

275.52 Meetings.
1. The commission shall hold an organizational meeting not more than fifteen days after its appointment and shall elect a chairperson and vice chairperson from its membership. Thereafter the commission may meet as often as deemed necessary upon the call of the chairperson or a majority of the commission members.
2. The commission shall request statements from contiguous school districts outlining each district’s willingness to accept attachments of the affected school district to the contiguous districts and what conditions, if any, the contiguous school district recommends. The commission shall meet with boards of contiguous school districts and with residents of the affected school district to the extent possible in drawing up the dissolution proposal.
3. The commission may seek assistance from the area education agency and the department of education.
[C81, §275.52]
2018 Acts, ch 1041, §75
2023 Iowa Code › Title VII - EDUCATION AND CULTURAL AFFAIRS › Chapter 275 - REORGANIZATION OF SCHOOL DISTRICTS › Section 275.53 - Dissolution proposal.

275.53 Dissolution proposal.
1. The commission shall send a copy of its dissolution proposal or shall inform the board that it cannot agree upon a dissolution proposal not later than one year following the date of the organizational meeting of the commission. If the dissolving school district has outstanding bonds issued under section 423E.5 or 423F.4, the proposal shall require each school district receiving territory from the dissolving district to assume liability for the payment of a portion of such bonds that is equal to the percentage of the total number of resident pupils from the dissolving district who lived in the territory received during the last year of the dissolving district’s existence. The commission shall also send a copy of the dissolution proposal to the boards of directors of all school districts to which area of the dissolving school district will be attached. If the board of a district to which area of the dissolving school district will be attached objects to the attachment, within ten days following receipt of the dissolution proposal the board shall send its objections in writing to the commission. The commission may consider the objections and may modify the dissolution proposal. If the dissolution proposal is modified, the commission shall notify the boards of directors of all school districts to which area of the dissolving school district will be attached.
2. Notifications required under subsection 1 shall be delivered using one of the following methods:
a. Mail bearing a United States postal service postmark.
b. Hand delivery.
c. Facsimile transmission.
d. Electronic delivery.
3. If the commission cannot agree upon a dissolution proposal prior to the expiration of its term, the board may appoint a new commission.
[C81, §275.53]
2009 Acts, ch 50, §3; 2015 Acts, ch 93, §5, 8
2023 Iowa Code › Title VII - EDUCATION AND CULTURAL AFFAIRS › Chapter 275 - REORGANIZATION OF SCHOOL DISTRICTS › Section 275.55 - Election.

275.55 Election.
1. After the final hearing on the dissolution proposal, the board of the school district shall submit the proposition to the voters at the next election held on a date specified in section 39.2, subsection 4, paragraph “c”. However, the date of the final hearing on the dissolution proposal must be not less than thirty nor more than sixty days before the election. The proposition submitted to the voters residing in the school district shall describe each separate area to be attached to a contiguous school district and shall name the school district to which it will be attached. In addition to the description, a map may be included in the summary of the question on the ballot.
2. The board shall give written notice of the election to the county commissioner of elections. The county commissioner of elections shall give notice of the election by one publication in the same newspaper in which the previous notice was published about the hearing, which publication shall not be less than four nor more than twenty days prior to the election.
3. The proposition shall be adopted if a majority of the electors voting on the proposition approve its adoption.
4. The attachment is effective July 1 following its approval. If the dissolution proposal is for the dissolution of a school district with a certified enrollment of fewer than six hundred, the territory located in the school district that dissolved is eligible, if approved by the director of the department of education, for a reduction in the foundation property tax levy under section 257.3, subsection 1. If the director approves a reduction in the foundation property tax levy as provided in this section, the director shall notify the director of the department of management of the reduction.
5. For bonds issued under section 423E.5 or 423F.4, the approval of the dissolution at election creates a lien on the revenues from the secure an advanced vision for education fund received by the district to which liability for payment of a portion of such bonds, subject to the same priority as provided by the dissolving school district. However, such a lien is limited to the extent required to satisfy payments for the portion of the liability assigned to the district.
[C81, §275.55]
88 Acts, ch 1263, §4; 89 Acts, ch 135, §69; 2002 Acts, ch 1134, §87, 115; 2008 Acts, ch 1115, §44, 71; 2009 Acts, ch 50, §5; 2015 Acts, ch 93, §7, 8
Referred to in §257.3, 275.54
2023 Iowa Code › Title VII - EDUCATION AND CULTURAL AFFAIRS › Chapter 275 - REORGANIZATION OF SCHOOL DISTRICTS › Section 275.55A - Attendance in other district.

