Each year, new legislation, court decisions, administrative regulations and societal changes create the need for local school boards to review and update their district policies. A regular schedule of policy review and revision helps ensure that a district’s policies actually reflect the community’s values, beliefs and priorities, says Martin Gonzalez, CSBA assistant executive director for Member Services.
CSBA’s Policy Services staff and legal counsel continually comb through new laws and regulations, as well as recent court decisions and other conditions to develop sample board policies and regulations to guide local districts. Updated sample policies are sent three times each year to Policy Services subscribers, and cite the legal and educational codes that apply.
While CSBA’s sample policies offer options to consider when drafting a local policy, governance teams should consider how they might incorporate local values, beliefs and priorities in their final adopted policies. And policies that have the potential for creating controversy should be given extra attention, including review by legal counsel.
“That’s why the role of the board is so important,” Gonzalez says. “The policies have to resonate with the community.”
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