Employees traveling on behalf of the school district and performing approved school district business will be reimbursed for their actual and necessary expenses. Actual and necessary travel expenses shall include, but not be limited to, transportation and/or mileage costs, lodging expenses, meal expenses and registration costs.
Travel Outside the School District
Travel outside of the school district must be pre-approved. Pre-approval shall include an evaluation of the necessity of the travel, the reason for the travel and an estimate of the cost of the travel to qualify as approved school district business. Travel outside the school district by employees, other than the superintendent, is pre-approved by the superintendent or immediate supervisor. Travel outside the district by the superintendent will be approved by the board president.
Reimbursement for actual and necessary expenses will be allowed for travel outside the school district if the employee received pre-approval for the travel. Prior to reimbursement of actual and necessary expenses, the employee must provide the school district with a detailed itemized receipt indicating the date, purpose and nature of the expense for each claim item. In exceptional circumstances, the superintendent may allow a claim without proper receipt. Written documentation explaining the exceptional circumstances shall be maintained as part of the school district's record of the claim.
Failure to have a detailed receipt shall make the expense a personal expense. Personal expenses, including mileage, in excess of that required for the trip shall be reimbursed by the employee to the school district no later than 10 working days following the date of the expense.
Reimbursement for actual and necessary expenses for travel outside the school district will be limited to the pre-approved expenses. Pre-approved expenses for registration shall be limited to the actual cost of the registration.
Pre-approved expenses for transportation within three-hundred miles of the school district administrative office shall be by automobile. If a school district vehicle is not available, the employee will be reimbursed at the Internal Revenue Service standard mileage rate. Travel to/from home and work is never a reimbursable travel expense. The board on a case by case basis will establish the rate for in district travel between buildings by district employees. Pre-approved expenses for transportation outside three hundred miles of the school district administrative office may be by public carrier. Reimbursement for air travel will be at the tourist class fare. Should an employee choose to travel by automobile, reimbursement will be limited to the public carrier amount. Pre-approved expenses for transportation in a rental car is limited to the cost of a Class “C” rental car at a medium-priced agency unless the number of people traveling on behalf of the school district warrants a larger vehicle. Travel costs for a spouse or anyone other than the district’s employee shall be a personal expense not reimbursed by the district.
Pre-approved expense for lodging within the state is limited to $200 per night. Pre-approved expense by the superintendent for lodging outside the state is limited to the rate of a medium priced hotel in the area. Lodging may be pre-approved for a larger amount if special circumstances require the employee to stay at a particular hotel by the superintendent. Pre-approved expenses for meals are limited to $40.00/day for breakfast, lunch and dinner with no one meal exceeding $20.00. Meals may be pre-approved for a larger amount by the superintendent.
Travel Within the School District
Employees required to travel in their personal vehicle between school district buildings will not be reimbursed.
Use of District-Owned Vehicles
Certain district employment positions may require regular and extensive travel. Due to the required duties of these positions, the district may provide certain positions with use of district-owned vehicles. Employees who utilize district-owned vehicles during the course of their job duties are fulfilling the public purpose of meeting the needs of the educational community in an efficient, and time-sensitive manner. District-owned vehicles are purchased and maintained with public money and must be used strictly in accordance with fulfilling a public purpose. These vehicles represent the district in carrying out its educational mission. Therefore, district-owned vehicles will be clearly marked at all times to identify the district.
The superintendent is responsible for developing administrative regulations regarding actual and necessary expenses, in-school district travel allowances and assignment and proper use of school district vehicles. The administrative regulations will include the appropriate forms to be filed for reimbursement to the employee from the school district and the procedures for obtaining approval for travel outside of and within the school district.
NOTE: This policy contains auditor's requirements for a travel compensation policy, including incidental vehicle use, reimbursement by employees for personal use, travel between attendance centers and taxation of additional compensation. As a result, most of the language of the policy is mandatory. The paragraphs in brackets that address specific limitations for expenditures are optional.
Legal Reference: Iowa Constitution, Art. III, § 31.
Iowa Code §§ 70A.9-.11
1980 Op. Att'y Gen. 512.
Cross Reference: 216.3 Board of Directors' Member Compensation and Expenses
401.6 Transporting of Students by Employees
401.10 Credit Cards
904.1 Transporting Students in Private Vehicles
Approved 3/11/85 Reviewed 2/24/2020 Revised 8/23/23
