Tempe board begins review of Chapter 5 as district prepares to adopt Trust policies
Summary
At a December 17 study session the Tempe Elementary School District began a line‑by‑line review of Chapter 5 (students) of a proposed Trust policy manual, discussing enrollment, library posting rules, gifted eligibility, homeschool participation in activities and new items such as Purple Star and Arizona Online Instruction.
The Tempe Elementary School District governing board convened a study session on Dec. 17 to begin reviewing Chapter 5 — the students section — of a proposed Trust policy manual the district plans to adopt in the spring.
Superintendent Driscoll told the board the district previously voted to move from the ASBA model to the Trust model because it is organized into five clear chapters, may cost less in policy‑service fees and aligns with the district’s insurance partner. The consultant advising the board said many sections mirror state statutes and federal requirements, while some Tempe‑specific regulations were carried forward into procedures so local practices are preserved.
Board members examined several substantive items within Chapter 5. The draft adds a Purple Star school policy (5.107) to let any school apply for the military‑family recognition program; Driscoll and the consultant said schools opt in and ADE appears to provide training and reporting tools. On extracurricular participation, the board discussed state law that requires districts to permit students with a homeschool affidavit to join interscholastic activities; the consultant said districts currently may not charge fees to those homeschooled participants, although proposed ESA legislation could change rules for ESA students.
Library and instructional materials drew attention: recent state law requires districts to post newly purchased library materials for public inspection (a 60‑day posting); the consultant warned against putting committee review processes in board policy because that could create an appointed committee subject to open‑meeting law, and recommended keeping review practice under superintendent committees.
Members also reviewed special education (5203–5204), which the consultant said largely reproduces federal IDEA requirements, and promotion/retention procedures where board members asked staff to remove subjective criteria such as “social and cultural adjustment” from procedural language. On gifted services the superintendent said Tempe serves students identified from the 94th percentile though state funding is tied to the 97th percentile; he noted the district received about $25,000 in state gifted funding last year (total, not per student).
Consultant and staff recommended the board address some items in procedures rather than policy (for flexibility) and scheduled further study sessions to finish Chapter 5 and then chapters 3–4. The study session lasted about an hour and 36 minutes and covered roughly 25 policies; adoption of the full manual is targeted for spring.
The board recessed for a short break and reconvened for its regular meeting.
