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, shall be approved by the superintendent.
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 receipt, other than a credit card 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 are 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.
Travel Within the School District
Employees required to travel in their personal vehicle between school district buildings to carry out the duties of their
position may be reimbursed at the Internal Revenue Service standard mileage rate. It shall be the
responsibility of the superintendent to approve travel within the school district by employees. It shall be the responsibility
of the board to review the travel within the school district by the superintendent through the board's audit and approval
process.
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.
Meal Allowance for Staff
Those who are required to depart prior to 7:00 am and required to return after 6:00 pm may be reimbursed the maximum of three meals.
Meals will be reimbursed at the following rates:
Breakfast $8.00, Lunch $10.00 and Dinner $15.00.
Those who depart after 7:00 am and are required to return after 6:00 pm may be reimbursed a maximum of $10.00 for lunch and $15 for dinner.
Those who are required to depart before 7:00 and return before 6:00 pm may be reimbursed a maximum of $8.00 for breakfast and $10.00 for lunch.
Those who are required to depart after 7:00 am and return before 6:00 pm may be reimbursed a maximum of $10.00 for lunch.
In all cases, a request for check & detailed receipts for each meal will need to be submitted for reimbursement.
The superintendent shall be responsible for developing administrative regulations regarding actual and necessary expenses, in-school district travel allowances and assignment of school district vehicles. The administrative regulations shall 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.
Legal Reference: Iowa Constitution, Art. III, § 31.
Iowa Code §§ 70A.9-.11 (1995).
1980 Op. Att'y Gen. 512.
Cross Reference: 216.03 Board of Directors' Member Compensation and Expenses
401.06 Transporting of Students by Employees
401.10 Credit Cards
904.01 Transporting Students in Private Vehicles
Approved 8/18/11 Reviewed 10/21/20 Revised 10/21/20