Making the Most of Policy Review
Katie Oliver, Policy and Superintendent Search Manager
The Ready, Set, Govern! sessions at the AASB Annual Conference were the place to be for meeting new people and digging into board responsibilities, policy development, and exploring what exactly makes a meeting (and what is a work session, anyway?). I was genuinely impressed with the engagement and critical questions from the cohort of newly elected board members during our work together. With this column, I’d like to address a few policy questions that I heard at Ready, Set, Govern!, and have heard again in follow-up inquiries in the ensuing weeks.
What are some best practices our district can use to stay up to date on policy review?
First, ensure a working team of people are accountable for policy review coordination. While some districts handle policy review as a whole board process, many districts will have a standing policy committee charged with the responsibility of policy review, supported by the Superintendent, Executive Admin/Board Secretary, and other key staff members. Since this is the season of board reorganization, now is a great time to ask your Board President if there is a spot for you on the policy committee.
Next, develop a calendar of meetings to support thoughtful and deliberate policy review, taking into consideration the board’s regular meeting schedule. We recommend that boards engage in an ongoing high-level review of policy chapters on a four-year cycle (see model AR 9311), while also assessing model policy updates distributed by AASB. Our recent round of policy updates from September includes new policies in response to the Alaska Reads Act, as well as a revised Academic Honesty policy accounting for the proliferation of AI and generative technology in school learning communities, a newly developed Family Engagement policy, and more. The September updates are an excellent collection through which board members can explore and consider the role of policy as both broad rules for district operations and as statements of belief.
Finally, we encourage boards to recognize the potential for community engagement in policy review. If your board plans to review Article 4 – Personnel in the year ahead, bring staff members with HR expertise to the process and consider how best to get meaningful input and feedback from employee groups. Reviewing Article 5 – Students can provide an excellent means through which to engage your student government or provide leadership opportunities for students to participate in the policy committee. Site councils and advisory school boards can also provide key local and school knowledge to your policy review work.
What should we do if Board Policy and Administrative Regulation (AR) are not aligned?
A board member posed this question during the Community Café activity on day two of Ready Set Govern, and it sparked a great discussion on the role of the Board in policymaking and the Superintendent in developing regulations. In short, administrative regulations (ARs) are written procedures providing more detailed directions on how policies will be carried out. AR development is the purview of the Superintendent, and while ARs are an important part of the policy manual, they do not typically require board approval or formal adoption. It is important, though, for policy and regulation to align. In fact, this is captured in BB 9313 Administrative Regulations: “Administrative regulations shall be consistent with School Board policies, education-related laws, negotiated employee contracts, and rules and regulations of the State Board of Education. The School Board may review administrative regulations and require the revision of any regulations which it finds inconsistent with School Board policy.” If you find inconsistencies between the language of board policy and corresponding AR, bring the issue to your Superintendent, and ask them to review it and make a recommendation to the board. It may be that the AR has been updated to respond to evolving laws and regulations and the board policy needs attention. Or it may be that changes to the AR have not fully considered the spirit and intent of policy and need administrative review and revision.
How do we course-correct if we get behind on policy review and adoption?
The AASB Board Development team is here to help you with policy work, and we recognize that changing compositions in the board and staff, or say, global pandemics, can sometimes result in gaps in the review cycles. If your district did not take action on a recent-year policy update, I can help you access those model policies you may have missed. If your district needs more comprehensive support in understanding the status of your policy manual, you may want to consider a policy audit. During a policy audit, our staff will compare a district’s manual to the AASB model policies, and provide a report on which policies are current vs. those that are out of date or missing. The audit report gives the Superintendent and Board a starting point for prioritizing those policies that most urgently need review and attention.
Remember, clear policies guide the board and staff, promote even-handed decision-making, and help the district operate efficiently and effectively.
And keep those questions coming! Let’s carry forward the energy and insights from Ready, Set, Govern! into our ongoing commitment to excellence in governance. Together, we are not just governing – we are shaping a brighter, more informed future for our schools and communities.