Adopted: MSBA/MASA Model Policy 208
Revised: Rev. 2022
208 DEVELOPMENT,
ADOPTION, AND IMPLEMENTATION OF POLICIES
[Note: The provisions
of this policy are recommendations. The
procedures for policy development, adoption, and implementation are not
specifically provided by statute.]
I. PURPOSE
The purpose of this policy is to
emphasize the importance of the policy-making role of the school board and provide
the means for it to be an ongoing effort.
II. GENERAL STATEMENT
OF POLICY
Formal guidelines are necessary to ensure
the school community that the school system responds to its mission and
operates in an effective, efficient, and consistent manner. A set of written policies shall be maintained
and modified as needed. Policies should
define the desire and intent of the school board and should be in a form that is
sufficiently explicit to guide administrative action.
III. DEVELOPMENT OF
POLICY
A. The school board has jurisdiction to
legislate policy with the force and effect of law for the school district. School district policy provides the school
board’s general direction for the school district while delegating policy implementation
to the administration.
B. The school district’s policies provide
guidelines and goals to the school community.
The policies are the basis for guidelines and directives created by the
administration. The school board shall
determine the effectiveness of policies by evaluating periodic reports from the
administration.
C. Policies may be proposed by a school
board member, employee, student, or resident of the school district. Proposed policies or ideas shall be submitted
to the superintendent for review prior to possible placement on the school
board agenda.
IV. ADOPTION AND
REVIEW OF POLICY
A. The school board shall give notice of
proposed policy changes or adoption of new policies by placing the item on the
agenda of two school board meetings. The
proposals shall be distributed and public comment will be allowed at both
meetings.
B. The final action taken to adopt the
proposed policy shall be approved by a simple majority vote of the school board
at a meeting after the two meetings at which public input was received. The policy will be effective on the latter of
the date of passage or the date stated in the motion.
C. In an emergency, a new or modified policy
may be adopted by a majority vote of a quorum of the school board in a single
meeting. A statement regarding the
emergency and the need for immediate adoption of the policy shall be included
in the minutes. The policy adopted in an
emergency shall expire within one year following the emergency action unless
the policy adoption procedure stated above is followed and the policy is
reaffirmed. The school board shall have
discretion to determine what constitutes an emergency.
D. If a policy is modified with minor
changes that do not affect the substance of the policy or because of a legal
change over which the school board has no control, the modified policy may be approved
at one meeting at the discretion of the school board.
V. IMPLEMENTATION OF
AND ACCESS TO POLICY
A. The superintendent shall be responsible
for implementing school board policies, other than the policies that cover how
the school board will operate. The superintendent shall develop administrative
guidelines and directives to provide greater specificity and consistency in the
process of implementation. These
guidelines and directives, including employee and student handbooks, shall be subject
to annual review and approval by the school board.
B. Each school board member shall have
access to school district policies. A copy
of the school district policies shall be placed in the office of each school
attendance center and in the central school district office and shall be available
for reference purposes to other interested persons.
C. The superintendent, employees designated
by the superintendent, and individual school board members shall be responsible
for keeping the policy current.
D. The school board shall review policies at
least once every three years. The
superintendent shall be responsible for developing a system of periodic review,
addressing approximately one third of the policies annually. In addition, the school board shall review
the following policies annually: 506 Student Discipline; 722 Public Data
Requests; and 806 Crisis Management Policy.
E. When no school board policy exists to
provide guidance on a matter, the superintendent is authorized to act
appropriately under the circumstances keeping in mind the mission, educational
philosophy, and financial condition of the school district. Under such circumstances, the superintendent
shall advise the school board of the need for a policy and present a
recommended policy to the school board for approval.
Legal References: Minn. Stat. § 123B.02, Subd. 1 (School
District Powers)
Minn. Stat. § 123B.09, Subd. 1 (School Board Powers)
Cross References: MSBA/MASA Model Policy 305 (Policy Implementation)