405 STAFF PERSONNEL REPORTING

*Adopted: 12/13/10
*Reviewed: 02/13/12
*Reviewed: 03/13/17
*Revised: 03/14/22
 

405.1 CHILD ABUSE REPORTING

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 and are 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 shall make an oral report of the suspected child abuse and dependent adult abuse to the Iowa Department of Human Services within 24 hours of becoming aware of the abusive incident and shall make a written report to the Iowa Department of Human Services within 48 hours following the oral report. If the mandatory reporter believes the child is in immediate danger, the local law enforcement agency will also be notified.

Within six months of their initial employment, mandatory reporters will take a two-hour training course involving the identification and reporting of child abuse and dependent adult abuse, or submit evidence they’ve 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.

*Reviewed: 05/13/02
*Revised: 12/11/06
*Revised: 12/13/10
*Reviewed: 02/13/12
*Reviewed: 03/13/17
*Revised: 03/14/22
*Revised: 09/25/23

405.1R CHILD ABUSE REPORTING REGULATIONS

Iowa law requires District personnel 18 years and older 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 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 the licensed employee may be subject to civil liability for damages caused by the failure to report.
 
Iowa law provides 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:
  • Any non-accidental physical injury, or injury which is at variance with the history given of it, suffered by a child as the result of the acts or omissions of a person responsible for the care of the child.
  • Any mental injury to a child's intellectual or psychological capacity as evidenced by an observable and substantial impairment in the child's ability to function within the child's normal range of performance and behavior as the result of the acts or omissions of a person responsible for the care of the child, if the impairment is diagnosed and confirmed by a licensed physician or qualified mental health professional as defined by Iowa law.
  • The commission of a sexual offense with or to a child pursuant to Iowa law, as a result of the acts or omissions of the person responsible for the care of the child.
  • The failure on the part of a person responsible for the care of a child to provide for the adequate food, shelter, clothing or other care necessary for the child's health and welfare when financially able to do so or when offered financial or other reasonable means to do so.  A parent or guardian legitimately practicing religious beliefs who does not provide specified medical treatment for a child for that reason alone shall not be considered abusing the child.
  • The acts or omissions of a person responsible for the care of a child which allow, permit, or encourage the child to engage in acts of prostitution.
  • An illegal drug is present in a child's body as a direct and foreseeable consequence of the acts or omissions of the person responsible for the care of the child.
  • The person responsible for the care of a child has, in the presence of the child, manufactured a dangerous substance, or in the presence of the child possesses a product containing ephedrine, its salts, optical isomers, salts of optical isomers, or pseudoephedrine, its salts, optical isomers, salts of optical isomers, with the intent to use the product as a precursor or an intermediary to a dangerous substance.
  • The commission of bestiality in the presence of a minor by a person who resides in a home with a child, as a result of the acts or omissions of a person responsible for the care of the child.
  • Knowingly allowing a person custody or control of, or unsupervised access to a child or minor, after knowing the person is required to register or is on the sex offender registry.
 
School employees 18 or older are not “persons responsible for the care of the child,” under this definition. However, an employee 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 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.
 
 
*Reviewed: 05/13/02
*Revised: 12/11/06
*Revised: 12/13/10
*Reviewed: 02/13/12
*Reviewed: 03/13/17
*Reviewed: 03/14/22
*Revised: 09/25/23

405.2 ABUSE OF STUDENTS BY DISTRICT EMPLOYEES

It is the policy of the District that school employees not commit acts of physical or sexual abuse, including inappropriate and intentional sexual behavior, toward students. Any school employee who commits such acts is subject to disciplinary sanctions up to and including discharge.
 
It is the policy of the District to respond promptly to allegations of abuse of students by school employees by investigating or arranging for full investigation of any allegation, and to do so in a reasonably prudent manner. The processing of any complaint or allegation will be handled confidentially to the maximum extent possible. All employees are required to assist in the investigation when requested to provide information, and to maintain the confidentiality of the reporting and investigation process. Formal complaints and informal reports regarding sex discrimination, including sexual harassment, will be subject to the Title IX grievance process (see the Title IX Grievance Procedure regulation).
 
The District has appointed a level-one investigator(s) and alternate(s), and has arranged for or contracted with a trained, experienced professional to serve as the level-two investigator. The level-one investigator(s) and alternate(s) will be provided training in the conducting of an investigation, at the expense of the District.

Aiding and Abetting Prohibited: Any individual who is a school employee, contractor, or agent shall not assist another school employee, contractor, or agent in obtaining a new job, apart from the routine transmission of administrative and personnel files, if the individual or agency knows, or has probable cause to believe, that such school employee, contractor, or agent engaged in sexual misconduct regarding a minor or student in violation of the law.

