1205: School Board Powers and Duties

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The Board shall concern itself primarily with broad questions of policy rather than with administrative details. The application of policies is an administrative task to be performed by the Superintendent and District staff that shall be held responsible for the effective administration and supervision of the entire school system.

The Board, functioning within the framework of laws, court decisions, attorney general’s opinions, State Department of Education and State Board of Education regulations and similar mandates from the state and national levels of government, and recognizing the authority of the State, fulfills its mission as the governing body of a political subdivision by acting as follows in the execution of its duties:

  • Enacts policy, bylaws, rules, and regulations for its government and that of the District in compliance with federal and state laws and rules.
  • Adopts courses of study and provides instructional aides.
  • Fixes the days of the year and the hours of the day when school is in session through the adoption of an annual school calendar for students at each grade level and determines school holidays not less than the following: New Years Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas Day. Other days listed in Section 73-108, Idaho Code, if the same shall fall on a school day, shall be observed with appropriate ceremonies; and any days the State Board of Education may designate, following a proclamation by the Governor, shall be school holidays.
  • Annually adopts and implements a school calendar which provides students at each grade level with the following minimum number of instructional hours:

Grades Hour
9-12     990
4-8       900
1-3       810
K          450

  • School assemblies, testing and other instructional related activities involving students directly may be included in the required instructional hours.
  • Annual instructional hour requirements stated in paragraph (a) may be reduced as follows: (i) Up to a total of twenty-two hours to accommodate staff development activities conducted on such days as the local school board deems appropriate. (ii) Up to a total of eleven hours of emergency school closure due to weather conditions and facility failures. However, transportation to and from school, passing times between classes, recess, and lunch periods shall not be included.
  • Student and staff activities related to opening and closing of the school year, grade reporting, program planning, staff meetings, and other classroom and building management activities shall not be counted as instructional time or in the reductions provided in paragraph (c)(i) of this section.
  • For multiple shift programs, this rule applies to each shift (i.e., each student must have access to the minimum annual required hours of instructions).
  • The instructional time requirement for grade 12 students may be reduced for an amount of time not to exceed eleven (11) hours of instructional time.
  • The State Superintendent of Public Instruction may grant an exemption from the provisions of this section for an individual building within a District, when the closure of that building, for unseen circumstances, does not affect the attendance of other buildings within the District.
  • Employs all staff members and fixes and prescribes their duties.
  • Approves the budget, financial reports, audits, major expenditures, payment of obligations, and policies whereby the administration may formulate procedures, regulations, and other guides for the orderly accomplishment of District business.
  • Estimates and seeks to provide funds for the operation, support, maintenance, improvement and extension of the District.
  • Provides for the planning, expansion, improvement, financing, construction, maintenance, use, and disposition of physical plants of the District.
  • Prescribes the minimum standards needed for the efficient operation and improvements of the District.
  • Adopts and provides for the financing of a total educational program for the District.
  • Prescribes the rules for the disciplining of unruly or insubordinate students, including rules regarding harassment, intimidation, and bullying.
  • Excludes from school those students with contagious or infectious diseases or students not of school age.
  • Equips and maintains suitable library or libraries.
  • Supervises and regulates extracurricular activities.
  • Provides, or requires pupils to be provided with, suitable textbooks and supplies.
  • Protects the morals and health of the pupils.
  • Erects and maintains on each schoolhouse or school grounds a suitable flagstaff or flagpole, and displays thereon the flag of the United States of America on all days, except during inclement weather, when the school is in session; and for each Veterans Day, each school in session shall conduct and observe an appropriate program of at least class period remembering and honoring American Veterans.
  • Supervise and regulate extracurricular activities.
  • Evaluates the educational program to determine the effectiveness with which the schools are achieving the educational purpose of the District.
  • Requires the establishment and maintenance of records, accounts, archives, management methods and procedures considered essential to the efficient conduct of District business.
  • Provides for the dissemination of information relating to the schools necessary for creating a well-informed public.
  • Determines the procedures to use in handling public complaints about employees.
  • Creates policies and procedures for conducting teacher evaluations.
  • Determines when and under what circumstances a certificated employee will be placed on probation.
  • Determines the methods, means, job classifications, and personnel by which District operations are to be conducted.
  • Requires all persons hired for the first time by the District or who have been in the employee of the District five (5) years or less, undergo a criminal history check as provided in section 33-130, Idaho Code.
  • Relieves employees from duties because of lack of work or funds under conditions where continuation of such work would be inefficient and non-productive.
  • Develops a system for registering volunteers or contractors consistent with maintaining a safe environment for students.
  • Discontinues any school within the District whenever such discontinuance is in the best interests of the District and of the pupils therein. For the purposes of this section, discontinuing a school shall mean no longer maintaining a school of any kind at the same location.

The Board reserves all other rights, statutory and inherent, as provided by state law. The Board also reserves the right to delegate authority to the Superintendent for the on-going direction of all District programs.

Legal Reference:
I.C. § 33-130 Criminal History Checks
I.C. § 33-501 Board of Trustees
I.C. § 33-506 Organization and Government of Board of Trustees
I.C. § 33-512 Governance of Schools
I.C. § 67-2341 Open Public Meetings – Definitions
I.C. § 73-108 Holiday Enumerated

Policy History:
Adopted on: December 13, 2011
Reviewed on: 10/9/2018
Revised on:

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