FILE: BD
Cf: BC
POLICY DEVELOPMENT
The Bossier Parish School Board shall formulate policies to guide the action of those to whom it delegates authority. These guides shall constitute the policies governing the operation of the school district. They shall be recorded in writing and made a part of the official School Board Policy Manual.
The formulation and adoption of School Board policies shall constitute the chief means by which the School Board shall exercise its leadership in the operation of the school district. When establishing School Board policies, the School Board shall prioritize student achievement, financial efficiency, and workforce development on a local, regional, and statewide basis. The study and evaluation of reports concerning the execution of its written policies shall constitute the basic method by which the School Board shall exercise its control over the operation of the school district.
The policies of the School Board are meant to be interpreted in terms of Louisiana laws, rules and regulations of the Louisiana Board of Elementary and Secondary Education, and all other regulatory agencies within the local parish, state, and federal levels of government.
DRAFTING OF POLICY
The School Board recognizes the development of sound educational policies as a complex and continuous process. The School Board, Superintendent and staff fully realize the need for continuous input from school district personnel, students and lay citizens. It is the intent of the School Board that consideration for adoption of policies be given wide exposure, in order that the School Board receive suggestions from all segments of the district before final adoption.
The preliminary development of policy statements shall be the responsibility of the Superintendent and staff. Proposed policies shall be developed based on pertinent research and input from personnel within the school system, to ensure that the policy statements adopted by the School Board offer maximum effectiveness and consistency in their application.
Only after a proposed policy statement has been so drafted, shall it be presented to the School Board for its consideration.
POLICY ADOPTION
The School Board may consider policy proposal(s) at any regular or special meeting but shall not take action to adopt or revise policies before the next regular or special meeting. In an emergency the School Board may, by resolution and a majority vote, waive the second reading of the proposed policy statement and adopt the policy by taking immediate action. For a policy to be adopted by the School Board, it must receive a simple majority of School Board members present and voting.
The formal adoption of School Board policies shall be recorded in the minutes of the School Board. The official minutes shall constitute the authority for any change made in the Policy Manual.
The School Board is recognized as the legal body authorized to approve policies for the School District, and shall not delegate or relinquish that authority to another party or group. The School Board welcomes comments and suggestions on local policy matters, and will comply with all laws addressing proper involvement of other parties in the policy process.
POLICY REVIEW
The School Board shall periodically direct the systematic review of its policies. The Superintendent shall appropriately involve representative groups of administrators, teachers, supervisors, students, support personnel and lay citizens relative to policies affecting each group.
The School Board shall appoint a discipline policy review committee as required by state law whose selection of members shall be neither discriminatory nor arbitrary in nature. The purpose of the discipline policy review committee shall be to review discipline policies of the School Board to assure consistency with state law, receive input into the effectiveness of established policy, and make recommendations to improve policy provisions and to assist the School Board in the orderly operation of the school district. In particular, state law requires a policy review committee to review the School Board’s student discipline policies annually to make recommendations for appropriate revisions.
A public hearing shall be held on the recommendations to improve policy revisions and to assist the School Board in the orderly operation of the school district before the School Board considers revising any of the discipline policies. State law also requires the administrators, teachers and parents of each public school to meet annually and develop or review the discipline regulations for their school and assure compliance with School Board policy and state law.
POLICY DISSEMINATION
The School Board shall direct the Superintendent to establish and maintain an orderly plan for disseminating School Board policies and administrative rules and regulations.
School Board policies and administrative rules and regulations shall be made accessible to all employees of the school district directly or indirectly affected by those policies. School Board policies and administrative rules and regulations shall also be made accessible to members of the School Board, students and members of the community served by the school district.
SUSPENSION OF POLICY
In accordance with Roberts Rules of Order, the operation of policy or section of policy not established by law or contract may be temporarily suspended by a two-thirds (⅔) vote of School Board members present and voting at a regular or special meeting.
ADMINISTRATION IN ABSENCE OF POLICY
The School Board authorizes the Superintendent to take reasonable and prudent action in cases in which there are no formalized guidelines/policies for action. The Superintendent shall have the power to act, unless the power to take such action is vested in the School Board.
Administrative actions taken by the Superintendent in the absence of policy shall be subject to review by the School Board at its regular meetings. It shall be the duty of the Superintendent to inform the School Board promptly of such action(s) and of the resultant need, if any, for policy.
The term Superintendent for purposes of interpreting these policies shall include appropriate designees except in cases in which the Superintendent personally must act in accordance with law.
Revised: October 4, 2012
Ref: Constitution of Louisiana, Art. VI, Sec. 10
La. Rev. Stat. Ann. §17:416.8
Louisiana Handbook for School Administrators, Bulletin 741, Louisiana Department of Education
Board minutes, 10-4-12
Bossier Parish School Board