281—97.7(257) Supplementary weighting plan for operational services.
	97.7(1) Eligibility. Supplementary weighting is available if all of the following criteria are met:
	a. 	The district shares a discrete operational function with one or more other political subdivisions pursuant to a written contract.
	b. 	The district shares an operational function for at least 20 percent of the contract time period during the fiscal year that is customary for a full-time employee in the operational function for at least 20 percent of the contract time period during the fiscal year. The 20 percent is measured each fiscal year and for each discrete operational function.
	c. 	Personnel shared as part of an operational function are employees of one of the sharing partners but are not employees of more than one of the sharing partners.
	d. 	If the district shares an operational function with more than one political subdivision, the sharing arrangement is listed only once for purposes of supplementary weighting.
	e. 	If the district shares more than one individual in the same operational function, that operational function shall be listed only once for the purposes of supplementary weighting.
	f. 	No individual personnel shall be included for operational function sharing more than once for supplementary weighting in the same fiscal year.
	g. 	If more than one sharing arrangement is implemented in any one operational function area and the services shared are substantially similar as determined by the department of education, only the sharing arrangement implemented first will be eligible for supplementary weighting.
	h. 	The operational function areas shared include one or more of the areas listed in subrule 97.7(2).
	97.7(2) Operational function area eligibility. “Operational function sharing” means sharing of managerial personnel in the discrete operational function areas of superintendent management, business management, human resources management, student transportation management, facility operation or maintenance management, curriculum director, master social worker, independent social worker, school counselor, special education director, work-based learning coordinator, mental health professional if the mental health professional holds a statement of recognition issued by the board of educational examiners, school resource officer, or college and career transition counselor or coordinator. “Operational function sharing” does not mean sharing of clerical personnel or school principals. The operational function sharing arrangement does not need to be a newly implemented sharing arrangement in order to be eligible for supplementary weighting.
	a. 	Superintendent management.
	(1)	Shared personnel must perform the services of a superintendent, in the case of a school district, or chief administrator, in the case of an area education agency, or executive administrator, in the case of other political subdivisions. An individual performing the function of a superintendent or chief administrator must be properly licensed for that position.
	(2)	Clerical or other support services personnel in the superintendent function area or executive administrator function area shall not be considered shared superintendent management under this subrule.
	(3)	Shared superintendent services or executive administrator services shall not include contracting for services from a private provider even if another political subdivision is contracting for services from the same private provider.
	b. 	Business management.
	(1)	Shared personnel must perform the services of managing the business operations. Managing business operations would include personnel performing the duties of a business manager or school business official, or personnel performing duties including, but not limited to, those listed in Iowa Code chapter 291 for a board secretary or board treasurer.
	(2)	Services of clerical personnel, school administration managers, superintendents, principals, teachers, board officers except those listed in subparagraph 97.7(2)“b”(1), or any other nonbusiness administration personnel shall not be considered shared business management under this subrule.
	(3)	Shared business management shall not include contracting for services from a private provider even if another political subdivision is contracting for services from the same private provider.
	c. 	Human resources management.
	(1)	Shared personnel must perform the services of managing human resources.
	(2)	Services of clerical personnel, superintendents, principals, curriculum directors, teachers, or board officers shall not be considered shared human resources management under this subrule.
	(3)	Shared human resources management shall not include contracting for services from a private provider even if another political subdivision is contracting for services from the same private provider.
	d. 	Student transportation management.
	(1)	Shared personnel shall include transportation directors or supervisors. Shared personnel must perform services related to transportation.
	(2)	Services of school business officials, business managers, school administration managers, clerical or paraprofessional personnel, school bus mechanics, and school bus drivers shall not be considered shared student transportation management under this subrule.
	(3)	Shared transportation management shall not include contracting for services from a private provider even if another political subdivision is contracting for services from the same private provider.
	e. 	Facility operations and maintenance.
	(1)	Shared personnel shall include facility managers and supervisors of buildings or grounds. Shared personnel must perform services related to facility operations and maintenance.
	(2)	Services of school business officials, business managers, school administration managers, clerical personnel or custodians shall not be considered shared facility operations and maintenance management for supplementary weighting under this subrule.
	(3)	Shared facility operations and maintenance management shall not include contracting for services from a private provider even if another political subdivision is contracting for services from the same private provider.
	f. 	Curriculum director.
	(1)	Shared personnel must perform the services of a curriculum director.
	(2)	Technology directors and clerical, paraprofessional, or other support services personnel in the improvement of instruction function area shall not be considered a shared curriculum director under this subrule.
