Board hears first readings on school safety and budget policy updates

The board received first readings Feb. 5 of two updated board policies and administrative regulations: BP/AR 0450, which governs comprehensive school safety plans, and BP/AR 031 (budget and budget development process).

Todd Rivera, assistant superintendent and chief business officer, said the safety-plan update incorporates new legal requirements authorizing parties to raise concerns about a student's ability to access safety procedures and requiring adaptations for students with disabilities under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. The administrative regulation language presented to the board also adds procedures to assess and respond to on-campus reports of dangerous or unlawful activity and guidance for opioid-overdose response for grades 7'12.

Rivera described the budget-policy update as a technical set of changes that reflect recent Education Code requirements. Those changes include clarification that attendance generated through attendance-recovery programs must be excluded from a district's average daily attendance calculation and references concerning the Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF), including the treatment of newly enrolled students eligible for free and reduced-price meals for LCFF purposes. Rivera also explained forthcoming changes to how the district will publish notices tied to the LCAP and budget beginning Jan. 1, 2027.

Board members had no substantive questions and asked that the policies return to a future consent agenda for formal adoption after the required notice period.

No formal action was taken at first reading.