Iowa Administrative Code › Agency 281 - Education Department › Title II - Accredited Schools and School Districts › Chapter 12 - General Accreditation Standards › Rule 281-12.3 - Administration

Current through Register Vol. 47, No. 3, July 24, 2024
The following standards apply to the administration of
				  accredited schools and school districts.
(1)
Board records.
Each
				board is to adopt by written policy a system for maintaining accurate records.
				The system will provide for recording and maintaining the minutes of all board
				meetings, coding all receipts and expenditures, and recording and filing all
				reports required by the Iowa Code or requested by the director of the
				department. Financial records of school districts are to be maintained in a
				manner as to be easily audited according to accepted accounting
				procedures.
(2)
Policy
				manual.
The board shall develop and maintain a policy manual that
				provides a codification of its policies, including the adoption date, the
				review date, and any revision date for each policy. Policies shall be reviewed
				at least every five years to ensure relevance to current practices and
				compliance with the Iowa Code, administrative rules and decisions, and court
				decisions.
(3)
Personnel
				evaluation.
Each board will adopt evaluation criteria and procedures
				that conform to Iowa Code sections
				279.14 and
				279.23A for all contracted
				staff.
(4)
Student
				records.
Each board will establish and maintain a system of student
				records, which will include for each student a permanent office record and a
				cumulative record.
The permanent office record serves as a historical record of
				  official information concerning the student's education. The permanent office
				  record is to be recorded and maintained under the student's legal name. At a
				  minimum, the permanent office record will contain evidence of attendance and
				  educational progress, serve as an official transcript, contain other data for
				  use in planning to meet student needs, and provide data for official school and
				  school district reports. This record is to be permanently maintained and stored
				  in a fire-resistant safe or vault or can be maintained and stored
				  electronically with a secure backup file.
The cumulative record provides a continuous and current
				  record of significant information on progress and growth. It should reflect
				  information such as courses taken, scholastic progress, school attendance,
				  physical and health record, experiences, interests, aptitudes, attitudes,
				  abilities, honors, extracurricular activities, part-time employment, and future
				  plans. It is the "working record" used by the instructional professional staff
				  in understanding the student. At the request of a receiving school or school
				  district, a copy of the cumulative record will be sent to officials of that
				  school when a student transfers.
For the sole purpose of implementing an interagency agreement
				  with state and local agencies in accordance with Iowa Code section
				  280.25, a student's permanent
				  record may include information contained in the cumulative record as defined
				  above.
The board is to adopt a policy concerning the accessibility
				  and confidentiality of student records that complies with the provisions of the
				  federal Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 and Iowa Code chapter
				  22.
(5)
Requirements
				for graduation.
Each board providing a program through grade 12 will
				adopt a policy establishing the requirements students will meet for high school
				graduation. This policy will make provision for early graduation and be
				consistent with these requirements, Iowa Code sections
				280.14 and 256.7(26).
(6)
Student responsibility and
				discipline.
The board will adopt student responsibility and discipline
				policies as required by Iowa Code section
				279.8. The board will involve
				parents, students, instructional and noninstructional professional staff, and
				community members in the development and revision of those policies where
				practicable or unless specific policy is mandated by legislation. The policies
				will relate to the educational purposes of the school or school district. The
				policies will include the following: attendance; use of tobacco; the use or
				possession of alcoholic beverages or any controlled substance; harassment of or
				by students and staff as detailed in subrule 12.3(13); violent, destructive,
				and seriously disruptive behavior; suspension, expulsion, emergency removal,
				weapons, and physical restraint; out-of-school behavior; participation in
				extracurricular activities; academic progress; and citizenship.
The policies will ensure due process rights for students and
				  parents, including consideration for students who have been identified as
				  requiring special education programs and services.
The board will also consider the potential, disparate impact
				  of the policies on students because of race, color, national origin, gender,
				  sexual orientation as defined in Iowa Code section
				  216.2, gender identity as
				  defined in Iowa Code section
				  216.2, disability, religion,
				  creed, or socioeconomic status.
The board will publicize its support of these policies, its
				  support of the staff in enforcing them, and the staff's accountability for
				  implementing them.
(7)
Audit of school funds.
This subrule applies to school
				districts. The results of the annual audit of all school district funds
				conducted by the state auditor or a private auditing firm will be made part of
				the official records of the board as described in Iowa Code section
				11.6.
(8)
School or school
				district building grade-level organization.
The board shall adopt a
				grade-level organization for the buildings under its jurisdiction as described
				in Iowa Code sections
				279.39 and
				280.3.
(9)
Standards for school counseling
				programs.
Each school district will establish a kindergarten through
				grade 12 comprehensive school counseling program, driven by student data and
				based on standards in academic, career, personal, and social areas, which
				supports the student achievement goals of the total school curriculum and to
				which all students have equitable access.
a. A
				qualified school counselor, licensed by the board of educational examiners, who
				works collaboratively with students, teachers, support staff and administrators
				will direct the program and provide services and instruction in support of the
				curricular goals of each attendance center. The school counselor is the member
				of the attendance center instructional team with special expertise in
				identifying resources and technologies to support teaching and learning. The
				school counselor and classroom teachers will collaborate to develop, teach, and
				evaluate attendance center curricular goals with emphasis on the following:
(1) Sequentially presented curriculum,
				programs, and responsive services that address growth and development of all
				students; and
(2) Attainment of
				student competencies in academic, career, personal, and social areas.