Board reviews handbook changes after complaints about student drop‑offs, clear bags and dress code enforcement

The McCombs School District board reviewed proposed updates to the student handbook and transportation policies after members raised safety and equity concerns.

Board members said the transportation handbook should explicitly prohibit bus drivers from leaving students at unsupervised locations and asked that the ban be added to the next board packet. “There needs to be something in here that stresses that a driver can't just drop the student off,” a board member said, referencing recent incidents in which students were left at incorrect stops.

The board also discussed a proposed clear‑book‑bag policy designed to improve school safety. Members supported the safety rationale but raised affordability concerns for families, especially regarding girls who need to carry feminine products. One member urged the district to provide replacements when families cannot afford new clear bags and to avoid disciplining students for not having an approved bag without offering a replacement option.

Additional proposed handbook changes covered dress‑code details such as prohibitions on open‑toe shoes and rules on hair and uniform items. Several board members urged consistent enforcement for staff and students, saying principals and teachers should model the standards the board adopts for students.

On the transportation handbook, board members asked staff to incorporate the language changes and present the revised handbook for final review before printing and distribution. No final vote was taken at the work session; staff were directed to return with a revised handbook that includes the requested transportation and dress code clarifications and with a plan to notify families in advance of any changes.