Understanding "Policies" at ISD No. 834
FIXING STILLWATER SCHOOLS
FSS Policy Hub
School Board Policymaking
The District has a few hundred enumerated policies organized by categories, each is given a number between 100-999, with many newer policies using decimal places to place a related policy adjacent to a main policy on a subject. You can view all District "Policies" on the Board Policies, here, or use the table of links, below.
A note about what is and is not considered and included in this list of policy:
The word "policy," as used by the District, is limited to essentially their highest order of laws or rules governing the district, employees, and operations. There are other categories of written rules governing the district, employees, and operations, that the district does not have listed as "policies," but which govern affairs to the extent not conflicting with policies or local, state, or federal law. These include, "protocols," which are passed by the Board, and, "guidance," which may come solely from the Superintendent.
Email hurleyj@stillwaterschoos.org to be given notices of the Policy Committee, which
Policies are organized in nine different "Policy Series." These are generally based on recommendations that most districts follow, so many school districts may have academic program policies in the "600 Series," as an example.
Click to visit the District's Policy Page or Click the Menu items below to go to a particular series:
What are current District Policies?
Policy Alerts: District Policy Committee Meeting October 9th at 2:30 PM at Greeley Street
How Policies are Made at ISD No. 834
As explained above, official policies of any government agency include not just formally promulgated written or codified regulations, but other forms of rules. The "Policy Committee" of the ISD No. 834 Board of Education,
which is mostly comprised of School Board Members and the Superintendent, reviews the "Policies" on a schedule, as needed, or based on the recommendations of third-party organizations such as the Minnesota School Boards Association (the MSBA). Based in St. Peter, the MSBA, is not a government agency, but merely a membership-dues-receiving organization funded by School Districts.
The Policy Committee does list its meetings on the full calendar and the District publishes a meeting calendar thanks to FSS raising the issue of meeting notice requirements law. Contact the district administrator to request all notices and materials related to the committee. Email us at admin@mn834.org about policy concerns. We would appreciate growing the public attendance at Policy Committee meetings.
FSS has pressed the District to operate the Policy Committee in compliance with Open Meeting Law (Minn. Stat. 13D), which requires more information be directly shared about the activity of the Policy Committee. Transparency is the winning strategy for the District and public.
In the summer of 2025, the School Board adopted a change to information request (a.k.a. "data request) fees that suggested the District was pushing to overcharge beyond the statutory limits set upon all Minnesota government agencies. FSS has notified the school district, but we are awaiting the correction.
Please read our White Paper on School Policies for a briefing on some of our researched conclusions. Please send questions or comments about the White Paper on School Policies to mike@mn834.org.
Policy Committee Meeting Schedule
Policy Committee Meeting Notes
Policy Comm. Mtng. Notes
Committee Meeting Schedule
Committee Meeting Schedule
Policy Comm. Mtng. Notes