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.

3300-01 ACCIDENT REPORTS - Reports of accidents to students. RETENTION: 5 years; or 2 years after the student reaches the age of 18, whichever later

3300-02 ACTIVITY AND STATISTICAL REPORTS - Daily and periodic activity and statistical reports, except those noted elsewhere in this section, compiled by school nurses or nurse extenders relating to student health matters. RETENTION: 3 years

3300-03 CORRESPONDENCE WITH PARENTS OR GUARDIANS - Correspondence to and from parents or guardians concerning student health matters. RETENTION: 2 years

3300-04 CUMULATIVE HEALTH CARD OR RECORD. RETENTION: Date of withdrawal + 2 years

3300-05 EMERGENCY CARDS - Card or other form of record providing information on whom to contact in case of accident or illness to a student. RETENTION: US or until student ceases enrollment, whichever sooner. (Exempt from destruction request requirement.)

3300-06 EXCLUSION AND VERIFICATION DOCUMENTATION - Affidavits or similar documents seeking the exclusion of students from participation in immunization or other health care programs for medical or verifications of previous illness or health testing.

a) Exclusion documentation.

1) Affidavits of medical contraindications. RETENTION: 1 year, or date of withdrawal + 2 years if contraindication is lifelong. (Exempt from destruction request requirement.)

2) Affidavits of religious conflicts. RETENTION: Date of withdrawal + 2 years

b) Verifications of mumps or measles illness. RETENTION: Date of withdrawal + 2 years

c) Verifications from physicians or health agencies of prior testing of sight, hearing, and spinal curvature. RETENTION: Date of withdrawal + 2 years

RETENTION NOTE: It is an exception to the retention periods set for subsections (b) and (c) of this group that if data from the verification documentation is recorded on the cumulative health card (see item number 3300-04), the documentation need be retained only as long as administratively valuable after recording and is exempt from the destruction notice requirement.

3300-07 HEALTH SCREENING DOCUMENTATION.

a) Worksheets, checklists, examination forms, and similar documents used in student health screening. RETENTION: 1 year after entry of information on Cumulative Health Record. (Exempt from destruction request requirement.)

b) Vision, hearing, and spinal screening reports submitted to the Texas Department of Health. RETENTION:  3 years

3300-08 IMMUNIZATION RECORDS.

a) Immunization record (either separate or in combination with a cumulative health card as in item number 3300-04). RETENTION: Date of withdrawal + 2 years

RETENTION NOTE: It is an exception to the retention period given for the immunization record that if immunizations are performed by school nurses or other medical technicians employed by the school district, the immunization record and parental consent forms for the administration of vaccine must be retained by the school district until the person receiving the vaccine is 20 years old or 10 years after the consent form was signed, whichever later.

b) Annual reports of immunization status. RETENTION: 3 years

3300-09 PHYSICIAN REFERRALS AND REPORTS - Copies of referrals to physicians, including any attached screening worksheets, and reports from physicians on referred health matters. RETENTION: 1 year after entry of information on Cumulative Health Card. (Exempt from destruction request requirement.)

3300-10 REPORTS TO ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES - Copies of reports on child abuse or neglect, communicable disease, dog bites, drug offenses, missing children, or sexually transmitted disease submitted to the Texas Department of Health, the Texas Department of Human Services, or local law enforcement and animal control agencies. RETENTION: 2 years

3300-11 SPECIAL HEALTH CARE RECORDS.

a) Logs or reports of medications or treatment administered to students on a group or individual basis. RETENTION: 3 years

b) Parent's requests and physician's authorizations for specialized health care. RETENTION: End of validity of request or authorization + 2 years