KGAN-TV reports Washington Elementary principal Terry Eisenbarth submitted his resignation Friday night as the Mount Vernon Community Schools board was considering his fate with the district.
Parents complained after learning Eisenbarth would call students to his office on their birthday for spankings.
Eisenbarth admitted to the spankings in a May letter to parents and provided a photo of the padded stick he used to give the spankings.
Mount Vernon police investigated but found no wrongdoing. The Linn County sheriff's office is still looking into the spankings.
Eisenbarth will get $13,500 and benefits through August.
A message left Saturday with the school district office wasn't immediately returned. No number was listed for Eisenbarth.