Setting board policies and reviewing administrative regulations are key board responsibilities. They are defined below along with a brief summary of why they are important.
What is policy?
Board policies are statements which set forth the purposes and prescribe in general terms the organization and program of a school system. They create a framework within which the college president or superintendent and his/her staff can discharge their assigned duties with positive direction. They tell what is wanted.
Policy is:
A guideline adopted by the board to chart a course of action
What is wanted or not wanted
May also include "why" and "how much"
Broad enough to allow administrative discretion/specific enough to give clear guidance
Policy is not:
Detailed direction
Restatements or paraphrases of state or federal law
Forms, job descriptions, etc.
Why is policy important?
Board policies do the following:
Provides consistency, stability and continuity
Conserves time and effort, freeing the board from routine action
Provides direction for the college president, superintendent, staff and students
Informs the public
Establishes a legal record as well as a legal basis for Board actions
Aids orientation of new board members and staff
Provides a sound basis for appraisal and accountability
Meets minimum requirements as prescribed by state and federal law
What is an administrative regulation?
Administrative regulations are detailed directions developed by the college president or superintendent to put policy into practice. They tell how, by whom, where and when things are to be done.
An administrative regulation:
Provides the details for carrying out policy and enforcing it
Sets forth specific requirements
May list do's and don'ts
May include step by step procedures
May assign specific responsibility
What is NOT an AR::
Job description
Handbooks
Plans
Contracts/Inter-agency agreements
Why is an administrative regulation important?
An administrative regulation:
Assigns detail needed to implement policy to staff, allowing the Board to focus on broad issues
Provides college president or superintendent the flexibility to make timely changes to effectively implement policy
Provides detailed requirements, procedures and prohibitions under which the district will be operated
May satisfy a state or federal requirement or serve as a compliance indicator
