I.     PURPOSE

The purpose of this policy is to emphasize the importance of the policy-making role of the Board and provide the means for it to continue 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 policy statements shall be maintained and modified as needed. Policies should define the desire and intent of the Board and should be in a form which is sufficiently explicit to guide administrative action.

III.    DEVELOPMENT OF POLICY

1. The Board has jurisdiction to legislate policy for the District with the force and effect of law. Board policy provides the general direction as to what the Board wishes to accomplish while delegating implementation of policy to the administration.
    
2. The Board's written policies provide guidelines and goals to the school community. The policies shall be the basis for the formulation of guidelines and directives by the Administration. The Board shall determine the effectiveness of the policies by evaluating periodic reports from the Administration.
    
3. Policies may be proposed by a school board member, employee, student, other governmental entities, or resident of the District. Proposed policies or ideas shall be submitted to the Superintendent for review prior to possible placement on the board meeting agenda. All policy proposals will be written by the District in order to follow appropriate formatting and language, but the concepts will be preserved consistent with the author’s intent.

IV.    ADOPTION OF POLICY

1. The Board shall give notice of proposed policy changes or adoption of new policies by placing the item on the agenda of two board meetings. The proposals shall be distributed and public comment will be allowed at both meetings prior to final board action.
    
2. The final action taken to adopt the proposed policy shall be approved by a simple majority vote of the Board at a subsequent meeting after the meetings at which public input was received. The policy will be effective on the later of the date of passage or the date stated in the motion.
    
3. In the case of an emergency, a new or modified policy may be adopted by a majority vote of a quorum of the Board. A statement regarding the emergency and the need for immediate adoption of the policy shall be included in the minutes. The emergency policy shall expire within one year following the emergency action unless the policy adoption procedure stated above is followed and the policy is reaffirmed. The Board shall have discretion to determine what constitutes an emergency situation.
    
4. If a policy is modified because of a legal change over which the Board has no control, the modified policy may be approved at one meeting at the discretion of the Board.
    
5. At its discretion, the Board may waive the second reading and approve a policy on its first reading.

V.    IMPLEMENTATION OF POLICY

1. It shall be the responsibility of the Superintendent to implement Board policies, and to 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 Board.
    
2. Each board member shall have access to all policies. Manuals shall be available in the District office and made available for reference purposes to other interested persons. All policies shall also be posted on the District’s Web site.
    
3. It shall be the responsibility of the Superintendent and employees designated by the Superintendent, to keep all policies current on the Web Site and in the District Office Manual.
    
4. The 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.
    
5. When there is no Board policy in existence to provide guidance on a matter, the Superintendent is authorized to act appropriately under the circumstances keeping in mind the educational philosophy and financial condition of the District. Under such circumstances, the superintendent shall advise the Board of the need for a policy and present a recommended policy to the Board for approval.

Legal References:    
Minn. Stat. § 123B.02, Subd. 1 (School District Powers)
Minn. Stat. § 123B.09, Subd. 1 (School Board Powers)

Approved:    May 7, 2009