How is the manual organized?

The manual is organized according to the classification system developed by the Educational Policies Service (EPS) of the National School Boards Association. The system is copyrighted by the National School Boards Association (NSBA) and its use as the coding system in local districts without permission of NSBA is limited to Direct Affiliates, subscribers to the Educational Policies Service and Oregon school districts under contract for policy development with the Oregon School Boards Association. (Copyright)

Policy manuals are organized according to the following sections:

• A/B – Board Governance
• C – Administration
• D – Fiscal Management
• E – Support Services
• F – Facilities
• G – Personnel
• H – Negotiations*
• I – Instruction
• J – Students
• K/L – Community Relations

* Since collective bargaining in Oregon is governed by statute there are normally no policies in Section H.

Not all boards have policies in each section. If one of the above sections is not shown in the list to the left or in the navigation menu (at the top of each page) then that board does not have policies in that section.

Coding within each section follows an alphabetical sequence which is read from left to right, like a library card catalogue, with subheadings for major policy areas within each section. Studying the Table of

Contents for each section would help to familiarize users with the coding system and the organization of each section.

All policies have been referenced with the appropriate Oregon Revised Statutes and Oregon Administrative Rules, federal rules and regulations and case law.

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?

• 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

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
• Informs staff, students and public

How to Tell the Difference Between a Policy and an Administrative Regulation?

Each policy/AR in the manual is designated with a code (located in the upper-right corner of the first page of the document or in the “code” column on each table of contents). An administrative regulation is coded with an “-AR” at the end of the policy “code.”

For example:

Code: ACA is a policy

Code: ACA-AR is an Administrative Regulation

How to Find a Policy/AR in this Manual?

You need to browse the Table of Contents.

Consider where the statement may be filed among the policy sections . Click on one of the policy sections in the list at the left and you will be taken to the Table of Contents page for that section. All policies within that section will be listed on the Table of Contents. Once you have determined which policy you want to see click on the desired policy title to view that policy. Remember, all policies in this manual are provided in Adobe PDF format and you must have the free Adobe Acrobat® Reader installed. 

When I Click on a Policy Nothing Happens or I Get an Error

All policy documents on this Web site are provided in Adobe’s® Portable Document Format (PDF). To display or print these documents, you must have the free Adobe Acrobat® Reader installed on your computer.  If Acrobat is working properly a document will load via Acrobat Reader in your browser. If nothing happens you’ll need to install (or re-install) Acrobat Reader.

About Adobe Acrobat

All policy documents on this Web site are provided in Adobe’s® Portable Document Format (PDF). To display or print these documents, you must have the free Adobe Acrobat® Reader installed on your computer. The Acrobat® Reader allows you to view, navigate, and print PDF documents.

PDF is an acronym for “Portable Document Format.” PDF is a file format created by Adobe that lets you view and print a file exactly as the author designed it, without needing to have the same application or fonts used to create the file. Since its introduction in 1993, PDF has become an Internet standard for electronic distribution that faithfully preserves the look and feel of the original document, complete with fonts, colors, images, and layout.