“Education is about children and as long as our efforts are aligned toward children we are on the right path.”
Deborah L. Hendrix President, Board of Education
District Policy AB
| Board Policy Index Section A Index: Foundations & Basic Commitments |
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DISTRICT POLICY AB The People and Their School District Date of revision: February 17, 2000 |
The People and Their School District
A board of education is the legal entity for conducting a system of public education within the geographic area of a school district. The system was created by and is governed by state statutes. Members of a board are, therefore, public servants chosen by citizens of a district to represent them and the state in the legislative management of public schools.
A board of education has the dual responsibility for implementing statutory requirements pertaining to public education and local citizens' desires for educating the community's youth. While the board has an obligation to determine and assess citizens' desires, it is understood that when citizens elect delegates to represent them in the conduct of public education they at the same time endow their representatives with the authority to exercise their best judgment in determining policies, making decisions and approving procedures for carrying out the responsibility.
The Board therefore reaffirms and declares its intent to:
1. Maintain two-way communications with the citizens of the district. The public shall be kept informed of the progress and problems of the school district, and the citizens shall be urged to bring their aspirations and feelings about their public schools to the attention of this body which they have chosen to represent them in the management of public education.
2. Establish policies and make decisions on the basis of declared educational philosophy and goals. All decisions made by this Board shall be made with primacy given to the purposes set forth, most crucial of which is the optimal learning of the students enrolled in our schools.
3. Act as a truly representative body for citizens of the district in matters involving public education. The Board recognizes that the responsibility for public education rests with the state but individual boards of education have been assigned specific authority through statute. The Board shall relinquish none of this authority since it believes that decisionmaking control over the students' learning should be in the hands of local citizens as much as possible.
LEGAL REFS.: C.R.S. 24-10-103 (4)