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District 9-R Policies
and Regulations
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What's the difference between policy and
regulation?
Under the district's governance
system, the Board of Education adopts
policies that define
the expected outcomes
of the
district's work
and provide a framework within which the district operates.
Policies are divided into four categories:
-
Board
Culture: These
policies define how the board governs itself and the district.
-
Board
and Superintendent Relationship: These policies
define the board's relationship with and delegation
of authority to the
superintendent.
-
Superintendent
Expectations: These
policies define the limits of the superintendent's
decision-making authority to select resources, teachers,
and educational programs
that he or she believes best serve student-learning
needs. SEs give the superintendent wide latitude to make
decisions to meet the board's expectations.
- Results Policies: These
are the academic goals that the board expects students
to achieve.
Regulations are the procedures that
define how the district will fulfill the goals defined in board
policy. They also may clarify policy or state law.
Both regulation
and policy may include exhibits that
usually explain in detail how regulation and policy are fulfilled.
For example, board policy and state law require the district to
adopt a code of conduct for student behavior. The actual code
of conduct
appears as an exhibit attached to the appropriate board policy
and/or regulation.
Does the Board
of Education approve all policies and regulations?
The Board
of Education adopts district policies. The superintendent, in
collaboration with district administrators, principals, and
directors, develops
and approves all regulations. In other words, the board defines
the goals. The superintendent defines how, as outlined in
regulation, district employees will meet those goals.
What happens if
a situation arises that policy or regulation fails to address?
The superintendent
has the authority to act when no policy or regulation exists
to guide decision-making.
How does the board
change or adopt policies?
A citizen may
request a change in board policy during any public comment period
scheduled on the agenda during a regular board meeting. A board
member then may request that the board president place the
topic on the agenda for discussion during the next public
meeting. After discussion, the president typically assigns a
subcommittee of board members to write the new policy language.
The proposed
policy is then place on the board agenda for discussion when
the subcommittee has concluded its work. The board may then
elect to table the item for additional work and/or later consideration,
or it may direct the president to place the proposed policy
on the next board meeting agenda as an action item. Action items
are submitted for the board's approval. A simple majority vote
rules. The process gives the public an opportunity to comment on
the
proposal prior to final adoption.
How does the superintendent
adopt new regulations?
A proposal
to modify or adopt new regulation is submitted to the superintendent's
cabinet for review and modification. The proposed regulation
is then submitted to the Administrative Council for its review
and comment. (The Administrative Council includes all department
directors and school principals and assistant principals.)
In addition,
those who would be affected by changes to regulations, rules
or procedures are consulted, including, when applicable, staff,
students, parents/guardians, and the community.
After the Administrative
Council reviews the proposed regulation, it returns to cabinet
for final review and adoption. The new regulation is then posted
to the Web site.
What should I do
if I disagree with a district regulation?
See the complaint
procedure at right.
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Where can I find policies and regulations on
the district Web site?
All policies and regulations are published in a searchable database
on the Board of Education's Web site.
Here's a quick navigation guide:
-
Click HERE for the board's Web site
-
Click
on "Enter Public Site" button
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Click
on the "Policies" button on
the tool bar at the top of the screen for a listing
of all policies and regulations. They will appear
on the left side
of the screen. Click on the arrow next to each policy/regulation
type, and all the policies and regulations will appear as
a list
-
To search
for a specific policy, click on "Search" on
the tool bar at the top of the screen
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Type in your key
words. Be sure to select the "policies" button
to search the policies and regulations database
- Having trouble finding what you need? Call the Public Information
Office at 247-5411, ext. 1440, or e-mail us with your questions
How do I file a complaint if I don't agree with the decisions that
teachers, principals, directors, or administrators have made?
In its policy,
SE-2: Organizational Culture, the Durango
School District 9-R Board of Education directs the district
to provide for effective handling of complaints.
Parents who are dissatisfied are urged to file a complaint by
following these
procedures:
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Conference
with Staff Member: If you have a concern or complaint,
please discuss it first with the staff member involved to see
if the problem can be resolved at that level.
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Informal
Conference: If discussion with the staff member fails to resolve the concern
to your satisfaction and you consider the
matter serious enough to justify further discussion, an informal
conference
will be scheduled with you, the staff member involved, and the
building administrator. This conference should be requested
by you promptly
after the conference with the involved staff member and will
be scheduled within two weeks after your request.
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Written
Complaint: If the conference with the involved staff member and the building
administrator fails to resolve your
complaint, you will need to prepare, sign, and file a written
complaint with the
building administrator within two weeks after the completion
of the informal conference. Upon your request, the building
administrator will supply you with a complaint form for this
purpose.
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Formal
Complaint Conference: After the building administrator
has received the written complaint, a copy will be given
to the staff member involved and a formal conference will be
held between the building
administrator and the staff member. This conference will
be completed within two weeks after the receipt of the written
complaint.
- Administrative
Determination: Within two weeks following the formal complaint
conference, the building administrator
will determine
whether:
a.the complaint
is justified and documentation regarding the complaint
is to be included in the staff member's
personnel file
and/or evaluation report, or
b. the complaint is without justification
and documentation will not be
included in the staff member's personnel file
or evaluation report.
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Notice
of Administrative Determination: A written copy of the building
administrator's decision will be mailed
or delivered to you
and to the
staff member involved
by the building administrator.
- Appeal
to Superintendent: If you believe the decision reached by
the building
administrator is wrong, you may
appeal the decision to
the Durango
School
District 9-R Superintendent.
If I don't like
the superintendent's decision, can I appeal to the board?
Under
the district's governance system, the superintendent's decision
is final. However, if you believe that the superintendent violated
board policy in the process of making the decision, you may
submit an appeal to the board based on the superintendent's
alleged policy violations but not the decision itself. If the
superintendent made the decision within
the confines
of
board
policy, the superintendent's
decision stands. If the board finds that the superintendent
violated policy, the board may then direct the superintendent
to reconsider the decision within the confines of policy.
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