One of the major functions of the board of education is to determine policies of operation for the Okemos schools. Many phases of school operation are automatically covered by the General School Laws of the State of Michigan. All of the mandatory laws governing school operation obviously control school policy. Permissive legislation has given boards of education authority to establish policy at the local level.

Effective policy making depends upon a full knowledge of past actions, an awareness of trends and decisions in the local community and elsewhere and an informed judgment of the full range of the consequences of the fundamental principle under consideration.

In formulating policies, the board, acting through its executive officer, the superintendent of schools, solicits the assistance of staff and citizens who are directly concerned. Proposals or amendments of board policy are adopted only after a thorough review. They are first introduced in writing (called “first reading”) during a school board meeting. The board does not act on policies which have not been formally introduced at a previous meeting. In order to allow full opportunity for exploring their implications, a minimum thirty-day waiting period from the date of first reading is required before the board will act on policies.

The enclosed policies represent cooperative study by the board, administration, and appropriate school personnel. The board assumes sole responsibility and authority for the enclosed policies. These policies stand as written until proposals or amendments are approved by the board.

All of these policies have been developed in terms of the purposes of the Okemos schools. It has been the aim in policy development to continue the improvement of the program of instruction toward better meeting the educational needs of the school district. It is hoped that these policies will serve as a guide to all the personnel of the Okemos Public Schools.

The board delegates the development of regulations for implementing its general policies to the superintendent and her/his staff. The board examines all such regulations to assure that they comply with the principles as developed.

BOARD OF EDUCATION
OKEMOS PUBLIC SCHOOLS
INGHAM COUNTY
OKEMOS, MICHIGAN

A policy is . . .

a statement of fundamental principles upon which all rules and procedures of the school district are based. Policies describe, in general terms, the educational objectives or philosophies that the board hopes to achieve. Policies are an attempt to communicate to all interested parties a framework of basic beliefs with such force and clarity that the superintendent and staff may apply them to specific situations with reasonable confidence that they are reflecting the collective will of the board.

A regulation is . . .

a statement indicating a course of action consistent with the specific policy to which it relates and defines the particular manner in which the policy will be carried out.