Superintendent presents multiple policy updates; board approves Unified Basketball overnight trip

The superintendent presented several policy updates as first readings and sought input from the board. The board also approved a time-sensitive overnight trip request from Murray High’s Unified Basketball team.

Enrollment and toileting: Staff presented updates to student enrollment policies to align with House Bill 76. The district’s enrollment policy language was revised to permit local boards to enroll kindergarten students who began kindergarten in another state with lower age requirements and who transfer into the district during the same school year. The law’s prior local age cutoffs remain for in-state enrollment. The toileting requirement was revised: students must be toilet trained before enrolling in public schools, with exemptions for federal child-find obligations and for students with an IEP or Section 504 accommodation.

School fees: The superintendent discussed a major restructuring of the district’s school-fees policy to align with House Bill 344. Key points explained to the board included new statutory definitions for fee and non-fee courses, prohibited charges, and fee-waiver provisions. Staff said some earlier restrictions were adjusted by the new law to preserve common extracurricular and course options while clarifying fee-waivable digital content and remediation programs. The superintendent noted the district will need to provide a fee-free path to meet graduation requirements by the 2026–27 school year; that requirement will be addressed next year.

Electronic devices: Staff presented a revised cell phone and electronic device policy in response to Senate Bill 178. The draft prohibits cell phones, smartwatches and earbuds during curricular/classroom hours with grade-differentiated rules: in elementary grades (K–6) such devices would not be allowed from bell to bell except when required by the teacher for testing or instruction; junior high and high school rules allow use during lunch, transitions and after-school activities but not during classroom instructional time. Exceptions were noted for emergency communications, IEP/504 accommodations, and health-plan medical needs. Board members asked staff to clarify storage/collection location language (for example, whether backpacks, pouches or lockers should be required locations) and staff agreed to bring clarified language back at the study session.

School land trust plans and fees timeline: The superintendent reminded the board that school land trust plans for 2025–26 will be reviewed at an upcoming session; principals and school community council representatives will present plans at the next study session. She also noted changes to state deadlines for fee approval and the district’s plan to present final fee schedules in subsequent meetings.

Unified Basketball overnight trip: The board approved a time-sensitive request to send 12 Unified Basketball students to the Utah Summer Games in Cedar City, May 29–31. Special Olympics of Utah will cover lodging and most costs; the district will provide transportation. Because the request was time-sensitive, the board suspended rules and approved the trip on first reading; the superintendent will confirm arrangements and communicate with families.