Alva board approves 2025-26 handbooks, tightens attendance and discipline rules
Summary
The Alva Public Schools Board of Education voted to approve district handbooks and a package of policy updates that reinstate a 90% attendance standard for credit and activity eligibility, revise retention language after the state—s move to the Strong Readers Act, and tighten drug- and alcohol-related discipline while allowing counseling-based reductions in suspension.
The Alva Public Schools Board of Education voted to approve the district—s 2025-26 handbooks and a set of policy revisions that include a 90% attendance requirement for credit and activity eligibility, changes tied to the state—s shift to the Strong Readers Act, and revised consequences for on-campus drug and alcohol offenses.
School leaders said the handbook updates were intended to align local rules with recent state policy shifts and to emphasize classroom instruction and student readiness. Superintendent (unnamed) described the attendance changes as a return to a stronger local standard and said the board and principals "want to have a little bit of teeth in our attendance policy." Principal Madison Brashears (Washington Elementary) and other principals explained how the attendance and scheduling changes will be implemented at each building.
Why it matters: Attendance and handbook rules affect students— eligibility for classes and activities, how grade promotion is determined, and the district—s compliance with state reporting. The board framed the changes as efforts to address attendance rates cited on state report cards and to provide consistent expectations across buildings.
Most important actions and context - Attendance eligibility: The board approved reinstating a 90% attendance requirement for class credit and activity eligibility. Administrators said the 90% rule will be applied by building-level attendance committees that include counselors, teachers and principals and that parents may appeal with documentation (for example, a doctor—s note). The policy treats any absence the same for the 90% calculation (administrators noted state reporting does not distinguish "excused" and "unexcused" in published records).
- Student retention and promotion: The district removed provisions tied to the prior Reading Sufficiency Act and updated retention language to reflect the state—s new Strong Readers Act. The retention policy keeps the district—s promotional threshold that students must earn at least 60% (described in the policy) to advance; other RSA-specific language was deleted.
- Semester tests and incentives: High school policy will require all students to take semester tests this year. Administrators said the change is intended to ensure learning and college/career readiness and removes a prior attendance-based exemption incentive.
- Drug- and alcohol-related discipline: The board approved amendments that specify a first offense at school or school events triggers a 10-day out-of-school suspension and ineligibility for activities during that period; a second offense carries a 20-day suspension. Administrators also adopted a rehabilitation pathway: first- or second-offense suspensions can be reduced if the student completes required counseling or treatment and provides evidence of participation.
- EIA-R5 and fourth-grade mid-year promotion: The board deleted the EIA-R5 procedure tied to prior retention rules, consistent with the statewide change from RSA to the Strong Readers Act.
- Dress code and other handbook items: The revised handbooks also clarify dress expectations (no pajama pants or slippers; shorts at fingertip length), limits on outside food in some buildings, and a clarified cell-phone policy. Principals said the goal is to align expectations across elementary, middle and high schools.
Votes at a glance (board action) - Motion to approve Alva School District handbooks for 2025-26: approved (motion carried during the meeting). - Motion to adopt attendance, retention, drug-free and related policy amendments described above: approved as part of handbook adoption.
Board discussion, implementation and next steps Administrators said the changes will be distributed to families and posted online; principals noted back-to-school communications, meet-the-teacher nights and building-level orientation would include details. Building-level attendance committees will review appeals and special circumstances.
The board did not specify a delay in implementation; administrators said staff and principals are preparing communications for the start of school.
