What do we mean by changing policies in schools? Why should you work to change policies in schools? When should you try to change policies in schools? Who should be involved in changing policies in schools? How do you change policies in schools? When the Watsons came to Perryville High School for their eldest son's first scheduled parent conference of ninth grade, they noticed vending machines throughout the school offering mostly sugary drinks and snacks. Rita Watson worked in nutrition services, and her husband, Mel, was an athletic trainer. They wondered whether the school's food and beverage environment reflected what students were learning about nutrition and health. As they looked into the issue, they learned that vending contracts also generated money for extracurricular activities, supplies, and equipment. The situation involved more than simply deciding which drinks should be sold: the school also had to consider student preferences, nutrition, school finances, contractual obligations, and possible alternatives. The Watsons began exploring whether the school's vending policy could be updated to provide more nutritious choices while addressing the revenue the school depended on. School policies can affect students' learning, health, safety, rights, sense of belonging, access to services, and participation in school life. Policies may also affect families, educators, staff, and the broader community. Sometimes an existing policy creates barriers or unintended consequences. In other situations, a school may need a new policy to respond to changing circumstances. This section looks at the kinds of issues school policies may address and how students, families, educators, administrators, governing bodies, and community members can participate in reviewing and improving them. What do we mean by changing policies in schools? When the Community Tool Box was conceived, this section focused primarily on changing school policies to support student health. School policy affects many other areas as well, including teaching and learning, accessibility, school climate, student rights, safety, family engagement, technology, and community partnerships. This section therefore takes a broader approach. Schools vary considerably in size, structure, governance, educational approach, and the communities they serve. Public school systems may include neighborhood schools, magnet schools, charter schools, career and technical education programs, alternative learning programs, and other educational settings. Students may learn in traditional classrooms, smaller specialized programs, virtual or hybrid environments, community-based settings, or programs designed to provide additional academic, behavioral, social, or accessibility supports. This section focuses primarily on public schools. Governance and policy processes in private, charter, Tribal, and other schools may differ. Before beginning a policy-change effort, determine which laws, governing bodies, contracts, organizational policies, and decision-making procedures apply in the particular setting. Schools also differ in how decisions are made. Some decisions are made at the classroom or school level. Others are established across an entire district or system. Still others are shaped by state or federal requirements. A school policy may address areas such as: Curriculum and academic requirements Student assessment and graduation requirements Food and nutrition Student conduct and disciplinary practices Attendance School schedules Dress codes Technology and digital communication Accessibility and accommodations Student health and mental health Bullying, harassment, and discrimination School safety and emergency preparedness Family and community engagement Extracurricular activities School governance structures differ by location. In many public school systems, responsibility is distributed among a school board or other governing body, the superintendent, district administrators, principals, teachers, student-support professionals, and other staff. Depending on the system, people involved in decisions may include: The school board, School Committee, or equivalent governing body The superintendent Assistant superintendents District administrators responsible for areas such as curriculum, student services, special education, athletics, technology, facilities, finance, or transportation Principals and other school administrators Teachers and other professional staff, such as nurses, counselors, school psychologists, social workers, librarians, and coaches Support, transportation, food-service, facilities, and custodial staff Students and families Employees may also be represented by unions or professional associations. A proposed policy change may affect working conditions, staffing, schedules, job responsibilities, or other matters covered by collective bargaining agreements. In those cases, employee representatives should be involved appropriately. Before beginning a policy-change effort, determine who actually has authority over the issue. A classroom concern may be addressed by a teacher. A school-level issue may fall within a principal's authority. A district-wide policy may require action from the superintendent and governing body. Not every concern requires a large policy campaign. If a dangerous intersection needs a crossing guard, a school facility could be used more effectively by the community, or a small procedural change would solve the problem, begin with the people closest to the issue. Use the simplest process that can address the concern effectively. Larger or system-wide changes may require formal review and approval. Implementation matters as much as adoption: a policy that exists on paper but is not understood, supported, resourced, or consistently carried out may produce little change. Examples of school policies that communities might review include: Tobacco- and nicotine-free school policies School food and beverage policies Student discipline and restorative practices Policies related to religion and school-sponsored activities, consistent with applicable law Health and sexuality education Dress codes Curriculum and academic opportunities English-language development, multilingual education, and language-access programs Sexual harassment and discrimination policies Student use of school technology, artificial intelligence, social media, and digital resources Advertising and commercial partnerships in schools Eligibility and access