In compliance with state law and to provide protection to victims of child abuse, the board believes incidents of alleged child abuse should be reported to the proper authorities. All licensed school employees, teachers, coaches, and paraeducators and all school employees 18 years of age or older are mandatory reporters as provided by law to report alleged incidents of child abuse they become aware of within the scope of their professional duties.
When a mandatory reporter suspects a student is the victim of child abuse, the mandatory reporter will report to the Iowa Department of Human Services24 hours of becoming aware of the abusive incident. If the mandatory reporter believes the child is in immediate danger, the local law enforcement agency will also be notified. Within forty-eight hours of the oral report, the mandatory reporter will file a written report with the Iowa Department of Human Services.
Within six months of their initial employment, mandatory reporters will take a training course involving the identification and reporting of child abuse , or submit evidence they have taken the course within the previous three years. Once the training course has been taken, the certificate will remain valid for three years. Employees who have taken the two-hour training course will take the one-hour follow-up training course every three years and prior to the expiration of their certificate.
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Approved: 11/13/78 |
Reviewed: |
Revised: 2/9/09, 4/8/13; 10/14/19 6/9/25 |
Iowa law requires district personnel who are mandatory reporters to report to the Iowa Department of Human Services instances of suspected child abuse which they become aware of within the scope of their professional duties.
The law further specifies that an employee who is a mandatory reporter who knowingly or willfully fails to report a suspected case of child abuse is guilty of a simple misdemeanor and that the licensed employee may be subject to civil liability for damages caused by the failure to report.
Iowa law provides that employees participating in good faith in the making of a report or in a judicial proceeding that may result from the report are immune from civil or criminal liability.
Child Abuse Defined
“Child abuse” is defined under Iowa law as:
home with a child, as a result of the acts or omissions of a person responsible for the care of the child.
Teachers in public school are not “persons responsible for the care of the child,” under this definition. However, a teacher who abuses a child is subject to civil, criminal, and professional sanctions.
Reporting Procedures
Employees who are mandatory reporters are required to report, either orally or in writing, within twenty-four (24) hours to the Iowa Department of Human Services when, within the scope of their professional duties, the employee reasonably believes a child has suffered from abuse. Within forty-eight (48) hours of an oral report, a written report must be filed with the Iowa Department of Human Services.
Each report should contain as much of the following information as can be obtained within the time limit; however, Iowa law specifies a report will be considered valid even if it does not contain all of the following information:
• name, age, and address of the child;
• name and address of parent(s), guardian(s) or other person(s) believed to be responsible for the care of the child;
• the child’s present whereabouts if different from the parent(s), guardian(s) or other person(s) legally responsible for the child;
• description of injuries, including evidence of previous injuries;
• name, age, and condition of other children in the same home;
• any other information considered helpful; and
• name and address of the person making the report.
It is not the responsibility of employees to prove that a child has been abused or neglected. Employees should not take it upon themselves to investigate the case or contact the family of the child. The Iowa Department of Human Services is responsible to investigate any incident of alleged abuse.
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Approved: 4/8/13 |
Reviewed: 10/14/19 |
Revised: 6/9/25 |