The U.S. Department of Education and Kentucky Department of Education recently issued guidance on protecting students from sexual abuse. KSBA Policy Staff provided the following language to be included in district hiring policies in the 2017 Annual Update as required by ESSA:

Other than the routine transmission of administrative and personnel files, District employees are prohibited from assisting a school employee, contractor, or agent in obtaining a new job if the individual knows, or has probable cause to believe, that such school employee, contractor, or agent engaged in sexual misconduct regarding a minor or student in violation of the law and such school employee, contractor, or agent does not meet the exceptions outlined in 20 U.S.C. § 7926.

Policy References 03.11/03.21

By law, one of the school board’s key responsibilities is to adopt and maintain policies to guide governance of the school district. KRS 160.340 (4) states, “It is intended that these policies shall cover matters within the authority and discretion of the district board of education and not matters otherwise required by law or regulation. Such policies... shall be kept up to date by filing annual amendments thereto each August 15...”

Annual updates come with a checklist that must be completed and returned to the district’s assigned KSBA policy consultant. The checklist includes all update drafts sent, listed by code, and spaces for the district to list other policies/procedures the board chooses to address. Next to each code are blanks and checkboxes to be used to provide approval/review information. A designated staff member will need to put the date the policy was adopted/procedure was reviewed on one blank and the order number for policy adoption, and mark the appropriate action checkbox using the guide below:

Adopt/Accept as Written—Mark this box if NO changes were made to the draft sent in the update.

Adopt with Modifications—Mark this box if ANY changes were made to the draft sent in the update.

Keep Current—Mark this box if you do not want ANY changes to the policy or procedure you currently have in place.

Rescind—Mark this box if the policy or procedure area is to be removed from your manual.

NOTE: Administrative procedures are the responsibility of the superintendent. Therefore, the board should review (not adopt) procedures in one reading, with an opportunity to make comments.

When a draft is adopted with modifications, be sure to indicate the changes on a copy of the document by highlighting or marking the change by hand and return the revised draft with your checklist. Please do not retype the draft with changes, but merely note the changes by hand or in edit mode. Finally, the superintendent and board chair must sign and date the policy checklist before it is returned to KSBA.

Each site administrator shall notify employees and/or students under his/her supervision, either orally or in writing, when the Board makes a policy change that applies to them. In addition, the Superintendent shall designate an employee or committee to review related documents such as, but not limited to, the student code of conduct and employee/student handbooks to assure consistency with new or revised Board policies.

Procedure Reference 01.5 AP.1

If your district reimburses for mileage at the state rate, be advised that the rate per mile effective July 1 through September 30, 2018, is 43 cents per mile. This information can be reviewed quarterly via this link:

http://finance.ky.gov/services/statewideacct/Pages/travel.aspx

Policy References 03.125/03.225

Planning is underway for KSBA's 2018 Fall Regional Meetings. Save the date so you can attend the meeting in your region or another nearby region. This year's dinner program is entitled “Show Me the Money,” and will gain KSBA members both finance and charter authorizer credits. Regional meeting sites will also provide one-hour bonus session opportunities prior to the start of the dinner program on a variety of topics. More details will be available in the coming weeks.

Policy staff members are also exploring possible KOSAA meetings to be held in conjunction with KSBA fall regional meetings.

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