to extracurricular activities Student journalism, expression, and communication Why might you want to change policies in schools? Reasons for reviewing school policy may include improving student health and well-being, strengthening teaching and learning, expanding access and inclusion, improving school climate, supporting safety, protecting rights, and responding to changing community circumstances. People may disagree about which policy best serves students. A strong process makes room for those differences while keeping student learning, well-being, rights, accessibility, and long-term development at the center of the discussion. To improve students' health and well-being Schools influence health through the environments, services, information, relationships, and opportunities they provide. Possible policy areas include: Tobacco- and nicotine-free school environments Nutritious and culturally responsive breakfast and lunch programs Food and beverage standards for vending machines and other school sales Regular opportunities for physical activity, movement, and recreation Age-appropriate, evidence-informed health education Access to school nursing, counseling, behavioral health, and other student-support services Policies supporting adequate rest, safe athletics, heat safety, and injury prevention To improve education Policy changes can address curriculum, teaching methods, instructional materials, schedules, assessment, graduation requirements, academic supports, technology, and access to advanced or specialized learning. Areas to consider include: Course content Textbooks and other instructional materials World-language and multilingual-learning opportunities Interdisciplinary learning Advanced coursework, dual enrollment, career and technical education, and other academic opportunities High expectations paired with appropriate instruction and support School-day and academic-year schedules Student assessment Graduation requirements Academic policy should be reviewed with attention to both evidence and implementation. Raising expectations, for example, is unlikely to improve outcomes if students do not also have access to high-quality instruction, appropriate accommodations, academic support, qualified educators, technology, and other resources needed to meet those expectations. Scheduling is another area where local circumstances matter. Schools may consider class length, start times, instructional hours, transportation, extracurricular activities, family schedules, staff contracts, and student well-being when designing the academic day or year. To expand access and support for students with different needs and experiences Students do not all need the same supports in order to participate fully in school. Policy may be needed to remove barriers and provide equitable access to learning, services, activities, and school life. Students who may benefit from additional or specialized supports include: Students with physical, sensory, communication, or mobility disabilities Students with mental health or behavioral health support needs Students with intellectual or developmental disabilities Students with learning disabilities Multilingual learners and students developing proficiency in English Student parents and students with caregiving responsibilities Students experiencing housing instability, economic barriers, foster care, family disruption, or other circumstances that may affect access to education Strength-based policy asks what conditions will help students participate and succeed rather than defining students primarily by a diagnosis, background, language, or challenge. To improve classroom and school climate and culture School climate refers to how students, families, and staff experience the learning environment. It can include relationships, expectations, belonging, physical and emotional safety, fairness, communication, participation, and trust. Policies that influence school climate may address: Dress codes and whether they are clear, equitable, respectful, and consistently applied Discipline, including prevention, restorative approaches, due process, accountability, and responses to harmful behavior Advising and student-support systems Counseling and behavioral health services Inclusion and mutual respect across differences in race, ethnicity, language, disability, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, culture, and other characteristics Peer mediation and conflict-resolution programs Student-teacher and student-staff relationships Opportunities for students, educators, staff, and families to participate meaningfully in decisions that affect them To support student and staff safety Safety policy should respond to the actual risks and circumstances of a school rather than assumptions about particular neighborhoods or groups of students. School safety may involve physical, emotional, environmental, digital, and health-related concerns. Possible areas for policy review include: School entry, visitor, emergency-response, and other security procedures, evaluated for effectiveness and their effects on students and school climate Bullying, harassment, intimidation, and violence-prevention policies Maintenance and repair of building hazards Safer use, storage, and replacement of hazardous chemicals, cleaning products, pesticides, and other materials Disciplinary practices that protect students from physical harm and comply with current law and professional standards Athletic safety, including equipment, heat exposure, injury management, return-to-play practices, training demands, and access to qualified health professionals Emergency preparedness, crisis response, threat assessment, and communication Digital safety, privacy, cyberbullying, and responsible technology use Different safety approaches can have different benefits, limitations, and effects on school climate. Schools should consider evidence, student and staff experiences, legal requirements, implementation capacity, and possible unintended consequences when choosing among them. To safeguard students' rights Students have legal rights as well as responsibilities within the educational setting. Those rights may differ according to age, jurisdiction, school type, and the circumstances involved. Policies may need to address: Religious freedom and the appropriate relationship between religion and school-sponsored activities Student speech, expression, journalism, and digital communication Equal