Observer Report: Faribault School Board, 4.7.26

School Board Policy Committee Meeting April 7, 2026

Review of Policies 

A Policy 608: Instructional Services – Special Education

  • Moore: Does a child 0-6 yrs old need a diagnosis for services?
  • Special Education Specialist: They have their own criteria 
  • Moore: Does that diagnosis stick beyond age 6?
  • Special Education Specialist: The policy sunsets after that age.

 B Policy 612.1: Development of Parent Involvement Policies for Title I Programs

  • Moore: Do we need racial wording in here?
  • Bente: This is a mandatory policy 

C. Policy 704.1: Development and Maintenance of an Inventory of Capital Leases and Software Based Information Technology Agreements (SBITA’S)

  • Moore: Things under the spending threshold not recorded?
  • Bente: No

Revision of Policies

C. Policy 530: Immunization Requirements

  • Moore: What are the exceptions? This is an attempt to dismantle parental rights.

E. Policy 618: Assessment of Student Achievement

  • Moore: Why are they adding health?
  • Bente: Because the state is developing health standards which had not been there before. 

New Policies – DISCUSSION 

  • Bente: States first attempt at having an AI policy, this policy is not mandatory for us to adopt 
  • Berding: State will hold students and staff accountable for AI use
  • Bente: Wants to remind everyone this is not a mandatory policy 
  • Moore: Likes that human is in definitions pages because AI can not replace humans 
  • Berding: We should clarify if intent access is in an out of school
  • Moore: Likes that students have to indicate AI use
  • Steeves: What happens if kids do not indicate it?
  • Bente: It might be cheating. 
  • Steeves: So do we have to add cheating policy?
  • Bente: There is a practice in our handbooks.
  • Berding: Teacher training on how to spot AI is something we do, and how to deal with kids about why it is bad?
  • Moore: How can teachers tell? Are there tools?
  • Berding: Yes, but we can not let these tools by the arbiter 
  • Bente: We do not know where AI information is stored?
  • Berding: It would be hard for us to pull things, but we should be able to pull from gemini.
  • Bente: If this moves on it would simply be for a first reading.
  • Moore: Has this gone through legal?
  • Bente: No.

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