The Chippewa Valley Schools curriculum subcommittee reviewed a package of policy revisions and new policies on Sept. 30, covering roughly 14 items the district intends to bring to the full board for approval on Oct. 21.

Committee leaders said the updates primarily formalize existing practices, align policies with state and federal requirements, and add clarified language on family engagement, volunteer supports, and annual implementation plans. Staff said the mission and vision statements were updated to reflect the district's 2015 strategic plan, and several policies were revised for clarity and compliance.

Key changes include:

- Family engagement: Language shifts from "involving families" to "engaging families," adds principles that emphasize relationships, positive learning environments and purposeful efforts to address barriers, and authorizes supports for volunteer participation such as transportation and childcare when needed to enable family engagement.

- Curriculum development and approved courses: The policy clarifies that course proposals are typically teacher-driven, pilots or trials precede K'12 curriculum council review, and building- and department-level feedback is part of the recommendation that ultimately goes to the board.

- Title I and at-risk (31a) funding: Staff said Title I language was updated to reflect ESSA changes and that Title I funds augment, not supplant, local funding. At-risk (31a) funds were described as usable for interventions, professional learning (e.g., PBIS), and temporary supports for homeless students through district liaisons.

- Student privacy: A new policy outlines collection and disclosure rules for survey data and personal information, requires expressed written parental consent for certain data categories, and confirms parental access rights subject to standard exceptions (IDEA, abuse investigations).

- Religion in curriculum: Updated language reiterates First Amendment protections against establishment, permits instruction about world religions as part of full civic education, and establishes a process for parents to request that a student be excused from a particular class period where content conflicts with religious beliefs; alternative learning activities must be provided.

- Childcare staff/volunteer policy: A new policy requires background checks and that volunteers not work unsupervised with students; staff noted the district already followed LARA (state licensing) guidelines and this policy formalizes the practice.

Committee members asked staff to: distribute the full packet earlier (prior to the Thursday before the October board meeting) so board members have adequate time for review, confirm definitions (for example, define "religion" explicitly in the religion policy), and ensure Title I and IDEA cross-references are correct.

Committee chair and staff said many of the proposals document long-standing practices rather than change operational expectations, but that the formalized language is intended to ensure statutory compliance and give the board clearer governance control. The committee agreed to send the revised policies to the full board with the expectation of an Oct. 21 vote.

Sources: Curriculum subcommittee discussion and policy walkthrough, Chippewa Valley Schools, Sept. 30, 2024.