	(3)	Shared curriculum director services shall not include contracting for services from a private provider even if another political subdivision is contracting for services from the same private provider.
	g. 	School counselor.
	(1)	Shared personnel must perform the services of a school counselor. An individual performing the function of a school counselor must be properly licensed for that position.
	(2)	Deans of students, social workers, or clerical, paraprofessional, or other support services personnel in the guidance services function area shall not be considered a shared school counselor under this subrule.
	(3)	Shared school counselor services shall not include contracting for services from a private provider even if another political subdivision is contracting for services from the same private provider.
	h. 	School social worker.
	(1)	Shared personnel must perform the services of a school social worker. An individual performing the function of a school social worker must be properly licensed for that position.
	(2)	Social workers providing services required to be provided by an area education agency shall not be considered a shared school social worker under this subrule.
	(3)	Shared school social worker services shall not include contracting for services from a private provider even if another political subdivision is contracting for services from the same private provider.
	i. 	Special education director.
	(1)	Shared personnel must perform the services of a special education director. An individual performing the function of a special education director must be properly licensed for that position.
	(2)	Teachers, superintendents, principals, curriculum directors, or other support services personnel in the improvement of instruction services function area shall not be considered a shared special education director under this subrule.
	(3)	Shared special education director services shall not include contracting for services from a private provider even if another political subdivision is contracting for services from the same private provider.
	j. 	Work-based learning coordinator.
	(1)	Shared personnel must perform the services of a work-based learning coordinator. An individual performing the function of a work-based learning coordinator must be properly trained for that position.
	(2)	Superintendents, principals, curriculum directors, deans of students, school counselors, or other support services personnel in the guidance services function area shall not be considered a shared work-based learning coordinator under this subrule.
	(3)	“Work-based learning coordinator” means the same as defined in Iowa Code section 257.11(5)“a”(2).
	(4)	Shared work-based learning coordinator services shall not include contracting for services from a private provider even if another political subdivision is contracting for services from the same private provider.
	k. 	Mental health professional.
	(1)	Shared personnel must perform the services of a mental health professional. An individual performing the function of a mental health professional must hold a statement of professional recognition issued by the board of educational examiners.
	(2)	Deans of students, school counselors, or other support services personnel in the guidance services function area shall not be considered a shared mental health professional under this subrule.
	(3)	Shared mental health professional services shall not include contracting for services from a private provider even if another political subdivision is contracting for services from the same private provider.
	l. 	School resource officer.
	(1)	Shared personnel must perform the function of a school resource officer. An individual performing the function of a school resource officer must meet the definition in subparagraph 97.7(2)“l”(3).
	(2)	Deans of students, school business managers, school administration managers, school counselors, clerical personnel, paraprofessionals, private security guards, or custodians shall not be considered shared school resource officers for supplementary weighting under this subrule.
	(3)	“School resource officer” means the same as defined in 34 U.S.C. Section 10389.
	(4)	Shared school resource officer services shall not include contracting for services from a private provider even if another political subdivision is contracting for services from the same private provider.
	m. 	College and career transition counselor or coordinator.
	(1)	Shared personnel must perform the services of a college and career transition counselor or coordinator as defined in subparagraph 97.7(2)“m”(3).
	(2)	Superintendents, principals, curriculum directors, deans of students, school counselors, work-based learning coordinators, or other support services personnel in the guidance services function area shall not be considered a shared college and career transition counselor or coordinator under this subrule.
	(3)	“College and career transition counselor or coordinator” means the same as defined in Iowa Code section 257.11(5)“a”(2).
	(4)	Shared college and career transition counselor or coordinator services shall not include contracting for services from a private provider even if another political subdivision is contracting for services from the same private provider.
	97.7(3) Eligibility. The supplementary weighting for eligible shared operational functions may be included beginning on October 1, 2013.
	a. 	Receipt of supplementary weighting shall be conditioned upon the submission of information provided in the format prescribed by the department of education as part of the BEDS fall data collection.
	b. 	The documentation on the BEDS fall data collection shall be filed no later than the published deadline for that data collection.
	97.7(4) Contiguous districts. School districts that share operational functions with other school districts are not required to be contiguous school districts. If the districts are not contiguous, the district(s) separating those districts is not required to be a party to the operational sharing arrangement.
	97.7(5) Consecutive years. A school district that is eligible to add a supplementary weighting for a shared operational function is not required to utilize consecutive years. However, the final year in which a supplementary weighting may be added on October 1 for this purpose shall not be later than the school year that begins July 1, 2023.
