Ongoing discussions across our nation about public school education continue to be divisive and difficult. The Wisconsin Institute for Law & Liberty (WILL) provides these model school board policies as an addition and alternative to the limited options currently available for school board members. WILL offers these model policies with goals of increasing parents’ rights and involvement, creating transparency, optimizing student academic achievement, and improving school governance. Aside from the few policies noted as specific to Wisconsin, these policies may be introduced and enacted in any state, and they may be revised based on the needs of the local community and school district.
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
PROPOSED RULES ON TITLE IX
APRIL 13, 2023 – U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION PROPOSED RULES
SEPTEMBER 23, 2022 – U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION PROPOSED RULES ARE NOT YET IN EFFECT
While the proposed rules on Title IX have recieved a lot of media coverage, it is important for school districts to understand that these proposed rules are not in effect and are not law.
WILL’s Comment to the U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION PROPOSED RULES
WILL submitted a public comment on the U.S. Department of Education proposed changes to the regulations on Title IX.
Title IX and Gender Identity FAQ Memo
This memo is intended as a resource for public use by school board members and public school administrators navigating issues related to gender identity and Title IX. It is based on the law in Wisconsin and the Seventh Circuit and is current as of January 25, 2023.
MODEL SCHOOL BOARD POLICIES
Right to Review Instructional Materials and Related Documents
KEYWORDS: Parents Rights, Transparency
Right to Review Professional Development Training Materials
This model policy clarifies that parents have the right to access, upon request, all District training materials used for professional development.
KEYWORDS: Parents Rights, Transparency
Parent, Family, and Community Engagement
This model policy confirms that parents and legal guardians have the ultimate responsibility for their children and recommends activities to be implemented to encourage cooperation between parents and the school. It also encourages engagement between the District and the community.
KEYWORDS: Governance, Parents Rights
Controversial Issues
This model policy defines what is considered to be a “controversial issue” in an instructional program, discusses the acceptable context for discussing controversial issues, expands on student rights currently established by federal law, and encourages parents to continue to direct the upbringing of their children, in accordance with the United States Constitution.
KEYWORDS: Parents Rights, Transparency
Survey Notice and Opt Out
This model policy prohibits students from being required to participate in surveys or evaluations that reveal certain information without prior written parental consent. For surveys that would require such information but are not mandated, it requires parental notice and the opportunity to opt their child out of participating.
KEYWORDS: Parents Rights, Transparency
Student Gender Identity
KEYWORDS: Parents Rights
Employee Expression in Non-School Settings
KEYWORDS: Governance, Transparency
Review and Update of District Policies
KEYWORD: Governance
Assessment of Educational Goals
KEYWORDS: Parents Rights, Wisconsin
Student Discipline
KEYWORDS: Parents Rights, Transparency, Wisconsin
Board Superintendent Communications
KEYWORDS: Governance, Wisconsin
Access to Student Records
KEYWORDS: Parent Rights, Wisconsin
Human Growth and Development
This model policy allows the School Board to determine whether the District will provide instruction in human growth and development, indicates what must be included in such a program, and requires any instruction in such a program to be age-appropriate. It also requires the District to provide parental notice related to what human growth and development instruction will be used in the grade level of their child, permits parental inspection of instructional materials, and requires notice to parents that they may opt their child out such instruction.
KEYWORDS: Parent Rights, Transparency, Wisconsin
Personnel Evaluation and Training
KEYWORDS: Governance, Transparency, Wisconsin

AEI | EMPOWER SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS WITH POLICY SOLUTIONS
WILL Director of Education Policy, Libby Sobic, is the author of Empower School Board Members With Policy Solutions, a new publication from the American Enterprise Institute (AEI). Sobic highlights a number of the model school board policies WILL released in June 2022, part of the Restoring American Education initiative.
ADDITIONAL SCHOOL BOARD RESOURCES
Below are some additional publicly available school board resources from other organizations. Please contact us with suggestions for new sources, or if any of these links no longer work.
Arizona Coalition of School Board Members
An Arizona-based membership organization for school board members and interested community members offering alternative resources that promotes student success and parental rights.
Arizona Coalition of School Board Members
Click to view this policy book.
Ballotpedia candidate surveys
Use this form to submit information, for Ballotpedia’s readers to learn more about your candidacy.
Civics Alliance
A compilation of general school board resources.
Family policy foundation school board academy
Colorado-based organization that advances biblical citizenship, equips and elects statesmen, promotes policy and serves an effective alliance: all committed to a common vision.
FreedomWorks
An organization building a grassroots movement of school board members.
Contact Zach Laba, BEST Outreach Coordinator at [email protected] for more information.
Goldwater Institute
Learn more about their effort for academic transparency, including a district-level model policy.
Independence Institute
Colorado-based organization that creates materials for local school board candidates and elected officials.
Noah Webster Educational Foundation
Check out these school board trainings.
School Boards for Academic Excellence
Check out this resource directory.
School board member finance training
Delivered by Edunomics Lab at Georgetown, four virtual sessions, 2-hours each, from 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM CT starting September 16, 2022:
Today’s financial choices are complicated. Districts are flush with cash, inflation is eroding wages, enrollment is down and under-enrolled schools are costly. And yet, districts must stay focused on getting students back on track. To helping make sense of it all, Edunomics Lab at Georgetown University is offering a finance workshop just for school board members. Scholarships are available so apply early for those.
School board leaders who go through our training sessions learn to engage more on financial matters and to communicate in ways that build trust on spending decisions affecting students. We think practical, strategic financial skills will be particularly useful in the coming months, so please share this with school board members who would benefit from the opportunity. Send any questions to [email protected].
Vermilion Education
School Board Consultants and Curriculum Audits
For More Information