Degree Name

Education Specialist (EdS)

Semester of Degree Completion

1980

Thesis Director

Donald W. Smitley

Abstract

The purpose of this field experience was to develop a comprehensive and viable school board policy manual for the Cerro Gordo CUSD #100 Board of Education.

On August 12, 1976, the superintendent, being new to the school district, recommended to the board that it develop policies to guide the day-to-day operation of the schools. This task was assigned to the superintendent. Much time and effort were devoted to this project leading to the final approval of the school board policy in the late spring of 1980.

The author of this school board policy manual used the existing policy manual of the Dwight schools for the format. This format breaks the policy manual into eleven parts or sections for easy identification and classification of materials. In all, the school board policy manuals of eight different Illinois schools were compiled and used for the development of the Cerro Gordo CUSD #100 Board of Education policy manual. Existing local policies derived from an antiquated local policy manual last revised in 1963, and the local school board official minutes since January 1, 1970, were incorporated into the "new" policy manual when possible.

Research, writing of the rough draft, and the determination of policy entries into the "new" school board policy manual were discussed at some length for an understanding of the developmental process. Policies are unique to each school district for which they serve. Consequently, a policy covering a particular area in most cases needed to be rewritten for local use.

The writing of a school board policy manual is a monumental undertaking. The author recommends that anyone assigned this task should solicit the aid of others in every area possible. To administer a school district and at the same time develop a school board policy manual is so demanding that a fair allocation of time for both is very difficult.

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