The former prohibition shall not apply if the information giving rise to probable cause has been properly reported to a law enforcement agency with jurisdiction over the alleged misconduct; and has been properly reported to any other authorities as required by federal, state, or local law and any one of the following conditions are met: 

(1) the matter has been officially closed or the prosecutor or police with jurisdiction over the alleged misconduct has investigated the allegations and notified school officials that there is insufficient information to establish probable cause that the school employee, contractor, or agent engaged in sexual misconduct regarding a minor or student in violation of the law, or

(2) the school employee, contractor, or agent has been charged with, and acquitted or otherwise exonerated of the alleged misconduct; or

(3) the case or investigation remains open and there have been no charges filed against, or indictment of, the school employee, contractor, or agent within 4 years of the date on which the information was reported to a law enforcement agency.

The Superintendent or designee of the Superintendent, shall prescribe regulations in accordance with the rules adopted by the Iowa Department of Education to carry out this policy.
 
*Adopted: 10/2/90
*Revised: 2/4/91
*Reviewed: 05/13/02
*Reviewed: 12/11/06
*Revised: 12/13/10
*Reviewed: 02/13/12
*Reviewed: 03/13/17
*Revised: 01/13/20
*Revised: 10/12/20
*Reviewed: 03/14/22
Uploaded Files: 
PDF icon Complaint of Injury to or Abuse of a Student by a School Employee Form.pdf
PDF icon Report of Level One Investigation.pdf

405.2R ALLEGATIONS OF ABUSE OF STUDENTS BY SCHOOL EMPLOYEES REGULATIONS

Pursuant to Chapter 102 of the School Rules of Iowa, abuse may fall into either of the two following categories.
 
  1. Physical Abuse- The non-accidental physical injury to a student as a result of the actions of a District employee.  Physical abuse may occur as the result of intentional infliction of injury or excessive, unnecessary, or unreasonable use of force in discipline.
  2. Sexual Abuse- Sexual offenses or misconduct as defined by Iowa Code Chapter 709.  This definition also encompasses acts or omission of the District employee that allow, permit, or encourage the student to engage in prostitution as defined by Iowa law.
 
To constitute a violation of the Iowa Code, acts or omissions of the employee must have occurred on school grounds, on school time, on a school-sponsored activity, or in a school-related context.
 
It shall be the responsibility of the Superintendent/designee to annually identify a designated investigator and an alternate investigator. The names and telephone numbers of these investigators shall be included in the employee handbooks.   Formal complaints and informal reports regarding sex discrimination, including sexual harassment, will also be referred to the Title IX Coordinator and will be subject to the Title IX grievance process (see the Title IX Grievance Procedure regulation).
 
When an employee receives a report of alleged abuse of a student by a District employee, the report shall immediately be given to the designated investigator or their alternate if the investigator is named in the report. The investigator shall then make and provide a copy of the report to the person filing, the student's parent/guardian and the District employee named in the report. Within five school days of receipt of the report, the investigator shall conduct an informal investigation to determine whether the allegations are true. In the course of this investigation, the investigator shall interview the alleged victim, the District employee named in the report, and any collateral sources who may have knowledge of the circumstances contained in the report. The investigator shall exercise prudent discretion to preserve the confidentiality interests of the individuals involved.
 
The investigator's role is not to determine the guilt or innocence of the involved party, but whether it is likely an incident took place between the student and the District employee.  If, in the investigator's opinion, the magnitude of the allegations suggests immediate and professional investigation is necessary, the investigator may waive informal investigation.  In such cases, the investigator shall contact appropriate law enforcement officials, the child's parent/guardian, and the person filing the report, and shall document in writing the action taken.
 
Within fifteen (15) calendar days of receipt of the report, the investigator shall complete a written investigative report which shall include those items required by Chapter 102.9 of the Iowa Code. If the report is founded by a preponderance of the evidence, the investigator shall promptly notify law enforcement in case of sexual abuse allegations.  The investigator may notify law enforcement authorities in serious cases of physical abuse.  In addition, the investigator shall (1) file a copy of the report with the District employee's supervisor, (2) file a complaint with the Board of Educational Examiners in cases involving a licensed District employee, and (3) document all actions taken.
 
Any record created by an investigation shall be handled subject to formally adopted or bargained policies on the maintenance of personnel records.
 
 
 
*Adopted: 12/13/10
*Reviewed: 02/13/12
*Reviewed: 03/13/17
*Revised: 10/12/20
*Reviewed: 03/14/22
 
Uploaded Files: 
PDF icon Complaint of Injury to or Abuse of a Student by a School Employee Form.pdf
PDF icon Report of Level One Investigation.pdf