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Policy committee asks board to authorize overhaul of policy manual; board approves project plan
Summary
The Providence School Board authorized a project to reorganize its policy manual into board-owned governance policies and superintendent-owned rules/protocols after a multi-month audit with the Council of Great City Schools; legal counsel noted some policies (for example Title IX/Title VI) cannot be delegated.
The Providence School Board on Jan. 7 authorized a project to reorganize the district’s policy manual following a policy audit conducted with the Council of Great City Schools. The policy committee recommended separating governance (board-owned) policies from operational rules and protocols that the superintendent would manage.
Legal counsel emphasized that the board must retain certain legally required policies — such as Title IX and Title VI/civil rights protections — and that the board’s approval would authorize the committee and staff to continue drafting and vetting where other policies should be delegated. Counsel described the board action as approval of a project concept rather than final language.
Vice President Newman and committee members described a multi-month review that included community listening sessions, equity subcommittee input and work with district teams. The committee’s goal is to clean obsolete provisions, identify missing legally required policies and produce a governance manual with clearer ownership of topics.
Board members approved the project management plan and instructed the committee and legal staff to continue refinements and return with concrete policy language for future votes.
