The Pembroke School Committee on Nov. 18 approved several policy and handbook edits after receiving pre-visit feedback from the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) in advance of a civil-rights site visit scheduled for Dec. 1.

Superintendent Erin told the committee DESE staff will review district spaces and student files with a civil-rights lens (special education, Title IX) and provided preliminary feedback on missing policy language. The committee considered a first read of policy ACB and ACBR (equal access and the related procedures). "The representative from DESE did say that it is imperative that we have a stand alone policy that states that we do evaluate our programs every year," the superintendent said; the committee voted to take the policies as a first read (vote recorded 5-0).

The committee also approved the inclusion of physical-restraint and behavior-support procedures into policy J K K A (and J K K A-R) to ensure procedures are explicitly stated in policy; members clarified the move would not change reporting requirements and voted in favor (5-0).

DESE feedback also prompted red-line revisions to the district's bullying prevention and intervention plan and an update to language in the three student handbooks (elementary, middle, high) to ensure definitions, grievance procedures and suspension re-engagement language are explicit and consistent with regulations. The superintendent said some language had been lost in prior iterations and must be restored to avoid findings. One committee member said the requirements felt like an overreach: "It's another thing we're having to chase people down for... I don't like the implication that we can't make our own policies," one member said. Another argued compliance now will avoid a finding and corrective action.

The committee approved the bullying-plan revisions and handbook edits by unanimous vote. The superintendent said these updates should remove the risk of a finding during the DESE visit; staff will reissue handbooks for required signatures and file corrected policies online prior to the site visit.

Next steps: post corrected policies and handbooks as directed, collect any required signatures, and prepare an exit interview to provide committee feedback to DESE about the review process.