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Policy Development
Ridgway School District operates according to policies established by the Board of Education. The Board, which represents the local community, develops policies after careful deliberation, and the school administration implements them through specific regulations/procedures. The Board then appraises the effects of its policies and makes revisions as necessary.
Policy development in a modern, forward-looking school system is a dynamic ongoing process. New problems and issues give rise to the continuing need to develop new policies or to revise existing ones.
Changes in needs, conditions, purposes, and objectives will require revisions, deletions, and additions to the Board’s policies. The district welcomes suggestions for ongoing policy development.
Proposals regarding Board policies may originate with the Board, superintendent, staff members, parents, students, consultants, civic groups or any resident of the district. A careful and orderly process shall be used in examining such proposals.
About policies and regulations
Policies are principles adopted by the Board to chart a course of action. They tell what is wanted and may include why and how much. They are broad enough to indicate a line of action to be taken but narrow enough to give clear guidance.
Regulations are detailed directions regarding how a policy will be put into practice. They tell how, by whom, where and when things are to be done.
As long as the administration operates within the guidelines of general policy adopted by the Board, it may change regulations without prior Board approval unless Board action is required by law or unless the Board has specifically asked that a particular regulation is given Board approval. The Board, of course, should be kept informed of regulations issued by the administration.
Notes regarding policy format
Dates. Where possible, the original date of adoption/approval/issuance appears immediately following each policy/regulation. In other instances, an approximate date or revision date is used.
Legal references. Legal references are given so that the policy user may locate pertinent state or federal law related to a policy. Unless otherwise noted, all references direct the reader to the Colorado Revised Statutes, as revised through the last session of the legislature. Most of the statutes are included in Colorado School Laws published by the Colorado Department of Education. Other laws and/or court decisions also may be applicable to a particular policy.
Cross references. Certain policies/regulations relate to others. Cross-references are provided to help the policy user find all of the related information.
Is policy work complete?
No. The need to place additional policies in writing, adopt new ones and revise old ones is ongoing. No matter how well conceived and well developed, a policy manual can never be completely up to date.