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BG-R Policy Adoption Procedure

The following procedure shall be used to adopt, review, revise or delete School Board policies.

  1. The Policy Committee is charged with reviewing and recommending all new policies and policy changes to be considered by the Board.

    1. Individual Board members, standing committees, the Superintendent, or other interested parties should submit policy suggestions and concerns to the Policy Committee through the Board Chair and/or Policy Chair.

    2. The Policy Committee, together with the Superintendent, shall have the responsibility to review and research each suggestion in accordance with Board policies, prepare draft policies as appropriate, and make recommendations to the entire Board.

    3. At an appropriate stage in the process, and to the fullest extent practical, the Policy Committee shall seek input and discuss the proposal with any groups affected by the policy.

    4. A Board member may request that consideration of a policy be placed on the agenda for any Board meeting, if the Policy Committee, after having full opportunity to consider the member’s suggestion, fails to recommend action satisfactory to the member.
       

  2. Upon recommendation by the Policy Committee, the first reading of a new policy, a revised policy, or a policy proposed for deletion, shall be placed on the agenda of a regular Board meeting for a first reading. Board members shall receive the policy and recommendations in advance of the meeting date. Discussion may take place on the substance of the policy proposal during the first reading. Any changes to the policy agreed to shall be made prior to the second reading.
     

  3. At the next regular meeting (or a later meeting if agreed to by the Board), the policy shall be placed on the agenda for a second reading and action. Amendments may be introduced and acted upon. If the policy is not approved by majority vote, the process for that policy is ended. However, if appropriate, further consideration of the policy may be tabled to a specific date.
     

  4. Approved policies become effective immediately unless the motion to approve the policy includes a specific implementation date. Upon approval, new and revised policies shall be disseminated. Policies that have been deleted or changed shall be recalled. The Superintendent/designee shall ensure that all policies are kept up-to-date on the school department website.
     

  5. In the event that a non-substantive change is necessary to a policy (to correct a typo, policy code, legal reference, etc.), the policy does not need to go through the two reading process and board members will be informed at a regular meeting that the change has been made.

 


 

Legal Reference:
26 MRSA § 965.1,C 

Cross Reference:
BG - School Board Policy Process
CHD - Administration in the Absence of Policy

Adopted: February 26, 2007

Revised: December 16, 2013

Revised: January 7, 2019