0200P: Board Policy Revision, Review, Adoption and Maintenance Process

This procedure establishes a clear process for the revision, review, adoption, and maintenance of Board Policies to advance the mission, vision, values, commitment to equity and accountability, and strategic and annual goals of the District, consistent with Board Policy 0200 (Policy Adoption and Revision, Administrative Procedures).

There are several reasons that would precipitate revisions, full review, or consideration of a new policy. These include:

1. Legislative Requirements
2. Updates to Washington State School Directors’ Association (WSSDA) Model Policies
3. Review required by policy
4. Board/Superintendent/staff/community request
5. Length of time since last review

A. Policy Planning Process

The Superintendent’s designee (Policy Liaison) will develop a rolling Policy Schedule that identifies and prioritizes policies for revision, full review and potentially new policies. The schedule will be a “rolling” document, meaning that it will be updated to reflect additions or changes as needed. The Policy Liaison will provide the Board with updates to the Policy Schedule for approval at least quarterly (four times per year) and the Board will approve the Policy Schedule at least once annually. The policy year is August 1 – July 31.

The Policy Liaison will prioritize policies in the schedule based on the following criteria:

• Legally required policies
• Required WSSDA Model Policy updates
• Community impact (students, staff, families)

WSSDA provides model policy updates several times each year. Many are driven by changes in legislation. Not all WSSDA updates to policies are required by legislative changes, meaning they have been updated for other reasons or to codify best practices etc. Not all non-required updates are appropriate or advisable in the BSD context. At least annually, the Policy Liaison will review all WSSDA model policy updates and determine revisions to policies for inclusion in the Policy Schedule.

When WSSDA policy updates are reviewed, it may be apparent that a more extensive review of any given policy may be needed. In this case, the Policy Liaison will decide if a full review fits within the plan for the year or consider a review the following year.

Many WSSDA policy updates are administrative revisions. Administrative revisions are 2 non-substantive editorial revisions and changes in administrative, legal and/or cross references. Administrative changes are not approved by the Board and provided as information for the Board on a Board meeting agenda, consistent with Board Policy 0200.

The rolling Policy Schedule will be stored in the School Board SharePoint and maintained by the Policy Liaison. A current copy will be posted on the District website for community access.

B. Policy Materials and Board Feedback Cadence

The Policy Schedule will include proposed first and second reading dates as well as additional information including rationale for change, Policy lead, type of change etc. School Board directors will receive materials in advance of scheduled first and second readings. Materials include at a minimum:

• A memo that introduces the policy, provides context/background, the rationale for revisions, review, and adoption
• Documentation of Critical Criteria application and community engagement
• First reading “marked up” and “clean” versions of proposed revisions • Second reading “marked up” and “clean” versions of proposed revisions that include feedback from first readings and what change were made to address the feedback.

School Board directors will receive draft policy materials two weeks prior to any first reading for individual director feedback. This feedback will be incorporated into the first reading materials that the Board will receive on the Friday before the scheduled first reading. At the Monday premeeting planning session of the Board before a scheduled first reading, the Policy Liaison will provide an overview of revisions to existing policies. Following a Monday pre-meeting planning session, any additional feedback from directors must be received by the Policy Liaison for consideration by noon on the Wednesday of the week of the scheduled first reading.

First reading and post-first reading feedback from individual directors will be considered in additional revisions. Individual director feedback following the first reading must be received by the Policy Liaison for consideration by noon on the Wednesday of the week before the scheduled second reading. Second readings will occur no earlier than the second regular board meeting following the first reading (typically four weeks later). School Board directors will receive revised policy materials for second reading on the Friday before the scheduled second reading. At the Monday pre-meeting planning session of the Board before a scheduled second reading, the Policy Liaison will provide an overview of revisions since first reading. Following a Monday pre-meeting planning session, any additional feedback from directors must be received by the Policy Liaison for consideration by noon on the Wednesday of the week of the scheduled second reading.

The Policy Liaison may share pre-reading documents with the Board in advance of a first reading using the same cadence described above. For any new policy, a pre-reading will occur before bringing a new policy to the Board for consideration. Other than for new policies, a prereading would typically happen when a policy is in full review.

C. Critical Criteria

Policy 0130 (Equity and Accountability), requires application of the critical criteria outlined in Procedure 0130P be completed for policy reviews. For revisions outside of a full policy review, the critical criteria need only to be applied to the specific revisions being proposed. Administrative and legally required changes are not subject to the application of the critical criteria. Once the Policy Liaison has prioritized a policy for revisions, full review, recommending adoption of a new policy, they will identify the appropriate administrator(s) with responsibility for implementation to serve as the Policy Lead(s).

The Policy Liaison and Policy Lead(s) will use the Critical Criteria process to consider what engagement is necessary to gather feedback on the potential impact of proposed revisions or new policy. The process requires the involvement of those most impacted by the policy. The Policy Liaisons and Lead(s) will make revisions based on community feedback to mitigate academic, emotional, and social inequities. The Policy Liaison will provide the Board with documentation of how the critical criteria were applied.

D. Maintenance, Documentation and Tracking

An up-to-date tracking list (Policy Tracker) will be maintained by the Policy Liaison that includes all Board Policies (number and title); date of adoption/revisions, and notes. In addition, all first and second reading versions, and policy memos will be archived on the Board SharePoint site.

First and second reading versions of revised policies will be posted on the policy page of the BSD Website under Policy Updates prior to pre-reading, first, and second readings. Current policies will be replaced with the adopted revisions and any newly adopted policies will be added to the on-line policy manual. All previous versions of policies will be archived.