Trustees review multiple policy updates and student-handbook changes, including guidance on pronouns, homeschools and dress code

The board considered several policy- and handbook-related items in a first review, including local policy update 01/25, draft parental-rights language for student records and pronoun requests, the student and campus handbooks for 2025'26 and a proposal tied to Senate Bill 401 about homeschool student participation in UIL activities.

Policy staff presented a seven-policy local update (labeled 01/25) that included administrative clarifications on board duties, advisory committees, attendance committees, partial-credit clarifications and wellness updates. Several trustees asked for time to submit questions in writing and to review legal-policy changes that appear in the packet; staff noted legal policies are developed externally (for example, TASB/legal policy) and that the board's action applies only to local policies.

Doctor Walker and other staff introduced draft local policy language the administration described as intended to reaffirm parental rights, clarify communication expectations and offer guidance for teacher and staff responses to student requests about pronouns or gender identity. The staff presentation said requests could arise without parental knowledge and that policies would include processes for parental notification and for staff to exercise discretion. Board members were invited to submit questions via a form included in the board book for follow-up.

Trustees also reviewed proposed student- and campus-handbook changes. Middle- and high-school administrators noted the largest handbook changes reflected cell-phone rules (aligned with the HB 1481 discussion) and that middle school staff had asked to restore citizenship or character ratings so teachers can report responsibility and behavior apart from academic grades. High-school staff described modest academic adjustments such as dual-credit course alignment.

Dress code drew extended comment. Administrators said the only substantive dress-code change proposed at some campuses was to allow hats in certain settings after campus-level discussion. Trustees discussed consistency across campuses and enforcement concerns; some trustees urged maintaining a professional standard for students and staff. Administrators said enforcement capacity will increase with additional assistant-principal staffing and indicated campus improvement teams and teacher input had informed handbook updates.

Separately, administrators reviewed draft local policy options related to Senate Bill 401, which would require districts to allow non-enrolled students (including home-school students) to participate in UIL activities if they meet eligibility requirements unless the district formally opts out. Administration said the district's historical practice has been to decline such participation and that the proposed local policy would preserve that practice; trustees discussed the operational and funding implications, noting the district would receive no additional state funding for such students and would need to manage uniforms, equipment and eligibility verification if it opted in.

All policy and handbook items were at first review; trustees asked for more detail, written responses to legal-policy questions and additional time to consider alternatives before taking final action.