The Board of Education has revised two policies for public comment, one on student rights and responsibilities and one on legal services. Individuals are encouraged to respond in writing if they have comments about either or both of the revised policies.

§ Policy JFA, Student Rights and Responsibilities, specifies the rights, privileges, and responsibilities of students in a learning community designed to foster intellectual development, citizenship, responsibility, and mutual respect among students as they engage in the education process. The revision removed extensive text in the policy that duplicated language included in administrative regulation. Both a version of the policy incorporating the revised text and one showing all of the revisions are available for comparative review as one document.

§Policy BOA, Legal Services, reaffirms the right of the Board of Education to retain attorneys for advice and representation in legal matters and outlines the process for retaining such services.

Both policies are available on the web at the link below, from the Department of Communications, Montgomery County Public Schools, 850 Hungerford Drive, