A key responsibility of a school board is to hold the school in trust so that the school is in good standing for future generations of students. A strong policy manual is one tool used to help achieve this by delineating the roles and responsibilities of both the board and the Head of School. An effective board knows this is also a vital document in order to support the Head of School. However, without a sound board policy manual, neither of these functions can occur efficiently or effectively. Outlined in this article is the importance of having a sound, useful policy manual, and what should (and should not) be included in your school board policy.
Why is a school board policy manual useful?
The primary role of the policy manual is to provide guidance to the school board by outlining their roles and responsibilities. A strong policy manual helps provide consistency and stability, especially given the transient nature of international schools and the corresponding turnover on school boards. The policy manual is owned by the school board, and all changes must be done in concert with board approval. It is important that the policy manual is a manageable length and clearly falls within the scope of the board’s domain. If a school has a 125+ page policy manual, the board is likely overwhelmed with operational components and regulatory guidelines and will lose clarity on what their appropriate role is.
Another role that the policy manual plays is providing the guidelines for what the school’s operational roles are, and what decisions are specifically delegated to the Head of School. This is imperative as it supports the Head of School with tough decision-making. For example, is it clear what authority the Head of School has over how to handle a parent who is harassing or vexatious to its administrators, or can a Head of School provide tuition discounts outside of what is approved in the policy? If not, this is something that a school might consider putting in a board policy manual to empower the Head of School, but also to create guidelines for what situations require school board approval.
Another example of why a solid school board policy manual may be useful is helping to set clear admissions guidelines. In order to avoid challenging individual situations and provide a fully transparent enrollment process, it is important that that the school board policy manual outlines the parameters and capacity limits regarding students with different learning needs, including gifted students. While the board’s role is not to be involved in operational decisions such as admissions, it is essential that the school board supports its only employee, the Head of School, by having clear policies.
Third, the policy manual should be reviewed on a systematic schedule to ensure relevancy and accuracy. Breaking the manual down into three or four parts, with one part being reviewed each year by the appropriate committee, and then by the board at large, is ideal. During this review, make sure what is written in the policy manual actually reflects current policy or the board’s expectations. A board may review a policy “off-cycle” if there is a legal or regulation change, or the board realizes there is ambiguity or gaps in the policy. Policies generally cannot be applied retroactively.
What are the basic components of a school board policy manual?
As the school board thinks about its policy manual, it is important to be clear about what type of content should be included. There are many categories that can be considered as well as a variety of formats and section headings. However, outlined below are the key chapters to consider:
What should NOT be included in the school board policy manual?
Along with what should be included, it is important to also be clear about what should not be included in a board policy document. First, regulations and laws should not be included in the board policy manual. It is acceptable to reference regulations and laws; however, given that the owner of the document is the board, this group does not have the authority nor responsibility to change regulations and laws.
To further illuminate this point, the policy manual may have a section on school records. The document may reference the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation 2016, but the document need not list all the applicable components of this regulation. Also, overlapping content in other operating manuals such as a divisional handbook or the human resource policy manual should not happen in the board policy manual. When this happens, it creates an ambiguity in roles. It also creates a significant amount of work for the board to ensure every section, including every law, is up to date every year and every cascading handbook mirrors the changes in the board policy. Keep the board policy on point and high level.
In conclusion, if you or your board are considering updating your manual, establish a manageable review schedule and make sure the board policy clearly delineates roles and responsibilities at the appropriate level.
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Ann Marie Awori brings a wealth of experience to the table with more than seven years of dedicated service as an international school board member. Her tenure includes five years as the Chair of the Board of Directors, during which she also assumed the roles of Secretary and Governance Chair.
Erin Gerba brings an impressive two-decade-long track record of distinguished business leadership to her role at Board to Board, further bolstered by a decade of steadfast leadership to the international school community. Her professional journey is a testament to her commitment to excellence.
Board To Board Consultants website: www.boardtoboard.org
