(cf. 9000 - Role of the Board)
The Superintendent or designee shall maintain a district policy manual for the purpose of communicating to all interested stakeholders the policies, regulations and bylaws within which district schools will operate. The Board encourages members of the public to acquaint themselves with the district's policy manual.
(cf. 9311 - Board Policies)
(cf. 9312 - Board Bylaws)
(cf. 9313 - Administrative Regulations)
The Superintendent or designee shall ensure that the community and all district employees have access to the policy manual. A public copy of the manual shall be maintained in the district central office and at each school site.
(cf. 1340 - Access to District Records)
The Superintendent or designee shall establish procedures for distributing to all authorized policy manual holders copies of new or revised policies, bylaws and regulations as they are adopted. Annually, before the Board's organizational meeting, the Superintendent or designee shall have all district policy manuals reviewed to ensure that they are up-to-date and complete.
Policy Development and Adoption Process
The district's policy development process shall include the following basic steps:
1. The Board and/or Superintendent or designee shall identify the need for a new policy or revision of an existing policy. The need may arise from a change in law, a new district vision or goals, educational research or trends, or a change in the superintendency or Board membership. The need may also occur as a result of an incident that has arisen in the district or request from staff or other interested persons.
2. As needed, the Superintendent or designee shall gather fiscal and other data, staff and public input, related district policies, sample policies from other organizations or agencies, and other useful information to fully inform the Board about the issue.
(cf. 1220 - Citizen Advisory Committees)
3. The Board may hold discussions during a public Board meeting to gain an understanding of the issue and provide initial direction to the Superintendent or designee. The discussion may include, but not be limited to, how the proposed policy may affect student learning, community expectations, staff recommendations, fiscal impact, as well as the policy's impact on governance and operational efficiency.
4. The Board or Superintendent may request that legal counsel review the draft policy as appropriate.
5. The Superintendent or designee shall develop and present a draft policy for a first reading at a public Board meeting. At its second reading, the Board may take action on the proposed policy. The Board may waive the second reading or may require an additional reading if necessary.
(cf. 9323 - Meeting Conduct)
Only policies formally adopted by a majority vote of the Board shall constitute official Board policy.
(cf. 9322 - Agenda/Meeting Materials)
(cf. 0323.2 - Actions by the Board)
The district's policy development process may be revised or expanded as needed based on the issue being considered, the need for more information, or to provide greater opportunities for consultation and public input.
Policies shall become effective upon Board adoption or at a future date designated by the Board at the time of adoption.
Board Bylaws
The Governing Board shall adopt Board bylaws to govern the internal operations of the Board. When the need for a new bylaw or notification of an existing bylaw is recognized, the Superintendent or designee shall draft a new or modified bylaw for consideration by the Board.
Bylaws may be adopted and amended by a majority vote of all members of the Board, following the same procedures as those used for the adoption or amendment of policy.
(cf. 9311 - Board Policies)
Administrative Regulations
The Superintendent or designee shall be responsible for developing and enforcing administrative regulations for the operation of the district. Administrative regulations shall be consistent with law and Board policy and shall be designed to promote the achievement of district goals and objectives. Administrative regulations may describe specific actions to be taken, roles and responsibilities of staff, timelines, and/or other necessary provisions. The Superintendent or designee also may develop procedures manuals, handbooks, or other guides to carry out the intent of Board policy.
When Board policies are amended, the Superintendent or designee shall review corresponding regulations to ensure that they conform to the intent of the revised policy. In case of conflict between administrative regulation and Board policy, policy shall prevail.
The Board may review and/or approve regulations for the purpose of ensuring conformity with the intent of Board policy.
Monitoring and Evaluation
At the time a policy is adopted, the Board and Superintendent or designee shall determine whether an evaluation of the policy should be scheduled and, if so, shall agree upon a timeline and measures for evaluating the effectiveness of the policy in achieving its purpose.
(cf. 0500 - Accountability)
Access to Policies
The Superintendent or designee shall ensure that all district employees and the public have access to an up-to-date district policy manual. A public copy of the policy manual shall be maintained at the district central office and at each school site.
(cf. 1113 - District and School Web Sites)
(cf. 1340 - Access to District Records)
As necessary, the Superintendent or designee shall notify staff, parents/guardians, students, and other stakeholders whenever a policy that affects them is adopted or revised. He/she may determine the appropriate communications strategy depending on the issue.
(cf. 1112 - Media Relations)
(cf. 4112.9/4212.9/4312.9 - Employee Notifications)
(cf. 5145.6 - Parental Notification)
(cf. 6020 - Parent Involvement)
Suspension of Policies
No Board policy, bylaw, or administrative regulation, or any portion thereof, shall be operative if it is found to be in conflict with applicable federal or state law or regulations or court decisions. If any portion of a policy is found to be invalid, that invalidity shall not affect other provisions of the policy.
(cf. 2210 - Administrative Leeway in Absence of Governing Board Policy)
Legal Reference:
EDUCATION CODE
35010 Control of district; prescription and enforcement of rules
35160 Authority of governing boards
35160.5 Annual review of school district policies
35163 Official actions, minutes and journal
35164 Vote requirements
Management Resources:
CSBA PUBLICATIONS
Targeting Student Learning: The School Board's Role as Policymaker, 2005
Maximizing School Board Leadership: Policy, 1996
WEB SITES
CSBA, Policy Services, including Policy Update Service, Governance and Management Using Technology (GAMUT OnlineTM), Policy Audit Program, Individual District Policy Workshops, Agenda Online, and Manual Maintenance: http://www.csba.org/ps
National School Boards Association: http://www.nsba.org
Bylaw ALHAMBRA UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT
adopted: September 9, 1997 Alhambra, California
revised: October 30, 2006