405 Licensed Employees

405.01 Licensed Employee Qualifications, Recruitment, Selection

Persons interested in a licensed position, other than administrative positions which will be employed in accordance with board policies in Series 300, "Administration," will have an opportunity to apply and qualify for licensed positions in the school district in accordance with applicable laws and school district policies regarding equal employment.  Job applicants for licensed positions will be considered on the basis of the following:

  • Training, experience, and skill;

  • Nature of the occupation;

  • Demonstrated competence; and 

  • Possession of, or ability to obtain, state license if required for the position.

All job openings shall be submitted to the Iowa Workforce Development for posting on IowaWORKS.gov, the online state job posting system. Additional announcements of the position may occur in a manner which the superintendent believes will inform potential applicants about the position. Whenever possible, the preliminary screening of applicants will be conducted by the administrator who will be directly supervising and overseeing the person being hired.

The board will employ licensed employees after receiving a recommendation from the superintendent.  The superintendent, however, will have the authority to employ a licensed employee on a temporary basis until a recommendation can be made and action can be taken by the board on the position.

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Approved:  6/9/25                            Reviewed:                              Revised:

 

405.02 Licensed Employee Assignment

 

Determining the assignment of each licensed employee is the responsibility of and within the sole discretion of the board.  In making such assignments the board will consider the qualifications of each licensed employee and the needs of the school district.

It is the responsibility of the superintendent to make recommendations to the board regarding the assignment of licensed employees.

 

Approved: 6/9/25

Reviewed: 

Revised: 

403.1R1 Employee Records Regulations

Employee Personnel Records Content

1.       Employee personnel records may contain, but are not limited to, the following information:  

  • Personal information including, but not limited to, name, address, telephone number,  emergency numbers, birth date and spouse;
  • Application, resume and references, except those that shall be kept confidential according to state and federal law;
  • Educational transcripts;
  • Copy of the employee's license or certificate, if needed for the position;
  • Individual employment contract;
  • Job description and/or assignment;
  • Salary information;
  • Tax documents, including, but not limited to IRS Form W-4;
  • Written attendance records;
  • Evaluation documents;
  • Complaints;
  • Performance improvement plans;
  • Documents concerning any raise, promotion, pay decrease or demotion;
  • Records of disciplinary matters;
  • Receipts and/or acknowledgements of any employee-related material, including policies and handbooks;
  • Letters of termination and/or resignation;
  • Documentation relating to an employee’s unemployment benefits; and
  • Documentation relating to an employee’s employment ceasing.

2.        Employee health and medical records, which are kept in a file separate from the employee's personnel records, may contain, but are not limited to, the following:

  • Employee's medical history, including, but not limited to, medical records and/or notes;
  • Employee’s emergency names and numbers;
  • Medical professional signed physical form;
  • Sick or long-term disability leave days;
  • Family and medical leave request forms;
  • Worker's compensation claims;
  • Reasonable accommodation made by the District to accommodate the employee's disability.

Employee immigration forms, specifically Form I-9, are kept separate from employee personnel records, and may be kept in a file that houses all employees’ immigration forms for the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.

Applicant for Employment Records

Records on applicants for positions with the school district are maintained in the central administration office, may contain, but are not limited to the following information:

  • Application for employment;
  • Resume;
  • References, except those that shall be kept confidential according to state and federal law;
  • Evidence of appropriate license or certificate, if necessary for the position for which the individual applied;
  • Affirmative action form, if submitted.

Record Access

The board shall allow current and former employees access to their files pursuant to state and federal law.

The board shall allow only authorized school officials access to an employee's records without the written consent of the employee. Authorized school officials may include, but not be limited to, the superintendent, building principal, or board secretary. In the case of a medical emergency, the school nurse or other first aid or safety personnel may have access to the employee's health or medical file without the consent of the employee. Board members will generally only have access to an employee's personnel file without the consent of the employee when necessary for the conducting of board business.

The general public may have access to an employee’s personnel records and/or personnel information as permitted by law. Specifically, the general public may have access to the following information:

  • An employee’s name and compensation, including any written agreement establishing  compensation or any other terms of employment excluding any information otherwise protected under the law.
    • Compensation means payment of, or agreement to pay, any money, thing of value, or financial benefit conferred in return for labor or services rendered by an official, officer or employee plus the value of benefits conferred including but not limited to casualty, disability, life, or health insurance, other health or wellness benefits, vacation leave, holiday leave, sick leave, severance payments, retirement benefits, and deferred compensation.
  • The dates the employee was employed by the District.
  • The positions the employee holds or has held with the District.
  • The educational instructions attended by the employee, including any diplomas and degrees earned, and the names of the employee’s previous employers, positions previously held, and dates of previous employment.
  • The fact that the employee was discharged as the result of a final disciplinary action upon the exhaustion of all applicable contractual, legal, and statutory remedies.

Employee Record Retention

All employee records, except payroll and salary records, are maintained for a minimum of seven (7) years after termination of employment with the district. Applicant records are maintained for a minimum of three (3) years after the position was filled. Payroll and salary records are maintained for a minimum of three (3) years after payment.

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Approved: 11/14/67

Reviewed: 10/14/19

Revised: 2/9/09; 4/8/13

405.03 Licensed Employee Resignation

Licensed Employees

A licensed employee who wishes to resign must notify the superintendent in writing within the time period set by the board for return of the contract and pursuant to Iowa law. This applies to regular contracts for the licensed employee's regular duties and for an extracurricular contract for extra duty. Resignations of this nature may be accepted by the board.

The board expects that all signed, fully executed contracts will be performed as stated. Release from a fully executed contract following a resignation request from a licensed employee is at the sole discretion of the board.