275.55A Attendance in other district.
A student enrolled in ninth, tenth, or eleventh grade during the school year preceding the effective date of a dissolution proposal, who was a resident of the school district that dissolved, may enroll in a school district to which territory of the school district that dissolved was attached until the student’s graduation from high school, unless the student was expelled or suspended from school and the conditions of expulsion or suspension have not been met. The student under expulsion or suspension shall not be enrolled until the board of directors of the school district to which territory of the dissolved school district was attached approves, by majority vote, the enrollment of the student. Notwithstanding section 282.24, the district of residence of the student, determined in the dissolution proposal, shall pay tuition to the school district selected by the student in an amount not to exceed the district cost per pupil of the district of residence and the school district selected by the student shall accept that tuition payment and enroll the student.
88 Acts, ch 1263, §5; 95 Acts, ch 218, §26
Referred to in §282.9, 291.6
2023 Iowa Code › Title VII - EDUCATION AND CULTURAL AFFAIRS › Chapter 275 - REORGANIZATION OF SCHOOL DISTRICTS › Section 275.56 - Increasing enrollment.

275.56 Increasing enrollment.
If the enrollment of a school district increases or is expected to increase because an adjacent district has dissolved or is expected to dissolve, the board of directors of the school district shall determine whether there is a need to hire additional licensed or unlicensed employees. If the board of directors determines that there is a need to hire additional employees, the board shall determine the nature and number of the necessary new positions. Individuals who were employees of the dissolved district may apply for the new positions. The board shall hire those applicants who were employees of the dissolved district whenever the applicant is licensed for the new position or, in the case of unlicensed personnel, is otherwise qualified. If two employees of the dissolved district apply for a single licensed position, the applicant who is best qualified in the opinion of the board shall be hired. The board is not required to hire applicants who were employees of the dissolved district if the district has been dissolved for one or more school years. Applicants who are reemployed under this section shall maintain in the reemploying district vacation, salary or alternatively placement on a salary schedule based on the employee’s years of experience, sick leave, and completion of probationary status as defined by section 279.19.
[C81, §275.56]
89 Acts, ch 265, §40; 2012 Acts, ch 1023, §157
2023 Iowa Code › Title VII - EDUCATION AND CULTURAL AFFAIRS › Chapter 275 - REORGANIZATION OF SCHOOL DISTRICTS › Section 275.57 - Changing director district boundaries following dissolution.

275.57 Changing director district boundaries following dissolution.
1. If a school district accepting attachments of a dissolved district is currently divided into director districts as provided in section 275.12, subsection 2, paragraph “b”, “c”, “d”, or “e”, the board of directors of the district shall draft a proposal to incorporate the newly received territory into existing contiguous director districts. If the attached territory is contiguous to more than one director district, the board may divide the territory and attach it to more than one director district. If necessary to comply with the population equality standards prescribed in section 275.23A, the board shall redraw the boundaries of all director districts according to the standards provided in section 275.23A, subsection 1, paragraphs “a”, “c”, and “d”.
2. A public hearing on the proposed changes to director districts shall be held no later than May 15 following the dissolution. Not less than ten nor more than twenty days before the public hearing, the board shall publish notice of the time and place of the hearing.
3. The final plan for the assignment of attached lands and any other boundary changes made shall be adopted by resolution of the board. The resolution shall contain a legal description of the new director district boundaries and a map of the director district boundaries changed by the resolution. A copy of the resolution shall be filed with the county commissioners of elections of each county in which a portion of the school district is located. The resolution shall also be filed with the state commissioner of elections not later than June 15. The boundary changes shall take effect upon approval by the state commissioner of elections for the next regular school election, but not later than July 1.
2002 Acts, ch 1134, §88, 115
Referred to in §256.11
2023 Iowa Code › Title VII - EDUCATION AND CULTURAL AFFAIRS › Chapter 276 - COMMUNITY EDUCATION › Section 276.1 - Title.