treatment, nondiscrimination, accessibility, disciplinary due process, privacy, and freedom from harassment or physical harm Because student-rights law changes over time and may differ by jurisdiction, schools and community groups should consult current official guidance and qualified legal counsel when a proposed policy raises significant legal questions. To respond to a community priority or changing circumstances Changes in enrollment, language use, transportation, technology, public health, housing, community demographics, or other circumstances may create reasons to review school policy. For example, a school may expand multilingual services when enrollment changes, revise visitor procedures after a safety assessment, modify transportation when housing patterns change, or update technology policies as new digital tools become part of education. A community priority should be examined alongside student needs, educational evidence, available resources, legal responsibilities, and the experiences of people who will be affected. When should you try to change policies in schools? Policy review can happen whenever evidence, experience, or changing circumstances suggest that current practices are not producing intended results. Some moments may provide especially useful opportunities: Before a new school year or planning cycle. Changes involving schedules, staffing, curriculum, transportation, contracts, or facilities may be easier to implement when there is adequate planning time. When data or community experience identify a need. Enrollment patterns, academic outcomes, attendance, student surveys, disciplinary data, health information, or other evidence may indicate that a policy should be reviewed. When an incident reveals a gap in existing policy or implementation. A harassment complaint, accessibility concern, safety incident, technology problem, or other event may reveal a broader issue that deserves review. When existing policy appears inconsistent with educational goals, current evidence, or legal requirements. Review the policy carefully and determine whether the problem lies in the policy itself, its implementation, or both. When student or staff health and safety concerns require attention. Some concerns may require immediate action, while others can be addressed through a regular policy-review process. When students', families', or employees' rights or access may be affected. Policy review may be appropriate when people report discrimination, exclusion, inconsistent treatment, barriers to participation, or other concerns. Who should be involved in changing school policies? Involving people who are affected by a policy and people responsible for carrying it out can improve both the quality of the policy and the likelihood that it will be implemented effectively. Depending on the issue, participants may include: Students Parents, caregivers, and families The school board, School Committee, or other governing body The superintendent Other school and district administrators Teachers and other school employees Students and communities particularly affected by the proposed policy, such as multilingual learners, students with disabilities, student parents, or members of other relevant groups Organizations or professionals with relevant knowledge, such as health professionals, disability advocates, transportation specialists, youth-serving organizations, or public-safety professionals Residents and other community members Students should be included meaningfully when policies directly affect their daily experiences. Participation should be developmentally appropriate and should not require students to disclose personal experiences publicly in order for their perspectives to be taken seriously. No one participant should be expected to speak for an entire racial, cultural, linguistic, disability, religious, or other community. How do you change policies in schools? Formal school policy usually must be adopted by the person or governing body with authority to make that decision. Effective policy change also requires the educators, staff, students, and others affected by the policy to understand how it should work in practice. Policy ideas may originate from within the school system or from students, families, community organizations, staff, researchers, public agencies, or others outside it. Begin by understanding the problem and the decision-making process rather than assuming that conflict will be necessary. In some cases, the people responsible for the current policy may already recognize the concern and be willing to work collaboratively on improvements. Assemble a group and clarify the issue Bring together people who understand different parts of the issue. Depending on the policy, this might include students, families, teachers, administrators, student-support professionals, staff representatives, and community partners. A participatory process can help distinguish among several possibilities: The policy itself needs to change The policy is appropriate but is not being implemented consistently Staff or students need additional information, training, or resources A smaller procedural change could address the concern The issue requires action by another institution or level of government Establish clear ways to coordinate the work and keep participants informed. A formal organization may not be necessary, but people should know who is gathering information, communicating with the school, arranging meetings, and documenting next steps. Do your homework Learn about the current policy. Obtain the actual written policy when possible. Also learn how it is implemented in practice. Sometimes a concern results from inconsistent implementation rather than the wording of the policy itself. Determine whether the issue is governed by school policy, district policy, collective bargaining agreements, state or federal requirements, or another authority. Understand the issue and the available evidence. Review relevant research, local data, student and family experiences, staff perspectives, and results from other schools or districts. Take competing evidence and concerns seriously. The purpose of research should be to understand the issue and improve the proposal, not simply to collect information that supports a conclusion already reached. If people who disagree with the proposal raise legitimate concerns, incorporate those concerns where possible. A disagreement may reveal an unintended consequence, implementation