RETENTION NOTES: GRANT RECORDS - The 7-year retention period frequently established for records of school districts derives from federal requirements in 34 CFR 75.734, 76.734, and 80.42(a)(1) and (c) governing the retention of financial and programmatic records, including supporting documents, statistical reports, and other records pertinent to program regulations or the grant agreement relating to projects or programs funded by the U.S. Department of Education through sub grants using federal funds from the Texas Education Agency. These requirements are reiterated in the Texas Education Agency's Bulletin 679: Financial Accounting Manual.

Federal regulations require that all records of the types mentioned must be available for audit for 5 years after the date of submission of the single or last expenditure report by the Texas Education Agency as sub grantor, not by the school district. Because final expenditure reports are submitted by the Texas Education Agency after all reports from districts are received, a 7-year retention period for many records of school districts is necessary to satisfy this requirement adequately.

If an audit is pending in which an expenditure or the eligibility of a student to participate in a federal program is questioned, then all records affecting the outcome of the audit must be retained until the audit is settled.

Copies of reports or records submitted to the Texas Education Agency must be retained by school districts in accordance with this schedule.

3500-03 DRIVERS RECORDS (see also Schedule GR, Part 3, Section 3-1)

a) Medical examination reports. RETENTION: US + 3 years

b) School bus driver training certification verifications. RETENTION: 3 years

c) Driver's license record checks. RETENTION: US or date of separation + 2 years, as applicable. (US records are exempt from destruction notice requirement.)

3500-04 ELIGIBLE RIDER DOCUMENTATION - Documentation, maintained in the form of lists of actual bus riders by name and route number, including all associated records providing source information needed to complete ridership sections of state-required pupil transportation reports (see item number 3500-05). RETENTION: 3 years

3500-05 PUPIL TRANSPORTATION REPORTS - Annual reports to the Texas Education Agency on the number of pupils transported by school bus or private means (including route mileage), used by the agency to determine transportation allotments. RETENTION: 3 years

RETENTION NOTE: This record group includes requests for approval of bus routes, now part of the Regular Pupil Transportation Report (TEA Form ADM-027), but submitted separately in prior years.

3500-06 ROUTE DESCRIPTIONS - A turn-by-turn accounting for each approved route, specifying road designations and corresponding mileage. RETENTION: US + 3 years

3500-07 SCHOOL TRANSPORTATION COST AND MAINTENANCE RECORDS.

a) Vehicle master record containing the following: complete description of the vehicle, including vehicle identification and license numbers; annual beginning and ending odometer readings; total annual fuel, maintenance, labor, and parts costs; and complete maintenance history (in summary form showing date and nature of service, repair or state inspection). RETENTION: LA

RETENTION NOTE: a) This schedule does not require the creation of a vehicle master record of the type described, but if a vehicle master record is not maintained, records containing the prescribed information must be retained for the life of the vehicle. For example, if work orders in (b) are the only record maintained of repairs to school buses, they must be retained for the life of the vehicle.

b) If a school bus is salvaged as the result of an accident, the vehicle master record or, if one is not created, documents providing the types of information prescribed, must be retained for LA + 3 years.

b) Service requests/work orders. RETENTION: 2 years

c) Daily activity reports compiled by vehicle shop personnel and/or drivers showing fuel and oil consumption, odometer readings, routine inspections, etc., from which data is derived for operating cost reports and the vehicle master record. RETENTION: 2 years

d) School bus usage reports for extracurricular activities, field trips, or for private purposes under contract needed for compiling annual operating cost reports under (e). RETENTION: 2 years

e) Annual operation cost reports submitted to the Texas Education Agency. RETENTION: FE + 5 years

3500-08 SCHOOL BUS PURCHASE REQUISITIONS. RETENTION: FE + 5 years