Special Policy Update

• Facilities Development and Planning
• Parent and Family Engagement

To access the sample policies distributed with this Special Policy Update, click here.

Facilities Development and Planning

Repeal of FA, Facilities Development Goals/Priority Objectives

There are several important questions to ask when considering policy options, not the least of which is, “What work is this policy doing?” In reviewing our sample policies, we determined that CASB sample policy FA, Facilities Development Goals/Priority Objectives, was no longer effectively serving its purpose as a standalone statement of purpose.

Accordingly, we have merged the language of sample policy FA with sample policy FB, Facilities Planning, and have repealed and removed sample policy FA from the Core policy manual. Sample policy FB-R was simultaneously reviewed and updated with technical changes. The BOCES policy manual does not contain sample policy FA.

Parent and Family Engagement

Colorado statute (C.R.S. 22-32-142) requires districts to have a policy on increasing and supporting parent engagement in schools. The district must work with the parent members of the District Accountability Committee (DAC) in creating, adopting, and implementing this policy. Sample policy KB, Parent and Family Engagement in Education, has been updated to reflect more inclusive language regarding families and the language has been amended to align with information provided by the Colorado State Advisory Council for Parent Involvement in Education (SACPIE) and the Colorado Department of Education (CDE). The board should work with the DAC to review the recommendations and revise the policy as appropriate to reflect the local district’s needs and circumstances. 

What to do with an SPU?

Whether you are a seasoned policy veteran or new to policy work, below are some tips for reviewing the information contained in the CASB SPU. CASB sample policies cannot simply be adopted “as is,” so please consider the following as you plan to update your district’s local policies:

• Review the new or updated sample policies;
• Make decisions on optional language included in the sample policies;
• Add district-specific information;
• Consider local needs and circumstances;
• Engage in board and community conversations;
• Remove CASB note boxes after the board has considered the information contained in the note box;
• Remove the CASB copyright information;
• Consult with legal counsel;
• Present the policies to the board for review and adoption; and
• Call the CASB policy team with any questions! 

Minor Changes in CASB’s “Redlined” Policy Updates

In this quarter’s SPU, you will see that CASB is no longer redlining the note boxes in the sample policies. As the note boxes are intended to provide boards with information to consider when reviewing the sample policies, we will only be including the most current information in those note boxes to ensure clarity and alignment with the sample policies.