problem, cost, legal issue, or value conflict that deserves attention even when the overall proposal still has merit. Research alternatives. A policy should not be changed simply because the current approach is unpopular or imperfect. Compare several possible approaches and examine what is known about their effectiveness, costs, accessibility, feasibility, and unintended effects. Develop a clear rationale. Be prepared to explain: What problem or opportunity the proposal addresses What evidence shows that the issue deserves attention How students and others are currently affected What the proposed policy would change What outcomes are expected What resources, training, staffing, or funding would be required What alternatives were considered What unintended consequences may occur How the policy would be evaluated after implementation Include appropriate expertise. Researchers, educators, legal professionals, health professionals, disability specialists, community organizations, and others may contribute useful knowledge depending on the issue. Lived experience is also expertise. Students and families who experience a policy firsthand may identify effects that are not visible in administrative data or professional research. Personal experiences should be shared voluntarily and with attention to privacy. Do not rely on students' or families' personal stories primarily because they may be emotionally persuasive. Understand the school system and the decision-making process Learn which person or body has authority over the policy, which staff members will implement it, and what formal procedures apply. Questions may include: Is this a classroom, school, district, or state-level policy? Who has authority to change it? Is there a regular policy-review process? Are there public meetings, advisory committees, or comment opportunities? Does the proposal affect a collective bargaining agreement? Are legal review, accessibility review, financial analysis, or other approvals required? Who will be responsible for implementation if the policy changes? Attend public governing-body meetings or review meeting materials when appropriate to understand procedures, timelines, responsibilities, and how policy decisions are made. Focus on roles and processes rather than trying to determine which individuals can be personally influenced. Understanding people's publicly stated concerns and responsibilities may be useful, but policy development should remain centered on the merits, effects, and implementation of the proposal. Decide whether policy change is actually needed Sometimes a formal change is not the best solution. Alternatives may include: Clarifying or consistently implementing an existing policy Reinterpreting or updating guidance connected with an existing policy Developing a compromise or modified approach that addresses the central concern Providing additional staff training, resources, accommodations, or student supports Addressing a problem through administrative or personnel processes when the issue concerns individual conduct rather than policy Working through a broader legislative or regulatory process when the issue extends beyond one school system Using appropriate administrative or legal processes when rights or legal responsibilities may be involved Personnel matters should be handled through appropriate employment, supervisory, contractual, or legal processes. Avoid treating removal of an individual employee as a substitute for addressing broader organizational or policy problems. Draft the proposed policy A written draft can clarify what the proposed change would actually require. Review the draft with students, families, educators, administrators, staff responsible for implementation, and others affected by the policy. Pay particular attention to: Unintended consequences. Consider how the policy could affect different students, families, employees, and school settings. Clarity. Define important terms, responsibilities, procedures, and exceptions so people understand what the policy requires. Possible misuse or inconsistent implementation. Consider whether unclear language could lead to arbitrary, discriminatory, or unintended application. Culture, religion, disability, language, and other forms of difference. Review whether the proposal creates unnecessary barriers or conflicts and whether reasonable accommodations or exceptions may be required. Equity. Examine whether benefits, restrictions, disciplinary consequences, costs, or participation opportunities are distributed differently among groups of students. Implementation. Determine what staffing, training, communication, funding, technology, facilities, or other resources will be necessary. Evaluation. Decide how the school will know whether the policy is working as intended. When a policy involves potentially contested areas such as religion, student expression, health education, disability accommodation, privacy, or other legal rights, consult current applicable law and district guidance rather than assuming one approach applies everywhere. Make the policy-development process as collaborative as possible When appropriate, consider a working group or advisory committee that includes students, families, teachers, administrators, other employees, governing-body members, and relevant community partners. Collaboration does not require everyone to agree. It means that people have meaningful opportunities to understand the proposal, contribute information, raise concerns, suggest alternatives, and see how their input affects the final recommendation. Begin with the appropriate level of responsibility In many situations, it makes sense to begin with the person or office closest to the issue. A classroom concern may begin with a teacher. A school-wide issue may begin with the principal. A district-wide policy may involve district administration or the governing body. Some matters require immediate escalation because of safety, discrimination, harassment, abuse, legal requirements, or another serious concern. Follow applicable reporting, complaint, emergency, and safeguarding procedures in those situations. Beginning at the appropriate level can make resolution faster and can help involve the people who will ultimately be responsible for carrying out any change. Present the proposal through the appropriate process If formal governing-body approval is required, learn how to request agenda time, submit written materials, provide public