All VSBA Model Policies

The purpose of this manual is to present model policies for use during the policy development process. As you work with particular policies, you may want to tailor their provisions to your own local situation. We have tried to provide legal references where possible so that you can check the controlling statutes as you develop your own policy language.

Although our model policies have been reviewed for legal compliance, VSBA model policies do not constitute legal advice. As part of the policy review and adoption process, you should consult with your school district legal counsel to resolve any questions on the legal implications of specific policy provisions.

As model policies are revised, we note the revision dates on the links to each policy. A number of revised policies have been posted with a revision date of November, 2007. These revisions are the result of work we have been doing for over a year to remove unnecessary procedural requirements from our model policies. This is a reflection of our belief that boards should concern themselves with priorities, goals and accountability, while leaving procedural matters to administrators.

The law empowers boards to "determine the educational policies of the school district" and also provides that school boards "may approve or disapprove rules and regulations proposed by the principal or superintendent for the conduct and management of the public schools in the district." The November 2007 revisions to our model policies closely adhere to the policy/procedure distinction, and frequently require that administrative rules or procedures to accompanying specific policies be developed by administrators. In those cases, this is a step that must not be overlooked.

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A. Policy Maintenance		Required
	A1. The Role of Policy	NO
	A2. Policy Development and Adoption	NO
	A3. Policy Dissemination, Administration & Review	NO
B. Board Membership		Required
	B1. Board Member Education	NO
	B2. Board Goal-Setting and Self-Evaluation	NO
	B3. Board Member Conflict of Interest Updated 11/26/07	YES
C. Board Procedures		Required
	C1. Board Meeting Agenda Preparation and Distribution	NO
	C2. Board Meetings	NO
	C3. Public Participation at Board Meetings	NO
	C4. School Visits by Board Members	NO
	C5. Board Relations With School Personnel	NO
	C6. Board Commitment to Non-Discrimination 12/7/05 Edits	NO
D. Personnel		Required
	D1. Personnel Recruitment, Selection, Appointment Background Checks Updated 8/10/11	NO
	D2. POLICY: Professional Development Updated 11/26/07	YES
	D2. PROCEDURE: Professional Development Updated 11/26/07	YES
	D3. Staffing Job Descriptions	NO
	D4. Educator Supervision and Evaluation: Probationary Teachers	NO
	D5. Personnel Files	NO
	D6. Substitute Teachers Updated 8/10/11	YES
	D7. Volunteers and Work Study Students Updated 3/17/09	YES
	D8. Alcohol and Drug Free Workplace Updated 11/26/07	YES
	D9. Resignations	NO
	D10. Public Complaints About Personnel	NO
	D11. Drug & Alcohol Testing: Transportation Employees Updated 11/26/07	YES
	D12. Harassment of Employees Updated 11/26/07	YES
	D13. Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act Compliance(HIPAA) New 2/17/05	YES
E. Business and Non-Instructional Operations		Required
	E1. Fiscal Management and General Financial Accountability	NO
	E2. Budgeting	NO
	E3. Financial Reports and Statements	NO
	E4. Risk Management	NO
	E5. Emergency Closings	NO
	E6. Safety and Security of School Facilities	NO
	E7. School Crisis Prevention & Response	NO
	E8. POLICY: Tobacco Prohibition Updated 11/26/07	YES
	E8. PROCEDURE: Tobacco Prohibition Updated 11/26/07	YES
	E9. AIDS or HIV	NO
	E10. Energy Management Added 6/2/09	NO
	E11. Electronic Communications Use & Retention Added 8/10/11	NO
F. Students		Required
	F1. POLICY: Student Conduct and Discipline Updated 11/26/07	YES
	F1. PROCEDURE: Student Conduct and Discipline Updated 11/26/07	YES
	F2. Bus Discipline	NO
	F3. Search and Seizure Updated 8/27/09	NO
	F4. Searches, Seizures and Interrogation of Students Updated 8/27/09	NO
	F5. Education Records Updated 11/26/07	YES
	F6. Student Medication Updated 6/30/08	NO
	F7. POLICY: Student Alcohol and Drugs Updated 11/26/07	YES
	F7. PROCEDURE: Student Alcohol and Drugs Updated 11/26/07	YES
	F8. Reporting Suspected Child Abuse or Neglect	NO
	F9. Transportation Updated 11/26/07	YES
	F10. Student Activities (Elementary)	NO
	F11. Student Clubs and Activities (Secondary) Updated 11/28/07	NO
	F12. Interscholastic Sports	NO
	F13. Admission of Resident Students	NO
	F14. Admission of Non-Resident Tuition Students	NO
	F15. Student Publications	NO
	F16. Tuition Payment	NO
	F17. Head Lice	NO
	F18. Eighteen Year-Old Students	NO
	F.19 Limited English Proficiency Students Updated 11/26/07	YES
	F20. Harassment of Students (links to Dept of Educ website)	YES
	F21. Firearms Updated 11/26/07	YES
	F22. Student Assessment	NO
	F23.Participation of Home Study Students Updated 11/26/07	YES
	F24. POLICY: Hazing Updated 11/26/07	YES
	F24. PROCEDURE: Hazing Updated 11/26/07	YES
	F25. Student Attendance Updated 11/26/07	YES
	F26. Restrictive Behavioral Intervention Updated 8/10/11	NO
	F27. Pupil Privacy Rights Updated 11/26/07	YES
	F28. WellnessUpdated 12/15/05 - Required Implementation Procedures	YES
	F29. Student Self-Expression and Student Distribution of Literature Updated 11/26/07	NO
G. Instruction		Required
	G1. Curriculum Development & Coordination Updated 11/26/07	YES
	G2. Copyrights	NO
	G3. Field Trips	NO
	G4. Selecting Library Materials	NO
	G5. Selection of Instructional Materials	NO
	G6. Complaints About Instructional Materials	NO
	G7. Educational Support System	YES
	G8. Local Action Plan12/7/05 Edits	NO
	G9. Grade Advancement Updated 11/26/07	YES
	G10. Special Education	NO
	G11. Acceptable use of Electronic Resources & The Internet Updated 8/10/11	YES
	G12. Title 1 Comparability NEW 11/26/07	NO
	G13. Animal Dissection NEW 6/30/08	YES
	G14. Class Size NEW 9/21/10	YES
H. School-Community Relations		Required
	H1. School Community Relations	NO
	H2. Parental Involvement	NO
	H3. POLICY Community Use of School Facilities Updated 11/26/07	NO
	H3. PROCEDURE: Community Use of School Facilities Updated 11/26/07	NO
	H3. APPLICATION: Community Use of School Facilities Updated 11/26/07	NO
	H3. WAIVER: Community Use of School Facilities Updated 11/26/07	NO
	H4. Distribution of Non-School Sponsored Literature in the School NEW 11/26/07	NO
	H5. Visits to School by Parents, Community Members, or Media: Interviewing, Filming, Videotaping or Recording	NO
	H6. Annual School Reports	NO
	H7. Title I, Part A Parental Involvement Policy	YES