The board is authorized to govern the school district which it oversees. The board is entrusted with public funds and is responsible for overseeing the improvement of student outcomes, including student academic achievement and skill proficiency. As the governing board of the school district, the board has four duties to perform: legislative duty, executive duty, evaluative duty and quasi-judicial duty.
As a representative of the citizens of the school district community, the board is responsible for legislating policy for the school district. As a policy making body, the board has jurisdiction to enact policy with the force and effect of law for the management and operation of the school district.
It is the responsibility of the board, under the board's executive duty, to select its chief executive officer, the superintendent, to operate the school district on the board's behalf. The board delegates to the superintendent its authority to carry out board policy, to formulate and carry out rules and regulations and to handle the administrative details in a manner which supports and is consistent with board policy.
The board has a responsibility to review the education program's performance under its evaluative duty. The board regularly reviews the education program and ancillary services. The review includes a careful study and examination of the facts, conditions and circumstances surrounding the amount of funds received or expended and the education program's ability to achieve the board's educational philosophy and goals for the school district.
The board fulfills its quasi-judicial duties in serving as a neutral arbiter for hearings related to student suspension or expulsion proceedings and certain employment termination hearings and appeals. This important power was granted by the Iowa legislature and cannot be delegated. To preserve the board’s neutrality to hear and decide upon these matters, the board does not investigate or become involved in student disciplinary matters or employment matters that may come before it and would require the board to serve in its quasi-judicial role.
Legal Reference: Iowa Code §§ 274.1; 279280.12.
281 I.A.C. 12.3(2).
I.C. Iowa Code References Description
Iowa Code § 274.1 Legal Status
Iowa Code § 279 Directors - Powers and Duties
Iowa Code § 280.12 Uniform School Requirements - School Improvement Advisory Committee
I.A.C. Iowa Administrative Code References Description
281 I.A.C. 12.3 Administration
Cross References: 101 Educational Philosophy of the School District
103 Long-Range Needs Assessment
103-R(1) Long-Range Needs Assessment - Regulation
200.04 Board Member Social Media Engagement
209.01 Development of Policy
209.02 Adoption of Policy
209.03 Dissemination of Policy
209.04 Suspension of Policy
209.05 Administration in the Absence of Policy
209.06 Review and Revision of Policy
209.07 Review of Administrative Regulations
302.01 Superintendent Qualifications, Recruitment, Appointment
600 Goals and Objectives of the Education Program (I & II)
Approved: 11/16/2015, 1/14/2019, 8/15/2022, 10/16/2023, 2/18/2025
Reviewed: 1/21/2025
Revised: 1/21/2025
