Board adopts revised student rights-and-responsibilities policy after debate over appeal review authority

The Rio Rancho Public Schools Board adopted the second reading of board policy 1008, which updates definitions and disciplinary procedures for students, on July 27. Staff said the version before the board removes a separate "disciplinarian" definition, clarifies the hearing-authority role, removes inaccuracies about student‑support‑center placement versus long-term suspension, and adds a reporting requirement for the superintendent or designee to report to the board.

Policy lead Shelley Havel (staff) summarized the edits and the board discussed concerns about the policy’s review-authority provision, which designates the superintendent or a designee as the review authority for appeals. Board President Kristen Galbraith and other members asked whether the review function should instead be performed by a multi‑member review committee. "I feel I personally, I feel that it should be, a committee," Galbraith said during debate, urging a model where more than one person reviews appeals. Supporters of the current draft and staff said using a superintendent designee is consistent with peer districts and with how hearing officers and due-process procedures are typically handled.

District staff said they contract hearing officers for due-process hearings and that appeals are rare; they committed to reviewing options and returning to the board if members wanted a committee model. The board moved and approved the second reading of policy 1008 while several members requested staff to provide more detail on alternatives for the review process in a near-term follow-up.