What's the difference between policy and regulation?

Under the district's governance system, the Board of Education adopts policies that define the expected outcomes of the district's work and provide a framework within which the district operates. Policies are divided into four categories:

• Board Culture: These policies define how the board governs itself and the district.
• Board and Superintendent Relationship: These policies define the board's relationship with and delegation of authority to the superintendent.
• Superintendent Expectations: These policies define the limits of the superintendent's decision-making authority to select resources, teachers, and educational programs that he or she believes best serve student-learning needs. SEs give the superintendent wide latitude to make decisions to meet the board's expectations.
• Results Policies: These are the academic goals that the board expects students to achieve.

Regulations are the procedures that define how the district will fulfill the goals defined in board policy. They also may clarify policy or state law.

Both regulation and policy may include exhibits that usually explain in detail how regulation and policy are fulfilled. For example, board policy and state law require the district to adopt a code of conduct for student behavior. The actual code of conduct appears as an exhibit attached to the appropriate board policy and/or regulation.