Policy Committee forwards multiple policy amendments to full Orleans Parish School Board

At its March 24 meeting, the Orleans Parish School Board Policy Committee voted to advance several policy items to the full board for consideration Thursday.

Items moved to the full board included: a first-reading amendment to policy DH clarifying responsibility for purchasing surety bonds for bonded employees; a first-reading amendment to policy BBD clarifying board–superintendent request procedures; amendment 5.2 to policy DEEB (short-term notes), which the committee praised as part of a broader, careful review of the policy manual; and amendment 5.3 to policy DFA (local tax revenues), which modifies timing and flexibility around millage-rate actions pending assessor and state tax commission processes.

Motions for the items were generally moved and seconded by committee leadership and carried at the committee level. Committee members thanked staff for the ongoing manual review; Vice President Parker described the process as marginal edits intended to ensure compliance with state law. The committee recorded votes as 'I' for affirmative votes and, in some instances, a single opposed vote was noted; the transcript does not provide numeric roll-call tallies for every vote.

Notable clarifications: Vice President Parker explained that the DFA change is meant to give the board additional flexibility to act after the assessor, the Louisiana State Tax Commission and the legislative auditor complete the tax-roll processes. The committee also noted the draft DH language in the transcript contains a transcription error (the transcript reads 'shity bond'); the intent discussed was clarified as responsibility for the surety bond purchase for bonded employees.

What’s next: All advanced items will appear on the full-board agenda Thursday evening for final consideration and any required supermajority votes.