New board members and the policy process |
On Board Online • July 20, 2015
By Courtney Sanik
Senior Policy Consultant
New to school board service? Have you heard yet that policy is the backbone of the district and one of the board's core responsibilities? Do you have a copy of the current policy manual, and have you perused it?
You say you have? Well, kudos to you and your governance team for getting off on the right foot. Hmmm . have you considered joining your board's policy committee (if it has one)? My colleagues on the NYSSBA Policy Services staff and I have a feeling that you're going to be keenly interested in policy as your term progresses.
The fact of the matter is that high-functioning school boards are always working on policy. The board's policy manual is a living document, and the updating of it should be an ongoing process. Laws or regulations are updated, school climate and culture changes, and hot topics emerge and evolve all contributing to the need to change policy.
To give you an idea of how much can change in a given year, NYSSBA's policy department provided nearly 20 policies through NYSSBA's Policy Update Service during the 2014-15 school year. Also, NYSSBA member districts made 1,288 inquiries to NYSSBA's Policy Services staff regarding a multitude of other topics that they identified as needing updates at the district level.
So, how do you update a policy?
There are seven key elements that are part of the policy review cycle, as depicted below. Your district's procedure should resemble this process. Boards may have policies in different parts of the policy cycle at any given time. If changes need to be made, the board can step into the policy review process at the appropriate step. Here is a summary of each step.
Research. Interest in writing or updating a board policy may be sparked by change in law or regulation, school climate and culture changes, and hot topics that can emerge and evolve. A new law may be taking effect or district officials may suspect that a policy does not match current practices. Regardless of why a policy change is being considered, it's important to start collecting information. The policy committee (or the superintendent or other designee) typically examines relevant laws, regulations, educational literature, information from peer school districts, and local material such as data, staff recommendations or feedback from parents.
If you believe you have found an item that needs to be addressed, you should follow the appropriate procedure to get a change considered. This may include getting an item on the agenda or merely suggesting it to the superintendent, president of the board, or policy chair for review. It's good practice to find out how this works in your district.
Discussion. The policy committee or the board as a whole reviews information as it pertains to current policy, district practice or district needs. Considerations should include the board's current position on the topic, community feelings on the matter, and the likely effects of implementation on students, staff, and budget. You shouldn't hesitate to speak up and ask questions you may have during this discussion. This discussion may indicate that more research is needed.
Drafting. The policy committee or board designee prepares a draft policy for review and readings. It may consult applicable staff or legal counsel, as appropriate, or request that the superintendent or other administrator draft a policy to work from or request sample language. The committee may also look at what similar districts have in place.
During the drafting step, the committee may decide that there is need for additional discussion or research.
While drafting, keep in mind that any changes made to a policy may impact related policies. Be sure to update both.
Readings. Once the committee is satisfied with the form and content, the policy draft is put on the agenda for its first reading at a board meeting. If board members do not agree on the policy draft, they may request alternate language, table it for further discussion, or request additional information.
At the second reading, the board may vote to approve the policy. Some policies, such as the Code of Conduct, require a public hearing before adoption.
It's important to remember that even if you vote against the changes, it is appropriate to support the new policy.
Dissemination. The board needs to make sure that the people affected by policy changes are aware that there have been changes. Changes need to be inserted in all copies of the board policy manual, posted online if applicable, in student, employee, or parent handbooks as appropriate and possibly publicized to the community in other ways. Policies cannot be implemented effectively if they are not put in the hands of the people that need to use, enforce, or abide by them.
Implementation. Once the board adopts a policy and it has been disseminated, the superintendent has the role of implementing the policy. The superintendent and other administrators may develop administrative regulations or procedures based on the board policy, but not all policies need written regulations.
Monitoring and evaluation. Periodically, the board and superintendent should evaluate how a policy is working, look at the implementation of policy and suggest revisions, as necessary. Some policies (such as Investments, Purchasing, Code of Conduct, Title I/Parental Involvement and data related to the Attendance Policy), by law, must be reviewed annually. Additionally, the board may have imposed on itself an annual review of other polices (such as Acceptable Use or Wellness) or a timeframe for review.
For specifics on policy adoption in your district, consult your board's policy on policy development (NYSSBA policy 2410, Policy Development, Adoption, Implementation and Review).
If you would like to request samples of any of the policies mentioned in this article please email policy@nyssba.org or call (800) 342-3360 and ask to speak with someone in the Policy Services Department.