A student activity fund must be established in any school district that is receiving money from student-related activities such as admissions, activity fees, student dues, student fund-raising events, or other student-related cocurricular or extracurricular activities. Moneys in this fund shall be used to support only the cocurricular program defined in Department of Education rules in the Iowa Administrative Code (Iowa Code 298A.8). Student Activity funds are public funds under the direction and control of the board of directors.
For specific appropriate and inappropriate uses of Student Activity funds and revenue sources, refer to Iowa Administrative Code 281-98.70 and the Iowa Uniform Administrative Procedures Manual, chapter 9.
The Student Activity Fund Handbook of Frequently Asked Questions (published March 21, 2022) guidance document was updated with three main intentions. First, effort was made to identify supporting statutory, rule, industry, or other relevant references to support each answer. Second, questions were reviewed in the context of the current environment to improve clarity or simplicity while maintaining relevance to current contexts. Questions were added regarding topics that have been brought to the Department recently or on topics which are anticipated. Third, each answer was reviewed to ensure that it either followed specific legal directive or that any interpretation of code was as liberally construed as possible pursuant to Iowa Code 274.3(3).
The guidance document is not meant to be comprehensive but does include an array of scenarios related to the following topics: accounting, auditing, balancing negative accounts, booster clubs, camps and clinics, coaching contact out of season, charges and fees to students, community service fundraising, construction and facility maintenance, exclusive vendor contracts and sponsorships, fundraising, paid and unpaid staff and volunteers, professional development, shared activity programs, purpose of the student activity fund, support for students with IEPs or on 504 Plans, supporting low socioeconomic status students, tournaments and other state activities or events, trademarks, transportation, travel and trips, uniforms and clothing, uses of funds, and vendor incentives.
Hosting Fees for State Activity Events
IASBO General Session - Activity Fund - This is a PowerPoint presented September 2015.
IASBO March 23, 2022 Student Activity Fund Handbook of FAQs Update
IHSAA-IGHSAU Sponsored Event Ticket Policy This is a copy of a joint document from the Iowa High School Athletic Association and the Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union.