The Superintendent's Policy Advisory Committee meeting is focused almost entirely on reviewing and updating the district's Board Policy Manual for the 2026-27 school year. Rather than considering budgets or construction projects, the committee will examine a broad package of policy revisions driven primarily by legislative changes and recommendations from the Iowa Association of School Boards (IASB).
The packet identifies one immediate policy update and a larger set of legislative revisions. The current-needs item updates graduation requirements by revising social studies requirements beginning with the graduating classes of 2029-2030. In addition, seventeen policies are proposed for revision or creation to align district governance with recently enacted Iowa laws and IASB model policies.
Several proposed policies could have noticeable effects on students, families, and staff. These include a new disruptive behavior policy that expands expectations surrounding classroom discipline and support for educators, a new physical education policy reflecting statutory requirements, a new instructional technology policy that limits digital instruction for elementary students, and a new guidance and counseling policy establishing district expectations for K-12 counseling services.
The committee is also beginning its annual review of additional policy sections, including numerous policies in the 600- and 900-series. This meeting serves as an advisory review rather than a major financial session, but the recommendations developed here will shape future Board of Education policy actions affecting district operations, instructional programs, student services, governance, and compliance with Iowa law.
Major Discussion and Action Items
Graduation Requirements Update
The primary "current needs" policy revision concerns Policy 505.05 regarding student graduation requirements. According to the policy change summary, the proposed revision updates social studies graduation requirements beginning with the classes of 2029-2030 while also making minor grammatical corrections.
Because graduation requirements affect long-term academic planning, students entering high school over the coming years, along with counselors and families, will need to understand any revised course expectations before implementation.
Legislative Policy Alignment
The largest portion of the meeting addresses seventeen policy revisions recommended following legislative changes and IASB guidance.
Many proposed revisions do not create entirely new district programs. Instead, they update policy language, legal citations, titles, and organizational structure so district policies remain consistent with current Iowa statutes and statewide recommended policy language.
Committee discussion is expected to focus on whether West Des Moines Community Schools should adopt these recommended updates before they move through the district's formal board approval process.
New Disruptive Behavior Policy
One of the most significant proposals is a new Policy 503.11 addressing disruptive behavior.
The proposed policy affirms that classroom teachers have authority to remove students whose violent or nonviolent behavior substantially disrupts instruction while emphasizing that students remain entitled to due process protections under applicable law and district policy.
The proposal also includes several provisions affecting special education and Section 504 students. Staff responsible for implementing Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) and Section 504 plans would be required to review accommodations and document that review.
Additional provisions include:
- Participation by instructional support staff in certain IEP or Section 504 meetings.
- Training for IEP team members regarding least restrictive environment requirements.
- Availability of counseling or behavioral intervention support following disruptive incidents.
- Up to three days of paid leave for teachers recovering from injuries caused by violent student disruptions, with additional leave considered by the Superintendent upon medical recommendation.
These provisions are intended to balance classroom safety, student rights, and compliance with federal disability laws.
New Physical Education Policy
The proposed new physical education policy establishes district expectations for K-12 participation in physical education courses.
Students generally would be required to participate unless they qualify for recognized exemptions, including documented medical limitations, qualifying religious objections, participation in specified educational programs, Legislative Page service, Junior ROTC participation, or approved high school athletic waivers where permitted.
The proposal also outlines documentation requirements for parents and physicians when exemptions are requested.
Technology and Digital Instruction Policy
The proposed Technology and Instructional Materials policy represents one of the more visible operational changes for elementary families.
Among its provisions, digital instruction for students in kindergarten through grade five would generally be limited to no more than sixty minutes during each school day. Parents or guardians could request additional reductions in digital instruction.
The proposal also specifies that students in these grades would not use digital devices during recess, while identifying exceptions for special education accommodations, assistive technology, assessments, computer science instruction, and authorized online learning programs.
The policy further requires Board oversight whenever districtwide one-to-one device initiatives are adopted or renewed and requires completion of a technology adoption checklist consistent with Iowa law.
Student Guidance and Counseling Program
The committee will review a proposed new policy establishing expectations for a comprehensive K-12 guidance and counseling program.
Under the proposal, licensed school counselors would support students' academic, career, social, and emotional development while working collaboratively with families, teachers, administrators, and support staff.
The proposal formally recognizes counseling services as an integrated component of the district's educational program rather than a stand-alone support function.
Additional Governance Policy Revisions
Beyond the newly created policies, the committee will review numerous revisions affecting district governance and operations.
Examples include updates involving:
- Elections.
- Meeting notices.
- Equal employment opportunity.
- Open enrollment procedures.
- Student conduct.
- Student publications.
- Student activity programs.
- Medication administration.
- Instructional programs.
- Religious neutrality.
- Public examination of district records.
The packet also proposes rescinding the multicultural/gender fair education policy because its subject matter is expected to be addressed through other revised policies.
Financial Matters
The meeting packet does not present major financial actions such as contracts, bids, construction awards, grants, bond issues, or budget amendments.
No significant dollar amounts, appropriations, vendor agreements, or purchasing recommendations are identified in the accessible materials.
Instead, the meeting focuses on governance, legal compliance, instructional policy, and annual policy maintenance.
Policies, Ordinances, Resolutions, and Governance
The policy review is the central purpose of this meeting.
Highlights include:
- Revision of graduation requirements.
- Seventeen legislative policy updates recommended by IASB.
