8600 Formulation, Adoption and Amendment of Policies and Bylaws
Adoption Date: 12/12/1963 Revised: 11/5/2015, 10/17/2001, 02/13/1975, 03/08/1979, 06/13/1995, 09/14/1995 8000 - Internal Board Policies
8600 Formulation, Adoption and Amendment of Policies and Bylaws
The Board of Education recognizes that the adoption of written policies constitutes the basic method by which the Board exercises its leadership in the operation of the District. The Board will concern itself primarily with broad questions of policy rather than with administrative details. The Board of Education delegates to the Superintendent of Schools the responsibility and authority to establish any and all rules, regulations and/or procedures necessary to implement and maintain its policies.
Proposals for new policies, changes in existing policies or repeal of policies may get initiated by any Board Member, administrator, staff member or other member of the school community. Policy proposals shall be referred to the Policy Management Committee for study prior to consideration by the Board of Education.
Specific policy proposals and suggested amendments to existing policies will be submitted to all members of the Board of Education, in writing, prior to a regular Board meeting. To permit time for study of new policies or amendments to policies and to provide an opportunity for interested parties to react, proposed policies and amendments generally will have two readings, at regular or special Board meetings. Policies will be adopted, amended or repealed at regular or special Board meetings, by a majority vote of the Board of Education, and will be recorded in the Board minutes. The Board of Education may adopt or amend policies at a single Board meeting in an emergency.
The Board of Education may, by a majority vote, suspend the operation of any policy, provided the suspension does not conflict with law.
In cases where emergency action must be taken and where the Board of Education has no guide for administrative action, the Superintendent will have the power to act, but his/her decision will be subject to Board of Education review at a regular or special meeting. The Superintendent shall inform the Board of Education promptly of such emergency action and of the need for policy.
Editorial and reference changes to policies that do not affect the substance of the policy may be effected by the Superintendent without action by the Board, but shall be subject to Board review.
The Board of Education and Superintendent will work together to keep Board policies and the Board Policy Manual up-to-date.