	97.7(6) Change in sharing partners. A school district that is eligible to add a supplementary weighting for a shared operational function may enter into an operational function sharing arrangement with one or more different sharing partners.
	97.7(7) Change in shared personnel. A school district that is eligible to add a supplementary weighting for a shared operational function may enter into an operational function arrangement for a different individual in a substantially similar position.
	97.7(8) Multiple shared operational functions. A school district that implements more than one sharing arrangement within any discrete operational function area shall be eligible for supplementary weighting for only one sharing arrangement in that discrete operational function.
	97.7(9) Multiple shared individuals within an operational function. A school district that implements more than one sharing arrangement within any discrete operational function area, as both the contract holder and the purchaser of services, shall not be eligible for supplementary weighting if the sharing arrangements would not have been necessary had the district utilized its own properly licensed and qualified employee(s).
	97.7(10) Weighting. A school district that shares an eligible operational function listed in subrule 97.7(2) shall be assigned a supplementary weighting as stipulated in Iowa Code section 257.11(5)“a.” The supplementary weighting shall be assigned to each discrete operational function shared. The department shall reserve the authority to determine if an operational sharing arrangement constitutes a discrete arrangement or qualifying operational sharing arrangement if the circumstances have not been clearly described in the Iowa Code or the Iowa Administrative Code.
	a. 	A school district that shares an operational function in the area of superintendent management shall be assigned a supplementary weighting of nine pupils for the function.
	b. 	A school district that shares an operational function in the area of business management, human resources management, transportation management, or operation and maintenance management shall be assigned a supplementary weighting of five pupils for the function. For the school budget years beginning July 1, 2022; July 1, 2023; and July 1, 2024, the weighting shall be four pupils.
	c. 	A school district that shares the operational functions of a curriculum director, master social worker, independent social worker, school counselor, work-based learning coordinator, special education director, mental health professional, school resource officer, or college and career transition counselor or coordinator shall be assigned a supplementary weighting of three pupils for the function. For the school budget years beginning July 1, 2022; July 1, 2023; and July 1, 2024, the weighting shall be two pupils.
	97.7(11) Sharing arrangement duties. A school district may receive the additional weighting for the sharing of services of an individual with a political subdivision or another school district even if the type of operational function performed by the individual for the school district and the type of operational function performed by the individual for the political subdivision or school district are not the same operational function, so long as either both operational functions are eligible for weighting or the operational function the individual performs for the school district is special education director. In either case, the school district shall be assigned the additional weighting for the type of operational function that the individual performs for the school district, and the school district shall not receive additional weighting for any other function performed by the individual.
	97.7(12) Maximum weighting. The maximum amount of additional weighting for which a school district participating in operational function sharing shall be eligible in a budget year is an amount corresponding to 21 full-time equivalent pupils. The maximum additional weighting applies to the total of all operational function sharing rather than to each discrete operational function. Each eligible discrete operational function sharing arrangement shall be included in the total of all operational function sharing. If the district’s total of all discrete operational function sharing exceeds 21 full-time equivalent pupils, the department shall make a reduction in the total rather than separately adjusting the discrete operational function sharing that made up the total.
	97.7(13) Uses of funding. Additional funds provided through supplementary weighting for operational function sharing shall be used to increase student opportunities.
	97.7(14) Area education agency maximum funding. The provisions of rule 281—97.7(257) also apply to an area education agency except for pupil counts for operational function sharing and maximum weightings.
	a. 	An area education agency shall be eligible for a minimum amount of additional funding of $30,000 in a budget year for the total of all operational function sharing arrangements.
	b. 	An area education agency shall be eligible for a maximum amount of additional funding of $200,000 in a budget year for the total of all operational function sharing arrangements.
	c. 	The department of management shall annually set a weighting for each area education agency to generate the approved operational function sharing dollars using each area education agency’s special education cost-per-pupil amount and foundation level.
[ARC 8188B, IAB 10/7/09, effective 11/11/09; ARC 1119C, IAB 10/16/13, effective 11/20/13; see Delay note at end of chapter; ARC 1486C, IAB 6/11/14, effective 5/15/14; ARC 1596C, IAB 9/3/14, effective 10/8/14; ARC 4297C, IAB 2/13/19, effective 3/20/19; ARC 6080C, IAB 12/15/21, effective 1/19/22; ARC 6292C, IAB 4/20/22, effective 5/25/22; ARC 6723C, IAB 12/14/22, effective 1/18/23]