Board discusses proposed changes to policy 906 (citizen complaints); administration says changes add timelines and clarity

Unionville‑Chadds Ford School District board members on March 10 discussed proposed revisions to policy 906, the district’s citizen‑complaint procedure, following concerns from community members about due‑process protections.

Administration said the proposed changes — currently at second reading — add explicit timelines for responses at the second and third levels of the complaint process, where the existing policy had a timeline only at the final level and where a board hearing is not guaranteed. Officials told the board the draft also adds a requirement that the superintendent or board notify complainants when more time is needed to provide a thorough response.

Some community members had expressed the view that amendments would eliminate the right to be heard or other protections. Administration responded that the existing policy already gives the board discretion to grant a hearing and that the revisions instead formalize intermediate timelines and notification obligations.

The district reminded the public that the policy change would be forward‑looking and not retroactive; any complaints filed under the current policy would continue to follow existing procedures. Policy 906 and its administrative guidance remain at second reading and will return for further board review in the coming meetings, with room for additional community comment and adjustments.