School Board Policy Revisions: Updates from May 23, 2024, and June 6, 2024

Alexandria City Public Schools (ACPS) policy revisions that are adopted by the Alexandria City School Board are available to access on our website, with staff being notified through the ACPS Insider newsletter. These are updates of existing School Board policies, and we are informing staff of these changes as they govern school division operations. For more details about the policy revisions adopted by the School Board, please visit the webpage.

At the Alexandria City School Board meeting on May 23, 2024, the School Board amended 10 policies, the superintendent revised two associated regulations. The following is a summary of the key changes, details are available on Electronic School Board:

CBB - Appointment and Term of the Superintendent

• 5-year review
• Standard changes

CBD - Superintendent's Compensation and Benefits

• 5-year review
• Standard changes
• Minor reorganization

CBE - Superintendent's Severance Benefits

• 5-year review
• Affirmed other than cross references

GBO - Virginia Retirement System

• 5-year review
• Standard changes
• VSBA model policy alignment

GCBA - Staff Salary Schedules

• 5-year review
• Standard changes
• Replaced ‘salary schedule’ with ‘salary scales’

GCBC - Staff Fringe Benefits

• 5-year review
• Standard Changes
• VSBA Model Policy assignment
• Removed the term ‘fringe’ as benefits are a core element of staff compensation

GCBEA - Leave Without Pay

• Required modifications identified via the policy audit
• Code alignment
• Added breadcrumbs to Staff Leaves and Absences
• Removed content redundant with the regulation

IGBH - Alternative School Programs

IGBH-R - Alternative School Programs Regulations

• 5-year review
• Standard changes
• VSBA model policy alignment
• Added a definition from the Virginia Administrative Code
• New accompanying regulation
• Moved proposal process and details from policy
• Added a monitoring and revisions process to support evaluation plan

INDC - Religion in the Schools

• 5 year review
• Standard changes
• Added that ACPS may provide a comparative religion class (per the code)

KC - Community Involvement in Decision Making

• 5-year review
• Standard changes
• Aligned the content with the code

LEA - Student Teaching and Internships

LEA-R - Student Teaching and Internships Regulations

• 5-year review
• New regulation
• Clarified that HR consults with Student Services and Principals in placements

At the Alexandria City School Board meeting on June 6, 2024, the School Board amended 14 policies, and the superintendent revised five regulations and established five new regulations. The following is a summary of the key changes, details are available on Electronic School Board:

GBOA - Voluntary Retirement Savings Program

• Discrepancy discovered during audit
• Added the 403b and 457 plans to the list of voluntary retirement savings plans offered by ACPS.

GCBD - Staff Leaves and Absences

GCBD-R - Staff Leaves and Absences Regulations

GCBD-R2 - Voluntary Donated Leave Regulations

• 5-year review
• Standard Changes
• Added definitions for employee groups
• Updated the types of leave that are earned at given points in time
• Minor reorganization
• Corrected the leave accrual table
• Clarified the religious leave language
• Clarified that only continuing contract employees may request long term leave (except for long term child care leave)
• Added a new regulation for voluntary donated leave

GCBE - Family and Medical Leave

• 5-year review
• Standard changes
• Alphabetized the definitions
• Reorganization to improve readability and align with the VSBA model

GCBEB - Military Leave and Benefits

• 5-year review
• Updated the length of leave to 21 days of paid leave for a federally funded tour of duty per the VSBA model

GCI - Licensed Staff Assignments and Transfers

GCI-R - Licensed Staff Assignments and Transfers Regulation

• 5-year review and preparation for redistricting
• Added definitions
• Reorganized the voluntary transfers process to provide greater clarity

GDI - Support Staff Assignments and Transfers

GDI-R - Support Staff Assignments and Transfers Regulation

• 5-year review and preparation for redistricting
• Added definitions
• Added a due date for voluntary transfers for the upcoming school year
• New regulation which mirrors the licenced staff regulation

IC/ID-R - School Year Calendar Regulations

• Requested review
• Adjusted conference days to add flexibility in scheduling
• Included evening cultural observance days
• Error corrections
  • Veterans Day was omitted in the original document
  • Orthodox Epiphany was listed twice

IGBF - Limited English Proficient Students

IGBF-R English Learners Identification and Assessment Regulations

• 5-year review
• VSBA model policy alignment
• Standard changes
• Added that services are provided until age 22
• Added notification requirements of testing accommodations for certain examinations
• Created a new regulation with procedures for identification, assessment, placement, and monitoring.
• Includes clarification that ELs are placed in grade levels at the HS using the same criteria as non-ELs.
• Added a section to the regulation around equity for ELs

IGBI - Advanced Placement and Dual Enrollment Courses

IGBI-R - IGBI-R - Notification of Advanced Placement Classes and Special Programs

• 5-year review
• Added a Board Belief Statement
• Revised the list of programs that ACPS informs families about
• Updated the title to reflect the expanded scope of programs
• Added a regulation per the requirement of the code
• Relocated the quality points section to improve readability

IKE-R - Regulations for Retention and Promotion

• Updated to reflect VDOE guidance on grade level placements
• Updated to reflect the change in the title of student’s academic plan
• Updated LEP students to EL students
• Updated the title of the Executive Director of School Leadership

IKF - The Virginia Assessment Program and Graduation Requirements

• Code Change (2023)
• Revised Per the 2023 amendment of Va. Code § 22.1-253.13:3 by HB 2225/SB 1253.
  • Certain student assessment results; availability.

IKFD - Credit by Exam

IKFD-R - Credit by Exam Regulations

• 5-year review
• Standard changes
• Title change to better reflect the content of the policy
• VSBA model policy alignment
• Organized the options for earning credits into a waiver section per the code.
• Struck language from the regulation which was time limited
• Increased the number of credits that can be awarded for world languages from 3 to 4.
• Added that the Board pays the costs of the exams
• Added that Languages available for high school credit are dependent on assessments approved and vetted by the VDOE for the World Language Requirement of the Seal of Biliteracy.

JFG - Search and Seizure

• Requested review
• Updated the definitions
• Struck language around law enforcement officers ability to search that wasn’t in the model policy
• Added a section on strip searches
• Clarified that school rules apply to parking lots and vehicles are subject to search
• Removed references to 4th amendment rights

JL - Fundraising and Solicitation

• 5-year review
• Standard changes
• Added a provision that fundraising must be safe and age appropriate
• Added that fundraising activities are periodically reported to the Board.

JM - Managing Student Behaviors in Emergency Situations

JM-R - Regulations for the Management of Student Behavior in Emergency Situations

• Required annual review
• Standard Changes
• Moved the content of the current policy into a new regulation. Replaced the policy content with the VSBA model policy
• Generalized SROs into Alexandria Police Department staff to broaden the scope
• Removed training of the SROs as they are not permitted to be involved in these interventions

ACPS has more than 400 policies and regulations which are systematically revised prior to being presented to the School Board for information. The revision process includes alignment with the associated Virginia School Boards Association (VSBA) model policy, alignment with the Code of Virginia, an equity review, a legal review, revisions by a team of staff members, a Senior Leadership Team review and a School Board Policy Committee review. Public input on proposed revisions is taken at School Board Policy Committee meetings and regular School Board meetings.