Jared Smith, who served as superintendent of South Tama County Community School District from 2018 to 2022, before taking a job as Superintendent of the Waterloo Community School District is now under formal investigation by the Iowa Board of Educational Examiners in connection with his current role as Waterloo superintendent.

The Board found probable cause in May 2025 to move forward with a case concerning Smith’s handling of a student misconduct report at Waterloo’s Central Middle School. The state is investigating whether Smith and other administrators failed to follow mandatory reporting protocols related to an incident involving a student and a former assistant principal.

The investigation may involve a potential violation of Iowa ethics rule 282 IAC 25.3(6)(t), which addresses educator conduct that constitutes a criminal offense. While the exact allegations have not been detailed publicly, the Board’s probable cause finding allows the case to proceed to formal hearings.