Code No. 203.5

Board of Directors

Individual Authority

Each school district of the public education system in Iowa is governed by a locally elected board of directors of the school corporation.  The board operates as a corporate body, and only the board may make decisions or authorize others to act regarding the education program and the operations of the school district.  Only the board has the power to take action affecting the school district.

Individual board members may only exercise their authority as a school board member when they vote to take action at a school board meeting.  Individual board members, alone, have no authority to make any decision or take any action to affect the management of the school district.  Without the consent of the board, an individual board member has no authority to act on behalf of the school district or the school board.

It shall be the responsibility of each board member and the superintendent to educate the public, the staff, and the students of the board member’s authority to take action that affects the school district only when voting in a school board meeting.

Legal Reference:     Iowa Code Chapter 274.7 (2003).

Cross Reference:    200   School Board Member Code of Ethics

                                 100   School Board Meetings

Approved:    April 10, 1989          

Reviewed:    February 22, 2005  

Revised: