281—98.75(279,298A) Child care and before- and after-school programs fund.

1. 98.75(1)  Sources of revenue in the child care fund. Sources of revenue in the child care fund include a fee established by the board for the cost of participation in the program. The fee will be established pursuant to a sliding fee schedule based upon staffing costs and other expenses and a family’s ability to pay. If a fee is established, the parent or guardian of a child participating in a program is be responsible for payment of any agreed-upon fee. The board may require the parent or guardian to furnish transportation of the child. If the board does not establish a fee, it must finance the program through grants or donations. The board may utilize or make application for program subsidies from any existing child care funding streams.

2. 98.75(2)  Appropriate uses of the child care fund. Appropriate expenditures in the child care fund include salaries and benefits for employees necessary to operate the child care program or before- and after-school program, purchased services, supplies, and equipment.

   Effective with the budget year beginning July 1, 2018, if the balance in the before- and after-school program exceeds the amount necessary to operate the before- and after-school program, the excess amount may, following a public hearing, be transferred to the general fund by a resolution of the board of directors of the school corporation that meets all provisions of Iowa Code section 298A.12. A transfer under this subrule does not increase a school district’s authorized expenditures as defined in Iowa Code section 257.7.

3. 98.75(3)  Inappropriate uses of the child care fund. Inappropriate expenditures in the child care fund include debt service, capital outlay related to facilities, or any other expenditure not ordinary and necessary to operate the child care program or before- and after-school program.

The board of directors of a school district may operate or contract for the operation of a program to provide child care to children not enrolled in school or to students enrolled in kindergarten through grade 6 before and after school, or to both.

[ARC 7802C, IAB 4/17/24, effective 5/22/24]