St. John the Baptist Parish School Board adopts revised student-assignment, service-animal and other policies

The St. John the Baptist Parish School Board on June 20 adopted multiple policy changes affecting student assignment, professional development and the use of service animals in schools.

The board approved a revised Student Assignment policy (JBCC) that reaffirms that school placement is generally determined by the student's domicile while reserving the board's authority to assign or transfer students when circumstances warrant. The policy formalizes verification-of-residence procedures the district may use when a student's residence is suspected to be outside an attendance zone, citing documents such as a voter registration card, property tax statement showing homestead exemption, certified custody orders or other documentation. It also directs principals to monitor enrollment and to take steps to terminate or transfer unauthorized enrollments and notes special-education placement exceptions when an appropriate program is unavailable within a student's attendance zone.

Why it matters: Residency rules affect where students can attend school and how resources are allocated across the district; the policy also establishes formal steps the district will take when it believes a student lives outside a school's zone.

The board also approved GAD, a revised professional-development policy that encourages ongoing training for certified personnel and describes an educational-assistance program. The policy text notes that the assistance program is dependent on grant funding and sets a maximum benefit amount per calendar year in the policy language.

On a separate motion the board adopted a new Service Animals in Schools policy (IDDFB). The policy defines a service animal as a dog individually trained to perform tasks for an individual with a disability and allows, in certain circumstances and on a case-by-case basis, the use of a miniature horse trained to do work or perform tasks. The policy requires a written request to the superintendent or designee describing the need and the tasks performed by the animal and advises that additional documentation may be requested. It also sets procedures for removal of an animal (for example if it is out of control or not housebroken), requires a harness or other tether unless it would interfere with the animal's work, and puts responsibility for care, supervision and any damage on the animal's owner with a required indemnity agreement in some cases.

At the meeting Triche moved to approve the Student Assignment revision; Frizzell seconded. The GAD and service-animal policies were similarly approved in roll-call votes recorded in the minutes.

Items introduced but not adopted at the meeting included a comprehensive revision to the district's testing-security policy (II) and a new Business Continuity and Technology Disaster Recovery policy (EFD); both were presented for initial consideration and scheduled for further review.

The board made no changes to the statutory references included with the policies. The meeting minutes list the full policy text and statutory citations; those references are available in the board's posted packet.

What's next: Policies adopted at the meeting take effect according to the board's rules and are posted on the district website. The testing-security and disaster-recovery policies will return to the board for action at a later date.