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 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 39 cents per mile. Pre-approved expenses for transportation outside of three-hundred miles of the school district administrative office may be by public carrier. Reimbursement for air travel shall be at the tourist class fares. Should an employee choose to travel by automobile, reimbursement shall 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.
Pre-approved expense for lodging 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. Pre-approved expenses for meals are limited to $35 per day or $5 Breakfast, $13 Lunch, $17 Dinner . Meals may be pre-approved for a larger amount by the board.
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 39 cents per mile. 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.
Employees who are allowed an in-school district travel allowance shall have the amount of the allowance actually received during each calendar year included on the employee's W-2 form as taxable income according to the Internal Revenue Code.
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: 216.3 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 07/10/89
Reviewed 10/18/21
Revised 2/9/15
