Policy Development Materials
Policymaking is one of the school board’s most important functions. Through policy, the board sets the educational goals for the district and provides directives for administrators and other staff to follow while working toward achieving the goals.
Every time the board makes a decision, it creates, reinforces, revises or negates a policy. If a district has no written policies or if the policies are not up to date, the board’s direction for district operations will be inconsistent and potentially inequitable.
Policymaking is a continuous process whereby existing policies are reviewed regularly to see if they are effective and up to date and new policies are developed as they are needed. The following information is included to provide guidance for policy development and to answer commonly asked general policy development-related questions.
- Board Leadership for Student Success: Focusing on Policymaking
- Why Have Written Policies
- Board Policy vs Administrative Rules
- Policy Development Considerations
- Monitoring/Overseeing Policies
- What to Include in a Policy Manual
- Policy Manual Checklist (UPDATED 7/15/24)
- Policy Manual Organization, Style and Format
- WASB Policy Manual Coding System (UPDATED 9/20/22)
Area Specific Checklists