BFA Board Policy Development

Adopted: November 12, 2002

Background

Policy making should make evident the reasons for policy development, the roles involved for each person or group, the processes and procedures to be carried out, legislation or regulation that should be followed, and involvement by those most affected by the policy.  Implicit in policy formation is the need for policy review and update to account for changing conditions.  A policy statement becomes a set of guidelines to direct a course of action.

Policy

The chief function of the Board of Trustees is to establish policy and to ensure that decisions are made in a thorough and consistent approach by staff who carry out Board policy through defined and formulated guidelines and procedures including mandated legislature and regulation.

Guidelines

1.   Policy shall be defined as the legal and/or philosophical position with respect to an identified issue.

2.   Each developed policy will have the format of background, policy statement and guidelines and procedures.  Procedures may be provided in a separate manual.

a.   Guidelines shall be defined as the mandatory requirements of a policy.

b.   Procedures shall be defined as the administrative acts through which policy and regulations are implemented.

3.   Responsibility and authority to approve District policy and regulations shall rest entirely with the Board.

a.   Policy approval shall require three readings.

b.   Unless otherwise directed by the Board, policies shall come into effect at the date of approval.

c.   The Superintendent shall be responsible for the maintenance and communi­cation of District policy and regulations.

4.   School policies shall be consistent with District policy and regulations.

a.   Responsibility and authority to develop and communicate school policy; regulations and procedures shall rest with the principal.

5.   Policies, regulations and procedures shall be subject to regular review.

Procedures

1.   Policy issues may arise from the Board or from District stakeholders.  When they arise from recognized stakeholders in the District, the first line of approach will be for the stakeholder or individual to forward a written policy suggestion through the Office of the Superintendent of Schools and / or Associate Superintendent- Business and Finance, who will take policy suggestions to the Board. 

2.   Policies will be identified for Board consideration:

a.   Policies to be developed will be approved by the Board.

b.   The Board will approve amendments to existing policies or refer the proposed amendments to the policy development process.

3.   First Draft

a.   Policy has been approved for further development.

b.   Superintendent of Schools (or designate) prepares a first draft to be presented at Policy Advisory Committee.

c.   Policy Advisory Committee makes recommendations to Superintendent of Schools regarding policy.  This might take more than one meeting.

d.   Superintendent of Schools (or designate) prepares an Interim Draft of the policy.

4.   Interim Draft

a.   The interim draft is presented to the Board for first reading.

b.   The interim draft is forwarded to stakeholders for review and input:

i.   Administrators Association for sharing with School Staffs and School Advisory Councils

ii.   Networks Committee Æ School Advisory Councils

iii.   Board Committee Chairs Æ Committees

iv.   District e-mail for other input

c.   Superintendent (or designate) will prepare a final draft.

5.   Final Draft

The final draft of the proposed or amended policy will be presented to the Board for second and third reading.

By giving final approval to all Board policies, all decisions will be in a consistent manner.  Policies serve as a guide for discretionary actions for those to whom the Board delegates authority. 

Policy Approval Process Checklist

References

Legal Reference:	Alberta School Act: Sections, 44
Cross Reference:	BCE Board Committees, BF Policy Advisory Committee