Board reviews broad policy package: NIL, religious release time, AI and procurement thresholds

At the March 2 meeting the superintendent walked the board through a policy packet covering 16 policies, touching on topics from student-athlete NIL to artificial-intelligence guidance and procurement thresholds.

The district introduced a new NIL (name, image and likeness) athletics policy (2431.06) that follows Ohio High School Athletic Association guidance and sets a local framework should high-school NIL activity occur. The superintendent noted there is pending state-level legislation that could affect NIL rules statewide.

On religious release time, the superintendent explained a sequence of state actions (HB 8, HB 96, HB 57) changing release-time rules: districts must allow at least one release period per week and the default cap is two periods per week unless a board policy sets a different limit. The superintendent said the district’s draft policy aligns with the new legal minimums and clarifies that students cannot be released from core-curriculum courses.

The board also reviewed a new affinity-rewards policy (6465) consistent with Ohio Ethics Commission guidance allowing employees to keep rewards earned through official travel under restricted conditions, and policies clarifying tax-exempt certificate use and certain purchasing updates. The superintendent reviewed federal procurement thresholds (micro-purchase up to $15,000; small purchase/price analysis threshold $350,000) adopted Oct. 1, 2025.

An administrative proposal to raise the board-approval threshold for purchases from $5,000 to $10,000 drew discussion. Several board members said they preferred to keep the $5,000 threshold for now; the superintendent said he would reflect that preference in the second-reading draft. The AI policy was updated to integrate parts of the Ohio Department of Education model, emphasize acceptable-use alignment and recommend limited, teacher-guided use in elementary and middle grades while allowing controlled use at the high-school level.

The policies will return for additional readings and formal adoption; the superintendent and legal counsel noted districts should not alter model-policy language without counsel review.