PROVO, Utah — The Provo City School Board of Education unanimously approved five policy updates Friday, adding formal language on leadership succession, clarifying the board president's duties and moving a set of officer-oath provisions.

At the Sept. 19 business meeting, the board approved revised policy 11.07 (board leadership), new policy 11.08 (board president duties), updated policy 11.09 (other officers) and updated policies 1,400 (board meetings) and 14.50 (boundaries and school closures). Each motion passed with unanimous voice votes.

Why it matters: The changes add procedural clarity in the event of officer vacancies and require that elected school board members "uphold the constitution of Utah and The United States," language inserted into the new 11.08. The board also added timing requirements for public comment on agendas and updated references to current law for the district’s boundaries and closure policy.

Motion details: The motion to approve updated policy 11.07 was made by board member Lisa Boyce and seconded by board member Emily Harrison. Vice President Gina Hales moved the 11.08 language change that added the constitution clause; the motion was seconded by board member Megan Wagonen. Board member Wagonen moved approval of the updated 11.09; Harrison seconded. Policy 1,400 (board meetings) was moved by Harrison and seconded by Melanie Hall. Policy 14.50 updates were moved by Boyce and seconded by Wagonen. Each motion was carried by unanimous "aye".

Board members prefaced the votes with brief explanations of the edits. The 11.08 language specifically added text, at lines referenced in the meeting, that reads in part: "as an elected official, school board members are required to uphold the constitution of Utah and The United States, which may require them to act in the interest of the state as a whole over local interests." Board President Jennifer Partridge and Vice President Gina Hales were among the presiding officers during the votes.

No legal challenge or budgetary allocation accompanied the approvals; the changes are procedural and administrative and do not, by themselves, create new spending obligations.