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 Criminal Records Checks	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	YES
D7. Volunteers and Work Study Students Updated 11/26/07	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	YES
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 3/04/08	NO
F4. Searches, Seizures and Interrogation of Students Updated 11/26/07	NO
F5. Education Records Updated 11/26/07	YES
F6. Student Medication	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	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	NO
G12. Title 1 Comparability NEW 11/26/07	NO
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