26FC:0016 Tremaine Woods v. Cedar Rapids Board of Education - Investigative Report and Probable Cause Order

The Iowa Public Information Board

COMES NOW, Charissa Flege, Deputy Director for the Iowa Public Information Board (“IPIB”), and enters this Investigative Report:

On January 18, 2026, Tremaine Woods (“Complainant”) filed formal complaint 26FC:0016, alleging that Cedar Rapids Community School District Board of Directors (“Respondent”) violated Iowa Code Chapter 21.

The Iowa Public Information Board accepted this complaint at its meeting on February 19, 2026.

Facts

The Respondent is a board of education, consisting of seven elected individuals. On January 17, 2026, four members of the Cedar Rapids Community School District Board of Directors attended a gathering with at least five state public officials at Hiawatha Elementary School at 8:30 AM. On January 12, 2026, notice of the gathering was posted on the door of Hiawatha Elementary. It was simultaneously posted on the bulletin board at the Educational Leadership and Support Center typically used for posting public notices. Notices were posted by the executive assistant to the superintendent. The meeting notice was also posted in the Gazette on January 14, 2026.

Complainant alleged insufficient public notice of the January 17, 2026 meeting.

Applicable Law

“Except as provided in subsection 3, a governmental body shall give notice of the time, date, and place of each meeting including a reconvened meeting of the governmental body, and the tentative agenda of the meeting, in a manner reasonably calculated to apprise the public of that information. Reasonable notice shall include advising the news media who have filed a request for notice with the governmental body and posting the notice on a bulletin board or other prominent place which is easily accessible to the public and clearly designated for that purpose at the principal office of the body holding the meeting, or if no such office exists, at the building in which the meeting is to be held.” Iowa Code 21.4(1)(a).

“Except as otherwise provided in paragraph “c”, notice conforming with all of the requirements of subsection 1 shall be given at least twenty-four hours prior to the commencement of any meeting of a governmental body unless for good cause such notice is impossible or impractical, in which case as much notice as is reasonably possible shall be given.” Iowa Code 21.4(2)(a).

Analysis

Respondent alleges that the gathering itself did not meet the definition of a “meeting” requiring notice under Chapter 21.4, because the four members were attending in their capacity in the “Superintendent Legislative Advocacy Core Committee” – “a purely advisory committee” not subject to meeting notice requirements.

However, for the sake of this complaint, IPIB doesn’t need to answer the question of whether the committee was a purely advisory committee exempt from Chapter 21 requirements. Assuming, arguendo, that the four members were attending in their capacity as board members and creating a “meeting” with “a majority of the members of a governmental body where there is deliberation or action upon any matter within the scope of the governmental body’s policy-making duties” requiring the Respondent to comply with Chapter 21 notice requirements, Respondent met their obligations for notice under Chapter 21.4.

The notice was posted far in advance of the twenty-four hour requirement and was posted in a “bulletin board or other prominent place which is easily accessible to public and clearly designated for that purpose.” The bulletin board is located in a glass case outside the door of the building so that the notices are accessible at all hours for the public. The meeting was held in a place reasonably accessible to the public, at a time reasonably convenient to the public. The elementary school is a reasonable location for the meeting. A staff member was seated at the front door of the building to ensure the public could access and find the meeting. Respondent went above and beyond by physically posting notice in two physical locations and a local newspaper. For these reasons, Respondent met any and all notice obligations they may have had in regards to the January 17, 2026 meeting.

IPIB Action

The Board may take the following actions upon receipt of an Investigative Report:

1. Redirect the matter for further investigation;

2. Dismiss the matter for lack of probable cause to believe a violation has occurred;

3. Make a determination that probable cause exists to believe a violation has occurred, but, as an exercise of administrative discretion, dismiss the matter; or

4. Make a determination that probable cause exists to believe a violation has occurred, designate a prosecutor and direct the issuance of a statement of charges to initiate a contested case proceeding.

Iowa Admin. Code r. 497-2.2(4).

Recommendation

Therefore, because Respondent provided sufficient evidence they met all requirements for public notice if the meeting on January 17, 2026 constituted a “meeting” for purposes of Chapter 21, no violation of Chapter 21’s requirement occurred, and it is recommended the Board dismiss for a lack of probable cause.

By the IPIB Deputy Director,

_________________________

Charisa Flege, J.D.

CERTIFICATE OF MAILING

This document was sent on March 13, 2026, to:

Tremaine Woods, Complainant

Cedar Rapids Community School District Board of Directors, Respondent

The Iowa Public Information Board

Under Iowa Admin. Code r. 497-2.2(4) the Board takes the following action:

☐a. Redirect the matter for further investigation;

☒b. Dismiss the matter for lack of probable cause to believe a violation has occurred;

☐c. Make a determination that probable cause exists to believe a violation has occurred, but, as an exercise of administrative discretion, dismiss the matter; or

☐d. Make a determination that probable cause exists to believe a violation has occurred, designate a prosecutor and direct the issuance of a statement of charges to initiate a contested case proceeding.

By the Board Chair

___________________________________

Catherine Lucas

CERTIFICATE OF MAILING

This document was sent on March 24, 2026, to:

Tremaine Woods, Complainant

Cedar Rapids Board of Education, Respondent