276.1 Title.
This section, sections 276.2 through 276.5, and sections 276.8 through 276.11 of this chapter shall be known and may be cited as the “Iowa Community Education Act”.
[C79, 81, §276.1]
2021 Acts, ch 80, §148
Referred to in §276.3
2023 Iowa Code › Title VII - EDUCATION AND CULTURAL AFFAIRS › Chapter 276 - COMMUNITY EDUCATION › Section 276.2 - Purpose.

276.2 Purpose.
It is the purpose of this chapter to provide educational, recreational, cultural, and other community services and programs through the establishment of the concept of community education with the community school serving as the center for such activity. In cooperation with other community agencies and groups, it is the purpose of the community education Act to mobilize community resources to solve identified community concerns and to promote a more efficient and expanded use of existing school buildings and equipment, to provide leadership in working with other entities, to mobilize the human and financial resources of a community, and to provide a wide range of opportunities for all socioeconomic, ethnic, and age groups. A related purpose of this chapter is to develop a sense of community in which the citizenry cooperates with the school and community agencies and groups to resolve their school and community concerns and to recognize that the schools belong to the people, and that as the entity located in every neighborhood, the schools are available for use by the community day and night, year-round or any time when the programming will not interfere with the elementary and secondary program.
[C79, 81, §276.2]
Referred to in §276.1, 276.3
2023 Iowa Code › Title VII - EDUCATION AND CULTURAL AFFAIRS › Chapter 276 - COMMUNITY EDUCATION › Section 276.3 - Definitions.

276.3 Definitions.
As used in sections 276.1, 276.2, this section, sections 276.4, 276.5, and sections 276.8 through 276.11, unless the context otherwise requires:
1. “Board” means the local board of directors of school districts.
2. “Community” means the area located within the boundaries of the local school district.
3. “Community education” means a lifelong education process concerning itself with every facet that affects the well-being of all citizens within a given community and serves all of the following purposes:
a. To extend the role of the school from one of teaching children through an elementary and secondary program to one of providing for citizen participation in identifying the wants, needs, and concerns of the neighborhood community and coordinating all educational, recreational, and cultural opportunities within the community with community education being the catalyst for providing for citizen participation in the development and implementation of programs toward the goal of improving the entire community.
b. To energize people to strive for the achievement of determined goals and stimulate capable persons to assume leadership responsibilities.
c. To welcome and work with all groups without drawing any lines.
d. To serve as the one institution in the entire community that has the opportunity to reach all people and groups and to gain their cooperation.
4. “Community school” means any elementary or secondary school.
5. “Department” means the department of education.
6. “Director” means the local community school director who assumes responsibility for making the process function effectively.
7. “District-wide advisory council” means a broadly representative group of persons selected from the entire school district with at least one representative from each of the local advisory councils after they are formed. At least one member of the council shall be a representative from the local public recreation department or agency, if one exists.
8. “Local advisory council” means a broadly representative group of persons living within the attendance boundaries of an individual neighborhood school.
9. “State consultant” means the state community education consultant.
[C79, 81, §276.3]
86 Acts, ch 1245, §1466; 2010 Acts, ch 1069, §77; 2021 Acts, ch 80, §149
Referred to in §276.1
2023 Iowa Code › Title VII - EDUCATION AND CULTURAL AFFAIRS › Chapter 276 - COMMUNITY EDUCATION › Section 276.4 - State consultant.

276.4 State consultant.
The state consultant of community education shall serve district and local advisory councils in accordance with rules promulgated by the director of the department of education and in compliance with Pub. L. No. 93-380.
[C79, 81, §276.4]
85 Acts, ch 212, §21
Referred to in §276.1, 276.3
2023 Iowa Code › Title VII - EDUCATION AND CULTURAL AFFAIRS › Chapter 276 - COMMUNITY EDUCATION › Section 276.5 - Local director.

276.5 Local director.
The local community education director shall:
1. Serve as staff person to district-wide and local advisory councils.
2. Promote, publicize, and interpret the community education programs to the schools and community.
3. Facilitate community needs and resources after adequate assessment.
4. Seek ideas, promote people involvement in the process, and open lines of communication and coordination.
5. Stimulate planning to meet needs.
6. Schedule community-use hours available in school-plant facilities and related equipment and coordinate such use with building principals or designated representatives.
7. Prepare the community education budget in concert and with approval of the district-wide advisory council, and administer the budget after final approval by the board of directors.
[C79, 81, §276.5]
Referred to in §276.1, 276.3
2023 Iowa Code › Title VII - EDUCATION AND CULTURAL AFFAIRS › Chapter 276 - COMMUNITY EDUCATION › Section 276.8 - Duties of district-wide advisory council.

