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Orleans Parish School Policy Committee advances multiple policy amendments to full board
Summary
At its June 2 meeting the Orleans Parish School Board School Policy Committee voted to move a package of policy amendments — affecting personnel leave reporting, resignation pay, dismissal, probation, facility naming, chartering authority and use of telecommunications — to the full board after limited debate and several public commenters raised legal concerns under LARS 17:443.
The Orleans Parish School Board School Policy Committee on June 2 moved a slate of policy amendments to the full board for consideration, including changes to personnel leave reporting, resignation pay, dismissal and probation procedures, facility naming, school chartering authority and the use of telecommunications and electronic devices.
The committee advanced a set of first- and second-reading items and recommended that the full board consider proposed amendments to policies DCBB (system-wide needs program), DIC (inventories), DFE (investments), FDC (naming of facilities), HA (School Board Chartering Authority), HB (oversight and evaluation of charter schools), GBRI (personnel leaves and absences), GBO (resignation), GBN (dismissal of employees), GBG (probation) and GAM (use of telecommunications and other electronic devices).
Several items were discussed briefly at committee and then moved to the full board by voice vote. General Counsel Kathy Moss told the committee that "the legal department has reviewed all of the policy amendments and we have no concerns with them." Items moved included the GBRI personnel-leaves amendment (Item 5.4), GBO resignation (5.5), GBN dismissal (5.6), GBG probation (5.7) and GAM telecommunication use (5.8), each advanced to the full board for final consideration.
Public comment and legal questions
During discussion of multiple personnel-related amendments, public commenter Collette Tippy raised a legal objection, saying several items "don't appear to be in compliance with LARS 17:443," the statute governing teacher-disciple procedures and the right of review, and asked that the items be postponed for additional legal review. The committee’s general counsel responded that the legal department had reviewed the proposed amendments and reported no concerns.
Operational rationale for personnel changes
Committee members and staff described the practical reasons for the proposed personnel-policy changes. A staff member, Ms. Dukes, explained the revision to GBRI shortens a notice window "from 30 days to 3 days" to speed confirmation of whether an instructional employee will return from leave so schools can secure necessary coverage and staffing. Committee members asked whether existing dismissal procedures or other board policies would still apply; the committee was told those procedures remain in force.
Votes and next steps
All motions to move the items to the full board were approved by voice vote at the committee level. The committee did not adopt any of the proposed policy changes at this meeting; it referred them to the full board for further consideration and final action. The board’s next steps are for the full board to receive the recommended amendments at a future meeting and consider final approval.
What was not decided
No final policy adoptions occurred; all items were referred to the full board. Where public commenters alleged conflicts with LARS 17:443, the committee recorded those objections and the legal department’s review but did not postpone the items at committee.
The committee adjourned at 12:07 p.m.
