This Procedure outlines processes for staff supporting Board policymaking and Superintendent procedure development.

Staff Support for Board Policymaking

Board policy adoption is the responsibility of the School Board. Policy work undertaken by Directors and supporting staff should align with Board planning efforts and include a Board sponsor except in the case of non-substantive administrative updates made under Board Policy No. 1310, described further below, and some revisions necessary for compliance with state law or other technical updates.

Policy work may be initiated by a Board Director or staff, if necessary. Staff considering or suggesting Board Policy or Procedure updates will contact the Board Office before undertaking proposed revisions. The Board Office will consult with the Board President to identify a Board Director sponsor for each Board Policy adoption or revision. The Board Office is also designated by the Superintendent to consult with the Chief of Staff as necessary to identify a lead staff person to support on each Board Policy adoption or revision and to further advise on necessary process steps and timelines.

The lead staff person will generally support the sponsoring Director as follows:

• Coordinate with Board Office to determine necessity for policy development and Board Action, schedule policy work, and plan for the steps outlined below;
• Identify budget and other capacity limitations for development, implementation and sustainability;
• Form and lead cross-departmental work groups for complex or major policy adoptions/revisions;
• Draft proposed policy language, in partnership with Board sponsor and appropriate staff (e.g. work group and/or Policy, Legal, Budget, and Department/Division leaders);
• Determine how proposed policy aligns, conflicts, or duplicates existing policy or procedure in coordination with Board Office;
• Determine whether proposed policy complies with collective bargaining agreements and other binding agreements;
• Ensure alignment of policy with: o the policy governance model as adopted by the Board; and/or o legal requirements; and Superintendent Procedure 1310SP
• Draft or support the sponsoring director in drafting the Board Action Report (BAR) and routing for internal approvals through the BAR routing process.

Board director roles and Board processes for policymaking are determined by the Board through its planning and policies. Generally, the Board sponsor is involved, at a minimum, as follows:

• Provides guidance to lead staff on desired policy outcomes and reviews proposed language;
• Participates in community engagement planning;
• Socializes policy with Board colleagues within the requirements of the Open Public Meetings Act, Chapter 42.30 RCW; and
• Offers BAR at legislative meetings.

The lead staff also coordinates with colleagues to ensure the following support, alignment, and follow-through take place in response to Board policy actions:

• Needed external and internal communications are provided;
• Procedure is developed, routed for Superintendent approval, and implemented, as necessary;
• Required training is developed and implemented;
• Policy changes are reflected in Continuous School Improvement Plans; and
• Policy compliance and implementation outcomes are evaluated and recommendations for further action are relayed as appropriate.

Notice and Comment Requirements

Policy adoptions and amendments requiring Board Action are typically introduced at one Board meeting and are considered for final approval at the next Board meeting. Upon request of the Superintendent, policies with potential major operational impacts may have a one-meeting delay between Introduction and Action to allow additional time for public comment.

Before adopting a policy under RCW 28A.320.015(1)(a), the Board must comply with the notice requirements of the Open Public Meetings Act, Chapter 42.30 RCW, and must also include in that notice a statement that sets forth or reasonably describes the proposed policy. The Board will provide a reasonable opportunity for public written and oral comment and consideration of the comment by the Board.

Non-Substantive Policy Edits

All non-substantive edits are made through the Board Office. Updating the header or footer, titles of staff, departments, or schools, and legal or cross references that have been changed since policy adoption; making format changes; and fixing grammatical, capitalization and punctuation errors of a current Board-approved policy do not require further Board approval. Further, non-substantive changes that do not affect the meaning, duties, intent, or character of the policy also do not require further Board approval.

Board Policy and Board Procedure Templates

All Board-approved policies are required to use the “School Board-Approved Policy Template” maintained by the Board Office. The Board Office will provide advice to policy writers on language, timelines, and appropriate placement in the policy and procedure manual.

Some policies may require procedures to facilitate implementation. In the majority of cases, procedures are developed and approved by the Superintendent. However, on occasion a procedure will be adopted by the School Board. Procedures that are adopted by the School Board include those that are specifically required by law or those that regulate School Board actions. All Board-approved procedures are required to use the “School Board-Approved Procedure Template” maintained by the Board Office.

Superintendent Procedures

Upon creation of a new Superintendent Procedure that is related to a new or revised Board policy, the new procedure may be presented to the Board for review at the same time as the new or revised policy is presented. Procedures that are developed separate from a new or revised policy will be provided to the Board for information and included in the Superintendent’s annual procedure report to the School Board.

All Superintendent Procedures are required to use the “Superintendent Procedure Template” maintained by the Board Office. Staff considering or suggesting Superintendent Procedure updates or new Procedure development should contact the Board Office. The Board Office can provide advice to procedure writers on language and appropriate placement in the policy and procedure manual.

Policy Cross References

• 1005 – Responsibilities and Authority of the Board
• 1010 – Oversight and Progress Monitoring
• 1240 – Committees
• 1310 – Board Policies, Manuals, and Superintendent Procedures
• 1620 – Board-Superintendent Relationship
• 1640 – Responsibilities and Authority of the Superintendent

Revisions

• September 2023
• February 2022

Approved

• May 2012