276.8 Duties of district-wide advisory council.
The district-wide advisory council shall:
1. Provide guidance to local advisory councils, training and orientation for community persons, evaluation and assessment of needs and delivery systems for school districts.
2. Develop a “sense of total community” and promote democratic thinking and action.
3. Promote meaningful involvement of total community in the identifying, prioritizing, and resolving of school-community concerns.
4. Serve as an advocate of community education and foster community cooperation.
5. Provide an annual budget recommendation and annual report to the local board of education.
6. Mobilize available human and financial resources of the community to meet needs, interests, and concerns of people in the total community.
7. Make school facilities and resources available to all age groups from the total community, day and night, year round.
8. Facilitate the assessment of community-wide needs with the understanding that local advisory councils will manage their own assessments of needs.
9. Provide support and act as a resource group for local advisory councils and the community education director.
10. Help plan and recommend a community education budget for approval by the local board of education.
11. Recommend to the board, regulations, guidelines, and fees, if any, for facility usage.
12. Define short and long-range community education goals and objectives.
13. Communicate through inquiring, informing, suggesting, recommending and evaluating community education for the community.
14. Cooperate with other agencies and organizations including the community colleges and institutions under the control of the state board of regents toward common goals.
15. Perform the functions of the local advisory council in the event that the board determines that the size of the district does not warrant the establishment of a local advisory council.
[C79, 81, §276.8]
Referred to in §276.1, 276.3
2023 Iowa Code › Title VII - EDUCATION AND CULTURAL AFFAIRS › Chapter 276 - COMMUNITY EDUCATION › Section 276.9 - Duties of local advisory council.

276.9 Duties of local advisory council.
The local advisory council shall:
1. Determine needs and priorities and provide programs to serve the needs of the community located within the attendance boundaries of an individual school.
2. Provide programming which is available to any community resident.
3. Promote meaningful involvement of the total neighborhood community in its identification and resolution of school and community concerns.
4. Mobilize available human and financial resources of the community to meet the wants and needs in that neighborhood community.
5. Use existing programs and community resources for delivery of services whenever feasible.
6. Use funds as allocated by district-wide advisory council after budget approval by board.
7. Evaluate the success of programs in meeting needs, interests, and concerns and in resolving responsible needs and concerns.
[C79, 81, §276.9]
Referred to in §276.1, 276.3
2023 Iowa Code › Title VII - EDUCATION AND CULTURAL AFFAIRS › Chapter 276 - COMMUNITY EDUCATION › Section 276.10 - Establishment of program.

276.10 Establishment of program.
1. The board of directors of a local school district may establish a community education program for schools in the district and provide for the general supervision of the program. Financial support for the program shall be provided from funds raised pursuant to chapter 300 and from any private funds and any federal funds made available for the purpose of implementing this chapter. The program which recognizes that the schools belong to the people and which shall be centered in the schools may include but shall not be limited to the use of the school facilities day and night, year round including weekends and regular school vacation periods for educational, recreational, cultural, and other community services and programs for all age, ethnic, and socioeconomic groups residing in the community.
2. If a community education program is established, the board shall appoint a community education director who shall have professional training in the field of community education, recreation, or comparable experience.
3. Upon establishment of a community education program, the board shall provide for the selection of a district-wide advisory council which shall be responsible to the board and shall cooperate with and assist the board and the local community education director. The board shall also provide for the selection of local advisory councils.
4. The board shall receive an annual report and budget recommendation from the district-wide advisory council and may request supplementary reports as needed.
5. The school districts may cooperate with community colleges, institutions under the control of the state board of regents, and area education agencies in providing community education programs.
6. The board may use opportunities available under Pub. L. No. 93-380.
7. The board may approve cooperation and pooling of funds with other school districts.
[C79, 81, §276.10]
90 Acts, ch 1253, §121; 2006 Acts, ch 1010, §81
Referred to in §276.1, 276.3
2023 Iowa Code › Title VII - EDUCATION AND CULTURAL AFFAIRS › Chapter 276 - COMMUNITY EDUCATION › Section 276.11 - Funding of community education concept.

