As a Policy Manual Online subscriber the district will be provided a link to the district’s policy manual online home page to distribute as desired. The district often add this link to the district's website.
The Policy Update newsletter is included in the online policy manual subscription. The district will continue to receive quarterly electronic notification and access to OSBA policies that have been recently updated or drafted as samples for the district in the Policy Update.
As a Policy Update subscriber you will receive a quarterly newsletter that includes access to electronic copies of any OSBA sample policies that have been updated or recently drafted. The sample policies are intended to provide a basis for drafting policy that meets local needs. The samples should always be considered as open to modification. Rarely does one policy statement reflect the needs and concerns of all. The newsletter and policy samples are not meant to replace the advice of legal counsel.
To make the best use of Policy Update, it is suggested that a discussion on the various issues be held. The sample policies should be used to determine areas for which policy should be developed or revised, to get ideas for what a policy should contain and as a starting point for editing, modifying and discussing the local board's policy position. The best policy is that which your local board develops for its particular circumstances. That’s why we recommend that you do not adopt every sample policy in Policy Update. Whatever you decide, it is critical for policies to be up to date, legal and reflect current practice.
Each policy is designated by OSBA policy staff as required, conditionally required, highly recommended or optional and are provided to assist your board in its policy-making process.
The best policy is that which your local board develops for its particular circumstances. That’s why we recommend that you do not adopt every sample policy in Policy Update. Whatever you decide, it is critical for policies to be up to date, legal and reflect current practice.
To gain access to Policy Update:
- Log onto www.osba.org
In bottom left hand corner of website enter in your log in (email address) then click Forgot Password (unless you have previously set your password). Go to your email and find a temporary password and enter this temporary password to gain access and log in - Once logged in you will have access to the subscriptions (and reset your password)
- Select ‘My Subscriptions’
- Select ‘Policy Update’ (or Charter Policy Update)
- Find the format you would like to download (i.e., WordPerfect, Word, etc.) and select. When the dialog box pops up Choose Run, and Choose Run again. Follow instructional dialog box that follows when download is complete to access the saved documents on your hard drive
- Remember to download and print a copy (go back to the "Policy Update" page) of the appropriate ‘Summary’ (i.e., district, ESD, CC, charter)
The board has the option to review the policies/administrative regulations provided in the Policy Update and choose to:
- Change current policies
- Adopt new policies; or
- Do nothing, depending on the designation of the policy (e.g., "required" policy, "highly recommended" policy, "optional" policy)
After board review and adoption of updated policies and/or administrative regulations, changes should be noted in redline and strikeout on policies the board wishes to modify, including the new adoption/review date, and sent to OSBA for processing to the online website. Changes can be sent electronically or as hard copy to OSBA; making certain any edits are clearly visible.
An OSBA Policy Specialist will review board-adopted policies and contact the sender if there are any concerns. OSBA will process and publish online changes as indicated within one week. In addition to an electronic copy, the subscriber is entitled to receive two hard copies of the final document for insertion into the board’s copy of the board policy manual.
This service is not limited to those policies or administrative regulations that may be included in the current Policy Update, but any policies and/or administrative regulations the board reviews/modifies or board adopts/readopts.
Also as part of the contracted online service the following tools are available for use:
- Policy Search enables the search of the board policy manual for policies containing key words. The policy search option is found on the district's online policy home page (see link provided).
- This feature will take 48 hours from now to become fully functional.
- Document retrieval enables anyone with access to the district online policies, the ability to download the published version of the district's policies and administrative regulations
ORS and OAR hyperlinks provide links to the ORS’ and OARs specific to each individual policy.