- Creation of new policies covering disruptive behavior, physical education, technology and instructional materials, and student guidance and counseling.
- Renaming certain policies to better match statewide policy organization.
- Updating legal references throughout the policy manual.
- Renumbering the special education policy to align with IASB formatting.
- Rescinding the multicultural/gender fair education policy because related language is incorporated elsewhere.
- Updating the public records policy under the title "Public Examination of District Records."
Many revisions appear intended to improve legal compliance rather than substantially alter district philosophy.
The committee will receive an overview of the 2026-27 policy review process.
The policy change sheet organizes proposed revisions into three primary categories:
- Current needs requiring immediate attention.
- Legislative updates recommended by IASB.
- Annual review of additional policy series.
The packet also notes that additional policies within the 600 and 900 series are scheduled for review during the 2026-27 cycle, reflecting the district's continuing process for keeping its policy manual current.
Personnel, Appointments, and Organizational Matters
No personnel appointments, employment contracts, resignations, retirements, or staffing recommendations are presented for action.
However, several proposed policies affect employee responsibilities, including:
- Teacher authority regarding disruptive classroom behavior.
- Documentation responsibilities for staff implementing IEPs and Section 504 plans.
- Annual evaluation of instructional technology.
- Collaboration among counselors, teachers, administrators, and families.
- Superintendent responsibility for developing implementing regulations under several new policies.
Projects, Facilities, Infrastructure, and Operations
No building construction, transportation projects, capital improvements, or major operational infrastructure projects are included in the accessible packet.
Operational changes instead center on instructional practices, including:
- Elementary limits on digital instruction.
- Procedures for one-to-one technology initiatives.
- Updated physical education participation requirements.
- Counseling program expectations.
- Classroom management procedures following disruptive behavior incidents.
These operational policies may influence daily instructional practices across district schools once formally adopted.
The packet does not identify a formal public hearing.
The advisory committee meeting itself provides an opportunity for policy discussion before recommendations advance through the district's Board of Education process.
Meeting information:
- Date: July 23, 2026
- Time: 7:00 a.m.
- Location: Learning Resource Center, Clive Room, 3550 Mills Civic Parkway, West Des Moines, Iowa 50265
Students and families may eventually experience updated graduation expectations, revised physical education exemption procedures, expanded counseling program expectations, and new standards governing instructional technology use.
Elementary families could see reduced classroom screen time if the proposed technology policy is adopted, along with restrictions on student device use during recess except where legally required or educationally appropriate.
Teachers and school staff would receive clearer policy direction regarding classroom disruptions, documentation responsibilities for special education and Section 504 plans, and access to support following disruptive incidents.
District leadership benefits from updated legal references and policy language intended to maintain compliance with Iowa law while aligning local policies with IASB recommendations.
Because this meeting is advisory in nature, the policies reviewed here are likely to inform future Board of Education consideration before becoming official district policy.
- How will the revised graduation requirements affect students already enrolled in middle school?
- What prompted the proposed changes to social studies graduation requirements?
- How will the district implement the sixty-minute elementary digital instruction limit?
- How will parents request additional reductions in digital instruction?
- What training will teachers receive regarding the new disruptive behavior policy?
- How will the district balance classroom safety with student due process protections?
- Why is the multicultural/gender fair education policy being rescinded rather than revised?
- How will the updated counseling policy change services currently available to students?
- What timeline is anticipated for formal Board consideration of these policy recommendations?
- Which additional policies in the 600 and 900 series will be reviewed later during the annual process?
Important Dates, Deadlines, and Next Steps
- July 23, 2026: Superintendent's Policy Advisory Committee reviews current policy proposals and legislative updates.
- 2026-27 School Year: Annual review continues for numerous policies within the 600 and 900 policy series.
- Classes of 2029-2030: Proposed graduation requirement revisions would begin affecting students under the updated social studies requirements if ultimately adopted.
- Future Board Meetings: Committee recommendations are expected to proceed through the district's normal Board of Education policy adoption process before taking effect.
Key Takeaways
- The meeting is devoted primarily to annual Board policy review.
- One current-needs policy updates graduation requirements beginning with the classes of 2029-2030.
- Seventeen legislative policy revisions are recommended based on Iowa law and IASB guidance.
- A new disruptive behavior policy strengthens guidance for classroom management while addressing student due process and disability protections.
- A proposed technology policy limits most K-5 digital instruction to sixty minutes per school day.
- The technology proposal also restricts student digital device use during elementary recess.
- New policies establish expectations for physical education participation and student counseling services.
- Several existing policies receive updated legal references, titles, and organizational changes.
- The multicultural/gender fair education policy is proposed for rescission because related language is addressed elsewhere.
- No major contracts, construction projects, or budget actions are included in the accessible packet.
Official Sources
About the Public Body
- Name: West Des Moines Community Schools
- Organization type: school-district
- Government body: school-boards
- Location: West Des Moines, iowa
- County: Polk
- Provider: simbli
Keywords
West Des Moines Community Schools, Superintendent's Policy Advisory Committee, Board Policy Advisory Committee, July 23 2026, IASB, Iowa Association of School Boards, graduation requirements, social studies requirements, disruptive behavior, classroom discipline, physical education, instructional technology, digital instruction, one-to-one devices, counseling program, student conduct, Section 504, IEP, special education, Board Policy Manual, legislative updates, public records, equal employment opportunity, open enrollment, student activities, medication administration, religious neutrality, governance, policy review
