Iowa Code Title VII. Education and Cultural Affairs [Chs. 256-305B] § 279.69. School employees--background investigations

1. Prior to hiring an applicant for a school employee position, a school district or accredited nonpublic school shall have access to and shall review the information in the Iowa court information system available to the general public, the sex offender registry information under section 692A.121 available to the general public, the central registry for child abuse information established under section 235A.14, and the central registry for dependent adult abuse information established under section 235B.5 for information regarding the applicant. A school district shall follow the same procedure by June 30, 2014, for each school employee employed by the school district as of July 1, 2013. A school district or accredited nonpublic school shall implement a consistent policy to follow the same procedure for each school employee employed by the school district or accredited nonpublic school on or after July 1, 2013, at least every five years after the school employee's initial date of hire. A school district or accredited nonpublic school shall not charge an employee for the cost of the registry checks conducted pursuant to this subsection. A school district or accredited nonpublic school shall maintain documentation demonstrating compliance with this subsection.

2. Being listed in the sex offender registry established under chapter 692A, the central registry for child abuse information established under section 235A.14, or the central registry for dependent adult abuse information established under section 235B.5 shall constitute grounds for the immediate suspension from duties of a school employee, pending a termination hearing by the board of directors of a school district or the authorities in charge of an accredited nonpublic school. A termination hearing conducted pursuant to this subsection shall be limited to the question of whether the school employee was incorrectly listed in the registry.

3. For purposes of this section, “school employee” means an individual employed by a school district or an accredited nonpublic school, as applicable, including a part-time, substitute, or contract employee. “School employee” does not include an individual subject to a background investigation pursuant to section 272.2, subsection 17, section 279.13, subsection 1, paragraph “b”, or section 321.375, subsection 2.