September 12, 2011 at 5:00 PM - Board of Education Regular Meeting

Rationale:  Notice of the meeting was given in advance by publishing in the Dakota County Star. All proceedings hereafter shown took place while convened meeting was open to the attendance of the public.

Rationale:  The Commission of Industrial Relations ruled on the 2010/11 negotiated agreement on August 2, 2011. The Commission also ordered on August 18, 2011 that both parties would be required to submit to mediation and that both parties shall provide their respective representatives in the mediation process with a scope of authority to approve an agreement which shall be binding on such party. The parties met at mediation on Thursday, September 8th and reached agreement on a two year contract (school year 2011/12 and 2012/13).

Rationale:  Student absences excused and Truancy, LB 463 – This requires districts working with their county attorney to include a provision in the excessive absenteeism policy to deal with documented illness days. Revised policy 503.04 is attached, along with slightly revised related policy 503.03.

Rationale:  Student absences excused and Truancy, LB 463 – This requires districts working with their county attorney to include a provision in the excessive absenteeism policy to deal with documented illness days. Revised policy 503.04 is attached, along with slightly revised related policy 503.03.

Rationale:  The Concussion Awareness Act was passed to handle growing concerns with athletic injuries.

Rationale:  We have prepared a revised special education policy to comply with the NDE’s new policy audit requirements. With adoption of this policy, school districts can rescind existing policies 6600 through 6615 and the regulations accompanying those policies.  This new policy is much shorter as a result of the NDE’s April 29, 2011 memo on the subject of special education policies. The memo says that schools are now given “greater flexibility in determining what they want to include in district policy versus what they wish to include in district procedures and practices.”  The new policy follows the sequence of the NDE’s “District Checklist of School District Special Education Policies, Procedures and Practices for Part B of the IDEA.” This should make it easy to complete and submit the NDE’s District Checklist each year.

Rationale:  Long-standing requirements detailing civics education in our schools were increased to encourage active participation and civil discourse.  Optional revised policy 604.11 is attached but not required since no attempt is made to detail the state requirements of all educational areas in policy.

Rationale:  In response to NDE auditors checking for components of a policy addressing Title I funds, we have revised Policy 3570 to add the following: Standards and Expectations. Students receiving services in Title I are held to the same standards and expectations as all other students. Assessments. Students receiving services in Title I are assessed with the regular population without accommodations.