276.11 Funding of community education concept.
Residents of the affected school district shall determine if community education will function in their community by providing for funding pursuant to chapter 300.
[C79, 81, §276.11]
Referred to in §276.1, 276.3
2023 Iowa Code › Title VII - EDUCATION AND CULTURAL AFFAIRS › Chapter 276 - COMMUNITY EDUCATION › Section 276.12 - Use of special tax levy.

276.12 Use of special tax levy.
If the voters of a school district have approved the levying of a tax pursuant to section 300.2 prior to July 7, 1978, moneys collected pursuant to the voted tax levy after said date may be used for community education programs.
[C79, 81, §276.12]
2023 Iowa Code › Title VII - EDUCATION AND CULTURAL AFFAIRS › Chapter 277 - SCHOOL ELECTIONS › Section 277.1 - Regular election.

277.1 Regular election.
The regular election shall be held biennially on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November of each odd-numbered year in each school district for the election of officers of the district and merged area and for the purpose of submitting to the voters any matter authorized by law.
[C51, §1111, 1114; R60, §2027, 2030, 2031; C73, §1717 – 1719; C97, §2746, 2751; C24, §4194, 4211; C27, §4194, 4211, 4216-b1; C31, 35, §4216-c1; C39, §4216.01; C46, 50, 54, 58, 62, 66, 71, 73, 75, 77, 79, 81, §277.1]
83 Acts, ch 101, §63; 2008 Acts, ch 1115, §18, 21; 2017 Acts, ch 155, §8 – 10
Referred to in §39.3, 260C.15, 279.8B, 423F.3, 423F.4
2023 Iowa Code › Title VII - EDUCATION AND CULTURAL AFFAIRS › Chapter 277 - SCHOOL ELECTIONS › Section 277.2 - Elections on public measures.

277.2 Elections on public measures.
Unless otherwise stated, the date of an election on a public measure authorized to be held by a school district is limited to the dates specified in section 39.2, subsection 4, paragraph “c”.
[C97, §2750; S13, §2750; C24, 27, §4197; C31, 35, §4216-c2; C39, §4216.02; C46, 50, 54, 58, 62, 66, 71, 73, 75, 77, 79, 81, §277.2]
89 Acts, ch 135, §70; 2008 Acts, ch 1115, §45, 71
2023 Iowa Code › Title VII - EDUCATION AND CULTURAL AFFAIRS › Chapter 277 - SCHOOL ELECTIONS › Section 277.3 - Election laws applicable.

277.3 Election laws applicable.
The provisions of chapters 39 through 53 shall apply to the conduct of all school elections and the school elections shall be conducted by the county commissioner of elections, except as otherwise specifically provided in this chapter.
[C97, §2754; S13, §2754; C24, 27, §4204; C31, 35, §4216-c33; C39, §4216.33; C46, 50, 54, 58, 62, 66, 71, 73, 75, §277.33; C77, 79, 81, §277.3]
2020 Acts, ch 1063, §126
Referred to in §275.25
2023 Iowa Code › Title VII - EDUCATION AND CULTURAL AFFAIRS › Chapter 277 - SCHOOL ELECTIONS › Section 277.5 - Objections to nominations.

277.5 Objections to nominations.
1. Objections to the legal sufficiency of a nomination petition or to the eligibility of a candidate may be filed by any person who would have the right to vote for a candidate for the office in question. The objection must be filed with the secretary of the school board at least forty-two days before the day of the school election. When objections are filed notice shall forthwith be given to the candidate affected, addressed to the candidate’s place of residence as given on the candidate’s affidavit, stating that objections have been made to the legal sufficiency of the petition or to the eligibility of the candidate, and also stating the time and place the objections will be considered.
2. Objections shall be considered not later than two working days following the receipt of the objections by the president of the school board, the secretary of the school board, and one additional member of the school board chosen by ballot. If objections have been filed to the nominations of either of those school officials, that official shall not pass on the objection. The official’s place shall be filled by a member of the school board against whom no objection exists. The replacement shall be chosen by ballot.
88 Acts, ch 1119, §33; 94 Acts, ch 1180, §43; 2017 Acts, ch 155, §39, 44; 2019 Acts, ch 24, §104
Referred to in §277.7