As used in this chapter, unless the context otherwise requires:

1. 1. “Board of educational examiners” means the board created in section 256.146.
2. 2. “Department” means the department of health and human services.
3. 3. “Investigation” means the process by which the department responds to all accepted reports of alleged student abuse.
4. 4. “Nonpublic school” means the same as defined in section 280.2.
5. 5. “Public school” means the same as defined in section 280.2.
6. 6. “Public school district” means a public school district as described in chapter 274, and includes a charter school under chapter 256E, or a charter school or an innovation zone school under chapter 256F.

7. 7. “School employee” means any of the following:

   1. a. A person employed by a public school or a nonpublic school.
   2. b. A vendor, or an employee of a vendor, that provides goods or services to a public school or a nonpublic school.
   3. c. An agent, or an employee of an agent, of a public school or a nonpublic school.

   4. d. A volunteer under the direction and control of any of the following:

      1. (1) The board of directors or any administrator of a public school district.
      2. (2) The board or authorities in control of a nonpublic school.
      3. (3) The board of directors or administrator of an agency called upon by a school official to provide services to students in an educational capacity.
8. 8. “Student” means a person enrolled in a public school, a nonpublic school, or a prekindergarten program in a public school or a nonpublic school.

9. 9. “Student abuse” means any of the following which occur on school grounds during school time, or on or at a school-related curricular or extracurricular activity:

   1. a. Any nonaccidental physical injury, or an injury which does not match the history provided for how the injury occurred, suffered by a student as the result of an act or omission of a school employee, that is not otherwise excluded by section 280.21, subsection 2.
   2. b. The commission of a sexual offense under chapter 709, section 726.2, or section 728.12, subsection 1, with or to a student as a result of an act or omission of a school employee.
   3. c. An act or omission of a school employee which allows, permits, or encourages a student to engage in an act prohibited under section 725.1.

NEW section

2025 Acts, ch 159, §27

Referred to in §321.375