If a party is not satisfied with the decision of the state board, he or she has a right to appeal to the Appellate Division of the New Jersey Superior Court, then to the New Jersey Supreme Court. Not only are districts regulated by statute, code, and decisional law, but they must follow state and local policy as well. Local board of education members are the school district s policy makers. That is one of their primary functions. In fact, while the state establishes the broader framework within which school districts must operate, local boards of education set many of the policies and procedures that most directly affect students and staff.
Districts have policy manuals that contain written policies adopted by vote of the board.
Parents should be familiar with these policies and can request to see them at the school district s administration building. Parents can affect local policies by attending board meetings and participating in the process of creating local policy. Proposed policies are open for public input. For instance, parents often write to the Commissioner about the fall cut-off date set for a child s entrance to school in their district. Since there is no specific cut-off date prescribed by law, local districts make that decision as local policy.