§ 16-2-9.1 - Code of basic management principles and ethical school standards. - Rhode Island Statutes

SECTION 16-2-9.1

   § 16-2-9.1  Code of basic managementprinciples and ethical school standards. – (a) School committees shall adopt the following code of basic managementprinciples and ethical school standards:

   The         (District)         does hereby establish a code of basicprinciples and ethical standards for school committee members actingindividually and collectively as boards of education in the management of thepublic schools of           (Cityor Town)         .

   The school committee in         accepts the obligation tooperate the public schools in accordance with the fundamental principles andstandards of school management, which principles include but are not limited tothe following:

   (1) Formulate written policy for the administration ofschools to be reviewed regularly and revised as necessary.

   (2) Exercise legislative, policy-making, planning andappraising functions and delegate administrative functions in the operation ofschools.

   (3) Recognize their critical responsibility for selecting thesuperintendent, defining his or her responsibilities, and evaluating his or herperformance regularly without directly engaging in administrative processes.

   (4) Accept and encourage a variety of opinions from andcommunication with all parts of the community.

   (5) Make public relevant institutional information in orderto promote communication and understanding between the school system and thecommunity.

   (6) Act on legislative and policy-making matters only afterexamining pertinent facts and considering the superintendent's recommendations.

   (7) Conduct meetings with planned and published agendas.

   (8) Encourage and promote professional growth of school staffso that quality of instruction and support services may continually be improved.

   (9) Establish and maintain procedural steps for resolvingcomplaints and criticisms of school affairs.

   (10) Act only through public meetings since individual boardmembers have no authority to bind the board.

   (11) Recognize that the first and greatest concern must bethe educational welfare of the students attending the public schools.

   (12) Work with other committee members to establish effectiveboard policies and to delegate authority for the administration of the schoolsto the superintendent.

   (13) Avoid being placed in a position of conflict ofinterest, and refrain from using the committee position for personal gain.

   (14) Attend all regularly scheduled committee meetings aspossible, and become informed concerning the issues to be considered at thosemeetings.

   (b) Nothing in this section shall be deemed to limit orinterfere with the rights of teachers and other school employees tocollectively bargain pursuant to chapters 9.3 and 9.4 of title 28 or to allowany school committee or superintendent to abrogate any agreement reached bycollective bargaining.