Policies and Regulations

School Board of the City of Virginia Beach
Bylaw 1-32

A. Approval for Content/Sufficiency

When policies are submitted to the School Board for consideration they shall first have been reviewed by a member of the School Administration designated by the Superintendent familiar with or responsible for the aspect of school operations affected by the policy.  In the event the policy is recommended by School Administration, the administrator reviewing the policy shall sign the policy "approved for content" and date the signature.

Before a policy is presented to the School Board for adoption, it shall be submitted to School Board Legal Counsel for legal review and, if School Board Legal Counsel finds it is legally sufficient, School Board Legal Counsel shall sign the policy as "legally sufficient" and date the signature.

By signing a policy "approved as to content," an administrator represents to the School Board that the administrator has read the policy, believes it is workable in the School Division, and the School Administration recommends adoption.  When School Board Legal Counsel signs a policy as "legally sufficient," School Board Legal Counsel is only certifying that the policy complies with all applicable laws, policies, and regulations.  School Board Legal Counsel is not indicating approval of the content of the policy from an educational or business standpoint.  Absence of one or both signatures should alert the School Board to ask questions of the Superintendent or School Board Legal Counsel.

B. Format for Presentation

When policy revisions are submitted to the School Board for consideration, the draft presented shall show previous policy language proposed to be eliminated by strike-outs and proposed new language by underlining in order that language to be eliminated and added is clear.  The Superintendent is authorized to make scrivener’s changes to any bylaw or policy or regulation when a mistake or grammatical error or formatting style is evident and such changes do not materially effect the content of the bylaw or policy or regulation.

C. Adoption and Amendment

Policy proposals and suggested amendments to existing policies shall be submitted to Members of the School Board and to the Superintendent in writing prior to a regularly scheduled School Board meeting at which such proposed policies or amendments shall be read or discussed.  A vote for adoption shall take place at the next succeeding regular meeting of the School Board.  A majority vote of the membership of the School Board shall be needed for the adoption or amendment/revision of a policy.

D. Suspension

Policies of the School Board shall be subject to suspension only upon a majority vote of the Members of the School Board present at a meeting when previous notice of the proposed suspension has been provided in writing or upon a unanimous vote of the School Board when no such written notice has been given.

Code of Virginia § 22.1-78, as amended. Bylaws and regulations.

Code of Virginia § 22.1-253.13:7, as amended. Standard 7. School board policies

Adopted by School Board: July 21, 1992
Amended by School Board: August 17, 1999
Amended by School Board: February 20, 2001
Amended by School Board: December 2, 2008

Disclaimer • Contact Us