August 12, 2019 at 5:30 PM - Policy Committee Meeting

Rationale:  TSBA has updated this policy to be more specific about the Board's functions. Previously, it included general areas of responsibility. The updated version, however, lists specific legal responsibilities in each of these areas.

Rationale:  This new policy that focuses on the legal duties that are outlined in state law. It also includes a reference to the Boardsmanship Code of Conduct.

Rationale:  This new policy is a guide for Board Members. Unlike the Code of Ethics which is primarily aimed at preventing financial misconduct, this policy includes additional best practices.

Rationale:  State law has been updated to clarify that board minutes are not required to be mailed. Now, the law uses the term "provide" as opposed to "mail" which more clearly allows for emailing board minutes.

Rationale:  Public Chapter 144 states that adult staff are allowed to use vapor products on school campus but not within one hundred feet of any entrance to the building.

Rationale:  TSBA has received questions about including a definition of "unauthorized drugs" in this policy. TCA 49-5-1003 states that providing these types of drugs to students violates the Teacher Code of Ethics. State law, however, does not define the term "unauthorized drugs". TSBA created a definition to assist in implementing this policy and updated the title for clarity.
 

Rationale:  Public Chapter 219 makes significant changes to state law on charter schools. The relevant changes for board policies include altering the charter application deadline from April 1st to February 1st.

Rationale:  This is a new policy. Public Chapter 413 raises the threshold for items that may be declared as surplus property. Previously, items had to be less than $250 in value. The new law raises this threshold to $500. This new law also removes the requirement that this property be sold within 90 days of being declared surplus property.

Rationale:  Per Public Chapter 134, boards may allow district employees to raise funds for noneducational purposes, provided that there is a policy in place for allowing for it. TSBA has updated model policy 2.601 to include this optional language.

Rationale:  State law previously only required high schools to maintain AEDs. Public Chapter 391 expands this requirement to all schools.

Rationale:  State law previously only required students to take a civics exam before graduating high school. Now, Public Chapter 442 requires that students pass this exam in order to graduate.

Rationale:  Public Chapter 108 requires LEAs to make interest inventories available to students in either middle school or ninth grade. It also requires LEAs to administer a career aptitude assessment to students in grades seven or eight.

Rationale:  Public Chapter 248 is an extensive cleanup bill. This new law impacts model policies 5.200 and 5.201 by changing where reports of teacher breach of contract must be reported These reports were previously sent to the Commissioner of Education, but they are now required to be submitted to the State Board of Education.

Rationale:  Public Chapter 248 also impacts model polic 5.305 by clarifying the way that leave may be used. It is now clear that employees may use sick or annual leave for paternity as well as maternity leave.

Rationale:  TSBA made a minor change to model policy 5.605 Staff Gifts and Solicitations to align with revisions of Public Chapter 134.

Rationale:  Previously, state law allowed students to attend a released time course once per week. Under Public Chapter 272, students are now permitted to attend these courses once per day. The new law also includes provisions regarding how credit for these courses may be awarded.

Rationale:  Public Chapter 256 only applies to LEAs that maintain cameras on their school buses. It requires those boards to adopt a policy that establishes a process to allow parents to view photographs or video footage collected from cameras on school buses. The new law also requires the policy to contain provisions on who will supervise the parents while they view the surveillance footage and how long the photographs or video footage will be maintained by the LEA.

Rationale:  This is a new policy. TSBA created this new model policy to house various provisions that apply to students from military families. This policy is based on Public Chapter 138. This new law requires boards to allow students that do not currently reside in the school district to enroll there provided: (1) the student is the dependent child of a service member who is being relocated on military orders and will be a resident of the school district; and (2) the service member provides documentation of these military orders. It also requires each board to establish, via policy, the amount of time within which these students must provide proof of residency.