Adoption of local school district policy is one of the key responsibilities of the board of education.
Whether it’s to comply with a new regulation or to achieve a board of education goal, policies provide the framework. Administrative procedures help to flesh out the framework by specifying process and/or needed documentation.
Policy is a board’s broad statement of direction that sets a course of action and provides guidance for students, district employees, community members, and the board itself. State and federal laws often require boards to adopt written policies. Bottom line, policies are invaluable for setting direction and providing oversight on behalf of the community.
The superintendent is responsible for developing administrative procedures needed to implement board policies. A comprehensive set of administrative procedures tailored to the board's policies and local needs can provide crucial implementation tools such as process guidance and forms. Not every policy will require an accompanying procedure, and some policies will require more than one. The board of education should not adopt administrative procedures, but should review them as part of the board's oversight role.
Once a district completes development of board policies and administrative procedures, KSBA offers an update and maintenance service component to assist districts in keeping their governance documents current by:
- Monitoring legal and educational issues on a continuing basis.
- Sending each subscribing district an annual customized update for its policies and procedures each spring.
- Researching pertinent issues at a district’s request.
- Drafting new policy/procedure language when requested.
- Each board is assigned a KSBA Policy Consultant who will be the key staff contact for all policy needs.