Highline board sets short-term goals, launches formal review of conflict-of-interest policy

Highline School District board members used a retreat and work session to refine near-term board goals and to request a formal revision of Policy 16.10, the district's conflict-of-interest policy.

The board identified four goals to carry into the 2025-26 year: craft a shared purpose for the board, develop an onboarding plan for incoming directors, research governance models, and increase board visits to schools. Directors also asked staff to review a long-standing conflicts policy (Policy 16.10) and return a revised draft and a disclosure form for review, with outside counsel suggested for legal vetting.

Why it matters: Board-level governance and policy shape oversight of the superintendent and district priorities. Directors said clearer onboarding and a governance model review will help incoming members get up to speed and sustain district initiatives, and that updating the conflicts policy would reduce future confusion or perception issues.

At the retreat President Van opened the discussion of norms and board purpose, stressing that "our goal is to focus on student achievement," and that the board's role is to "govern with policy" while day-to-day operations are the superintendent's responsibility (President Van). Directors repeatedly returned to onboarding for two incoming members and to laying out achievable goals they could begin before the school year's end. Director Angelica Alvarez said the board should prioritize being "on the same page about what our board roles and responsibilities" look like for new members (Director Angelica Alvarez).

Superintendent Dr. Duran told the board the district's annual plan and strategic-plan dashboard already show incremental "small measures" of progress and offered to expand interim measures so the community can see growth between state assessments. "I would encourage everyone to go to the website and look at that," Superintendent Duran said when describing the annual plan report and possible additions to the strategic-dashboard metrics (Superintendent Duran).

On policy, staff presented Policy 16.10 (conflict of interest), an item directors said is overdue for revision. Holly (staff member) summarized the policy's current provisions governing recusal, disclosure, and limited exceptions such as employment of a director's spouse as a substitute, and noted that the policy dates back decades. Holly said she would draft an annual disclosure form for directors and return a redraft of the policy for board discussion at the June retreat; she also recommended outside-counsel review of the revised language. "I would propose that we would define [remote interest] in this policy," Holly said, noting Seattle and Tacoma policies as possible models (Holly, staff member).

Directors asked for concrete examples to live in the policy text (for instance, that a board member may coach a team and be paid up to $1,500 in a calendar month under certain conditions) and for a public disclosure process to be kept in the superintendent's office. Staff also flagged the need to clarify the policy's legal references and to align disclosure practice with best-practice models used elsewhere.

The board also discussed civic outreach and communications tied to possible future levies and a proposed "State of Highline" event. Superintendent Duran recommended holding a public "State of Highline" kickoff at the start of the school year to pair recent satellite data, district map data and storytelling about district priorities; several directors supported waiting until the full board is seated and the academic year begins.

Directors generally agreed the policy and governance conversations should be carried forward as part of the June retreat and that staff should return a draft Policy 16.10 with an accompanying disclosure form, defined terms and recommended process for review by outside counsel.

Ending: The board asked staff to prepare an introductory board action report for April and to return to the June retreat with proposed policy language, a disclosure template, and a plan for board onboarding and school visits. Directors said those steps should help incoming members be effective quickly and reduce future perception or legal risk.