The Superintendent is authorized to file a complaint with the Iowa Board of Educational Examiners against any licensed employee who leaves their employment with the District without proper release from their contract from the board. Should such an instance arise, the resignation of the licensed employee may be accepted under protest so that replacement staff may be hired without jeopardizing the legal rights of the district.

The board may require a licensed employee who has resigned from an extracurricular contract to accept the resigned position for only the subsequent school year when the board has made a good faith effort to find a replacement and the licensed employee is continuing to be employed by the school district.

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Approved: 11/14/67; 2/9/70

 Reviewed:

Revised: 2/9/09; 4/8/13; 10/14/19; 6/9/25

405.04 Licensed Employee Contract Release

 

Licensed employees who wish to be released from an executed contract must give thirty (30) days written days’ notice to the board secretary. Licensed employees may be released at the discretion of the board. Only in unusual and extreme circumstances will the board release a licensed employee from a contract. The board shall have sole discretion to determine what constitutes unusual and extreme circumstances.

Release from a contract shall be contingent upon finding a suitable replacement. Licensed employees requesting release from a contract after it has been signed and before it expires will be required to pay the board the cost of advertising or other reasonable administrative costs for incurred in finding a suitable replacement. Upon written mutual agreement between the employee and the superintendent or, in the case of the superintendent, a designee of the board, and to the extent allowable by law, the costs may be deducted from the employee’s salary. Payment of these costs shall be a condition for release from the contract at the discretion of the board. Failure of the licensed employee to pay these expenses will result in the employee not being released from the employee’s contract or a case of action filed in small claims court.

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Approved: 2/9/09

Reviewed:

Revised: 4/8/13; 10/14/19; 6/9/25

405.05 Licensed Employee Suspension

Licensed employees shall perform their assigned job, respect and follow board policy and obey the law. The superintendent is authorized to suspend a licensed employee pending board action on a discharge, for investigation of charges against the employee, and for disciplinary purposes. It shall be within the discretion of the superintendent to suspend an employee with or without pay.

In the event of a suspension, appropriate due process shall be followed.

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Approved: 2/9/09

Reviewed: 10/14/19

Revised: 4/8/13; 6/9/25

405.06 Licensed Employee Dismissal

The Superintendent or his/her delegated subordinate has the authority to suspend the services of any employee as permitted under state and federal law. All employees employed under a contract pursuant to Iowa Code Chapter 279 may be dismissed for just cause. All other employees may be terminated immediately for just cause or within thirty (30) days notice for any other reason.

At the next following meeting of the Board of Directors, action shall be taken by the Board as to whether or not the employee shall be reinstated or dismissed.

In the event of a suspension pending dismissal, if applicable, and a dismissal, appropriate due process shall be followed.

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Approved: 11/14/67; 10/12/81

Reviewed: 10/14/19

Revised: 2/9/09; 4/8/13; 6/9/25

405.07 Licensed Employee Reduction in Force

The board has the exclusive authority to determine the appropriate number of licensed employees.  A reduction of licensed employees may occur as a result of, but not be limited to, changes in the education program, staff realignment, changes in the size or nature of the student population, financial situation considerations, and other reasons deemed relevant by the board.

The reduction in licensed employees, other than administrators, will be done through normal attrition if possible.  If normal attrition does not meet the necessary reduction in force required, the board may terminate licensed employees.

It is the responsibility of the Superintendent to make a recommendation for termination to the board.  The process for reduction in force shall be as follows: 

The Superintendent shall consider the following criteria in making the recommendations:

  • Endorsements and educational preparation within the grade level and subject areas in which the employee is now performing;

  • Relative skills, ability and demonstrated performance;

  • Qualifications for co-curricular programs; and

  • Number of continuous years of service to the school district.  This will be considered only when the foregoing factors are relatively equal between licensed employees.

Due process for terminations due to a reduction in force will be followed.

Approved: 6/9/25

Reviewed: 

Revised: 

405.08 Licensed Employee Professional Development

The board encourages licensed employees to attend and participate in professional development activities to maintain, develop, and extend their skills.  The board will maintain and support an in-service program for licensed employees. Professional development activities will include activities that promote and/or teach about compliance with applicable Iowa laws.  

 

For all professional development programs the district requires employees to take, the district will provide to the employee notice indicating the section of the law, or rules adopted by the State Board of Education or the Bureau of Educational Examiners that the district determines requires the employee to participate in the professional development program.

Requests for attendance or participation in a development program, other than those development programs sponsored by the school district, are made to the Superintendent.  Approval by the Superintendent must be obtained prior to attendance by a licensed employee in a professional development program when the attendance would result in the licensed employee being excused from their duties or when the school district pays the expenses for the program.

The Superintendent will have sole discretion to allow or disallow licensed employees to attend or participate in the requested event.  When making this determination, the Superintendent will consider the value of the program for the licensed employee and the school district, the effect of the licensed employee's absence on the education program and school district operations and the school district's financial situation as well as other factors deemed relevant in the judgment of the Superintendent.  Requests that involve unusual expenses or overnight travel must also be approved by the board.

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Approved: 6/9/25

Reviewed: 

Revised:

405.09 Licensed Employee Publication or Creation or Products

Materials and/or products created by employees and the financial gain therefrom are the sole and exclusive property of the school district if any school funding, school materials and/or school time were used in their creation and/or if such materials and/or products were created in the scope of the employee's employment with the district. The licensed employee must seek prior written approval of the Superintendent concerning such activities.

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Approved: 2/9/09

Reviewed: 10/14/19

 Revised: 4/8/13; 6/9/25