August 8, 2011 at 5:00 PM - Regular Board Meeting

Rationale:  Notice of the meeting was given in advance by publishing in the Dakota County Star. All proceedings hereafter shown took place while convened meeting was open to the attendance of the public.

Rationale:  Per Tera: Recently had a baby and it would be beneficial for our family to go part time

Rationale:  Board policy 304.3 states the expectation that all handbooks be approved by the board and/or superintendent or designee before publication

Rationale:  In accordance with the Public Elementary and Secondary Student Fee Authorization Act, school districts are required by law or regulation to provide staff  facilities, equipment and materials necessary for such instruction, without charge or fee to students. The purpose of the hearing is to receive public input on the student fee policy.

Rationale:  A number of policies need to be updated based upon federal and state charges.

Rationale:  This added a new penalty under the conflict of interest laws governed by the Nebraska Accountability and Disclosure Commission when a case is contested but that individual fails to be represented at the hearing.  Revised policy 202.02 is attached.

Rationale:  Nondiscrimination-Notice of Nondiscrimination, Policies 4003 and S401, and Complaint Form. These documents have been revised in response to: (1) an August 2010 Notice of Nondiscrimination Guidance from the Office of Civil Rights (OCR) and (2) an April 4, 2011 "Dear Colleague" letter from the OCR related to Title IX. The Dear Colleague letter has been determined to be a "significant guidance document."  In May 2011, the OCR examined these revised documents for a Nebraska school district. The OCR approved these documents as being in conformance with the new legal requirement.

Rationale:  Nondiscrimination-Notice of Nondiscrimination, Policies 4003 and S401, and Complaint Form. These documents have been revised in response to: (1) an August 2010 Notice of Nondiscrimination Guidance from the Office of Civil Rights (OCR) and (2) an April 4, 2011 "Dear Colleague" letter from the OCR related to Title IX. The Dear Colleague letter has been determined to be a "significant guidance document."  In May 2011, the OCR examined these revised documents for a Nebraska school district. The OCR approved these documents as being in conformance with the new legal requirement.

Rationale: 

In accordance with time lines that are adopted by the State Board of Education each school district shall adopt measurable quality academic content standards in the subject areas of reading, writing, mathematics, science, and social studies.  The standards may be the same as, or may be equal to or exceed in rigor, the measurable academic content standards adopted by the state board and shall cover at least the same grade levels.

 

On October 6, 2010 the State Board adopted Science standards.  The policy has changed to address this requirement.

Rationale:  New regulations for the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) went into effect on March 15, 2011. The regulations require that public schools (and other governmental entities) "modify its policies, practices, or procedures to permit the use of a service animal by an individual with a disability." We have created Policy 1260 to meet this requirement.

Rationale:  Student absences excused and Truancy, LB 463 – This requires districts working with their county attorney to include a provision in the excessive absenteeism policy to deal with documented illness days. Revised policy 503.04 is attached, along with slightly revised related policy 503.03.

Rationale:  Student absences excused and Truancy, LB 463 – This requires districts working with their county attorney to include a provision in the excessive absenteeism policy to deal with documented illness days. Revised policy 503.04 is attached, along with slightly revised related policy 503.03.

Rationale:  The Concussion Awareness Act was passed to handle growing concerns with athletic injuries. 

Rationale:  We have prepared a revised special education policy to comply with the NDE’s new policy audit requirements. With adoption of this policy, school districts can rescind existing policies 6600 through 6615 and the regulations accompanying those policies.  This new policy is much shorter as a result of the NDE’s April 29, 2011 memo on the subject of special education policies. The memo says that schools are now given “greater flexibility in determining what they want to include in district policy versus what they wish to include in district procedures and practices.”  The new policy follows the sequence of the NDE’s “District Checklist of School District Special Education Policies, Procedures and Practices for Part B of the IDEA.” This should make it easy to complete and submit the NDE’s District Checklist each year.

Rationale:  Long-standing requirements detailing civics education in our schools were increased to encourage active participation and civil discourse.  Optional revised policy 604.11 is attached but not required since no attempt is made to detail the state requirements of all educational areas in policy.

Rationale: 

In response to NDE auditors checking for components of a policy addressing Title I funds, we have revised Policy 3570 to add the following: Standards and Expectations. Students receiving services in Title I are held to the same standards

and expectations as all other students. Assessments. Students receiving services in Title I are assessed with the regular population without accommodations.

Rationale:  To review and act upon the recently received findings and order of the Nebraska Commissions of Industrial Relations.

Rationale:  The Board may go into closed session to discuss personnel issues for the protection of public interest.