Recess provides students with a needed break from their structured school day. It can improve children's physical, social, and emotional well-being, and enhance learning. Recess helps children meet the goal of 60 minutes of physical activity (PA) each day, as recommended by the US Department of Health and Human Services. National…

Food and beverage marketing often appears throughout schools in the form of posters, vending machine fronts, in-school television advertisements, school newspapers, textbook covers, sports equipment, and scoreboards. Many foods marketed in schools are of poor nutritional quality. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Institute of…

School districts have taken a variety of steps to encourage PE and PA among their students. The sections of this brief highlight areas where policy opportunities exist, as well as areas where policies are well-established relative to PE and PA. This brief summarizes the range of policy actions taken by public school districts, including reports…

The evaluation of a superintendent is often a stressful, unpleasant experience for both the superintendent and the members of the school board. Typical board trustees have little experience in evaluating CEOs. Worse yet, they are hamstrung by the limitations inherent to their roles. They lack the advantage of a day-to-day working relationship with…

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (IDEA 2004) and its final Part B Implementing Regulations describe how disagreements about special education services between parents and schools may be resolved. This guide for families will help readers to have a better understanding of resolution meetings, one of the ways in which…

Outlines steps a board of education can take in formulating policy to help prevent white collar crime in its district. (IRT)

The material presented in this pamphlet is a guide to the boards of education and the schools of New York State in setting up accounting procedures that conform to the regulations of the New York State Commissioner of Education for the control of extraclassroom activity funds. These funds are defined in those regulations as "funds raised…

Discusses the need for school board policies and provides an outline of typical categories that should be covered by policies. (IRT)

Argues that the development of policy that mandates a viable job description program is one of the paramount responsibilities of school boards. Provides a sample job description form. (JF)

Reprints of the five-part series, Bargaining for Beginners, are available from Reprint Dept., The American School Board Journal, 1233 Central St., Evanston, Ill. 60201 (

Provides guidelines a board of education should follow before a censorship controversy arises. Also includes a brief list of organizations that can assist in the preparation of guidelines for the selection of textbooks and other curricular materials, and, in handling complaints. (Author/IRT)

In constructing its policy concerning community groups' use of school facilities, the board should consider cost, conditions, insurance requirements, school representatives whose presence might be needed, scheduling, and security. (Author/IRT)