Summary
All school employees 18 years and older are now required to be trained in Mandatory Reporting. All custodians, bus drivers, food service personnel, and non-licensed staff must take the training by October 1, 2023.
Iowa HF430 now requires all school employees 18 years and older to be trained in Mandatory Reporting. Before, the requirement was just for staff licensed through the Board of Educational Examiners. The change in law means custodians, bus drivers, food service personnel, and all other non-licensed staff must take the training. Some FAQs can be found below.
How long does an uncertified person have to finish the training?
By law, a mandatory reporter must finish the training within the first six months of employment. While most of your school employees affected by this change have been working for more than that, it is important that they are trained as soon as they can in the next six months.
Do staff need to take the Dependent Adult Abuse training as well, even if they do not work with dependent adults?
We don’t have a definitive answer. We are recommending that non-licensed staff follow the precedent set by the Board of Educational Examiners and take both trainings.
What if non-licensed staff took the Child Abuse Non-Licensure training?
With the change in law, they will still need to take the official training, regardless of having that other certificate. Only if they have already taken the official training and have still-valid certificates can they not take the training.
What is the difference between “INITIAL TRAININGS” and “REFRESHERS”?
The initial training is the full two-hour training. Everybody must take those at least one time. The refresher is the condensed training a person can take only if:
- They have taken the initial training.
- That certificate hasn’t expired (it is good for three years).
- That person has access to that certificate.
If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out to Angie Gansen, Professional Learning Registration System Coordinator.