9311 - Formulation, Adoption, Amendment of Policies
Policy 9311
Bylaws of the Board
Formulation, Adoption, Amendment of Policies, Bylaws and Administrative Regulations
Methods of Operation
The Newtown Board of Education shall concern itself only with broad questions of policy and not with administrative details. The Board shall rely upon the Superintendent of Schools to recommend policies for adoption and to administer policies enacted by the Board. Such policies shall be broad enough to indicate a line of action to be taken by the Superintendent in meeting a number of problems and jobs. Application of such policies to individual problems and jobs is an administrative function to be performed by the Superintendent.
Formulation, Adoption, Amendment of Policies
The development of sound educational policies is one of the primary duties of the Board of Education. Policies serve to promote democratic and responsive school governance and constitute a major method by which the Board exercises its leadership. Policies are guides for discretionary administrative action by the Superintendent of Schools and his/her staff. Policy development and revision should follow these principles:
- Policies and regulations shall be given high priorities by the Board and by the Superintendent of Schools;
- Many people at different levels shall be given opportunities to participate in development and review of policies and regulations;
- Procedures for development and revision of policies and regulations shall be clear and well understood; participants shall know their roles and authority; lines of communication shall be observed;
- Use of policies and regulations as guides to action shall be stressed at all organizational levels, and policy or regulatory violations shall not be overlooked or condoned;
- Policy and regulatory effectiveness shall be monitored regularly by the Board of Education, the Superintendent of Schools, and by other staff members;
- Board members and administrators shall guard against intrinsic problems of policies and regulations. (rigidity and inflexibility, bureaucratic or insensitive administration of policy, etc.)
- Any policy statement, rule, regulation, or guideline that may conflict with prevailing statute is automatically void.
The Superintendent is encouraged to submit written recommendations for new policies and for revision of existing policies as necessary for the effective operation of the public schools.
Approved policies shall be in writing and coded according to the policy codification system approved by the Board, and made part of the official policy manual maintained by the Superintendent. Policy manuals and copies of new and changed policies shall be distributed to all members of the Board of Education and school administrators, and shall be made available to the staff, students, and general public.
Policy proposals and suggested amendments to, deletions of, or revisions of existing policies shall normally be submitted to all members of the Board of Education by the Superintendent or Board members in writing prior to a regularly scheduled Board of Education meeting in which such proposed policies, amendments or revisions thereof shall be read and discussed.
Policies will be adopted or amended after consideration at two regular meetings of the Board of Education by majority vote of all members present. The agenda and minutes shall be marked to indicate policy matters.
Only those written statements so adopted and so recorded shall be regarded as official policy. Unless otherwise provided by resolution or motion, every policy shall take effect immediately upon its adoption.
Under adoption of a policy change, the underlying regulation, as well as school policies, will subsequently be revised. The Superintendent will report to the board any necessary changes to regulations or school policies.
Formulation, Adoption, Amendment of Bylaws
The Board of Education shall formulate such written rules as it considers necessary. The formal adoption of such rules shall be recorded in the minutes and only such written, adopted, and recorded statements shall be regarded as official rules for the governing of the Board of Education.
Bylaws
Except where otherwise provided by law or regulation of the Commissioner of Education, these bylaws shall cover questions of order, organization, and conduct of business of the Board of Education. Questions not covered by these bylaws shall be governed by Robert’s Rules of Order.
The Board of Education acknowledges that partisan principle, group interest, or personal ambition shall not prevail when this action may result in subordinating the Board’s educational responsibilities.
Amendments to Bylaws
These bylaws may be amended at any meeting of the Board, provided notice of the introduction of the resolution amending the bylaws and the text thereof has been circulated to each member at least five days before the meeting at which it is to be introduced and the proposed amendment, after being introduced, receives an affirmative vote of the majority of the full membership of the Board.
Formulation, Adoption, Amendment of Administrative Regulations
The Board of Education does not adopt administrative regulations unless specifically required to do so by law, or unless requested to do so by the Superintendent. Adoption and amendment of such Board of Education adopted regulations shall be by the same procedure as that specified for policies in 9311.
The Superintendent is responsible for the formulation, issuance, amendment and deletion of administrative regulations to implement the policies of the Board. The Superintendent shall determine the need to bring to the attention of the Board any new, revised or deleted administrative regulations.
The Board of Education reserves the right to review and direct revisions of administrative regulations should they, in the Board of Education's judgment, be inconsistent with the policies adopted by the Board of Education. In this case, if the Board directs the Superintendent to issue, amend or delete administrative regulations, it shall do so upon majority vote of all members in attendance at a meeting provided that prior notification of such proposed revision has been described in writing in the call of the meeting, or upon majority vote of all members of the Board when no such written notice has been given.
Suspension of Policies, Bylaws and Regulations
Policies, bylaws and Board of Education adopted regulations shall be subject to suspension for a specified purpose and limited time by majority vote of all members of the Board of Education at a meeting in the call for which the proposed suspension has been described in writing, or upon a two thirds vote of all members of the Board of Education when no such written notice has been given.
Reference: Robert's Rules of Order, Newly Revised
Adopted: 6/5/12
Revised: 11/19/19