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Policy committee presents edits including cardiac emergency plans and graduation-regulation updates
Summary
Policy committee presented 18 policy edits; highlights include a new regulation to implement a 2024 statute requiring cardiac emergency response plans, updates to food/wellness and advertising rules, and clarifications to graduation-credit rules including exceptions for students formerly in DCF or juvenile justice custody.
The Topeka Public Schools policy committee presented 18 policy edits and regulatory updates at the board meeting, highlighting four items for discussion: a new regulation tied to a 2024 statute requiring cardiac emergency response plans, updates to wellness and nutrition advertising rules, clarifications to graduation requirements and regulations, and an informational item from a local historical society about trophy disposition for Topeka High School.
Committee staff said a new regulation (transcribed as "24 60 o 3") implements a 2024 legislative requirement (cited in the meeting as "72 62 88 in 2024") that boards adopt cardiac emergency response plans. The staff member assigned to implement the regulation will work with principals and submit the plan to the Kansas Department of Health and Environment for approval, the presentation said.
Another set of edits (policy/regulation numbered in the materials as 2475) clarifies wellness and nutrition rules and addresses advertising at Harmer Sports Park (transcribed as "Hummer" in conversation). The committee removed a requirement that advertising be approved by an advisory board that staff said has not met in a decade; the revised language gives final approval authority to the director of operations.
The committee also proposed cleanups to policy 6150 (graduation requirements) to reflect state adjustments. The FAFSA requirement was removed from the regulation per state change, and the committee added a consistency check when students seek to graduate with reduced credits under Kansas law. Under state law, students who were in the custody of the Department for Children and Families or juvenile justice may be eligible to graduate with 21 credits; USD 501’s standard graduation requirement remains 24 credits. The committee added a step requiring lead-principal and district-level sign-off on requests to graduate with fewer credits to ensure consistent application.
The policy items were discussed; staff said they will correct a small insertion noted in one regulation and will bring back the policies for formal board action at the next board meeting. No policies were adopted at this session; the presentation was informational and the committee will return corrected documents for a vote.