comment, or participate through another established process. A useful presentation should explain the issue, evidence, proposed change, expected benefits, costs, implementation requirements, alternatives considered, and how the policy will be evaluated. Community participation can help decision-makers understand how the proposal affects different people. Encourage participation from students, families, educators, staff, and other relevant community members without treating attendance numbers alone as proof that one position is correct. Media coverage may help the broader community understand an issue, but communication should remain accurate and transparent rather than being designed primarily to place pressure on particular decision-makers. If students, families, or other community members speak publicly, allow them to decide what experiences they want to share. Do not select speakers mainly because their identities or personal stories are expected to be more persuasive. During meetings: Present the proposal clearly and consistently while allowing different participants to describe their own perspectives Respond to questions and competing evidence respectfully; if you do not know an answer, say so and follow up with reliable information Follow applicable meeting time limits and procedures Allow adequate time for review when the governing body's procedures or the complexity of the proposal require additional discussion A modified proposal, pilot program, phased implementation, or additional study may sometimes address concerns that arise during review. A compromise is useful when it preserves the central purpose of the proposal while responding to legitimate implementation, cost, access, or community concerns. If the proposal is not adopted, understand why A proposal may be rejected for several reasons. Decision-makers may disagree about its likely effects, believe the evidence is incomplete, identify legal or financial concerns, prefer another solution, or conclude that the issue does not require a policy change. Rather than assuming rejection reflects unwillingness to change, examine the reasons provided. Decision-makers believe the proposal would not improve outcomes for students. Review the evidence, examine their concerns, gather additional information if necessary, and consider whether the proposal should be revised. The proposal creates significant implementation, financial, contractual, or staffing challenges. Determine whether those barriers can be addressed through additional resources, phased implementation, a pilot program, or another approach. The disagreement involves values, rights, evidence, or different understandings of educational practice. Clarify where the disagreement lies, use reliable evidence, seek appropriate expertise, and continue discussion through established school and community processes. If serious concerns remain unresolved, participants may use the administrative, public-comment, complaint, mediation, legal, or other civic processes available in their jurisdiction. Community members may also participate in broader public discussions about education policy through lawful civic processes. Keep the focus on the policy issue, evidence, student experiences, and institutional responsibilities rather than on personal attacks against individual decision-makers. Media engagement, public meetings, petitions, demonstrations, or other forms of civic participation may be appropriate in some circumstances. These approaches are most constructive when they communicate the issue accurately, respect participants' rights and safety, and create opportunities for the public to understand the substance of the disagreement. When legal rights may have been violated, established complaint procedures, administrative review, mediation, or legal advice may be appropriate. Legal action can involve substantial time and resources, so organizations and families should obtain qualified advice about their specific circumstances. Once a policy changes, focus on implementation and evaluation Adoption is not the end of the process. Determine: Who is responsible for implementing the policy What training or communication is needed What resources are required How students and families will learn about the change Whether accommodations or language access are needed How implementation will be monitored What feedback students, families, and staff can provide What outcomes will be examined When the policy will be reviewed again Evaluation may show that the policy is working as intended, needs modification, is being implemented inconsistently, or is creating effects that were not anticipated. Successful policy change should create an ongoing learning process rather than an assumption that the issue is permanently settled. In Summary School policies influence students' education, health, safety, rights, access, relationships, and daily experiences. Reviewing those policies may be appropriate when evidence, community experience, changing circumstances, or implementation problems show that the current approach is not meeting its intended goals. Effective policy change begins by understanding the issue, current policy, legal and organizational context, decision-making process, and experiences of the people affected. Students, families, educators, administrators, other school employees, governing bodies, and relevant community partners should have meaningful opportunities to participate when their knowledge or experiences are relevant to the decision. A strong process examines evidence and alternatives, considers costs and unintended consequences, uses clear and inclusive policy language, follows appropriate decision-making procedures, and remains open to revising the proposal when important concerns emerge. Once a policy is adopted, implementation and evaluation are essential. The goal is not simply to win a policy change, but to create school policies and practices that support student learning, health, safety, inclusion, accessibility, rights, and long-term well-being. Contributor Phil Rabinowitz Resources Online Resources Eight steps to policy change from North Carolina Tobacco-Free Schools. ERIC Digest 148 – school dress policies (uniforms and other dress codes as violence prevention). Gay Lesbian Straight Education Network. Gets you to a huge resource for gay/lesbian/straight issues. How to start a gay/lesbian/straight alliance in a school, a PowerPoint. Kit on changing food policy in schools
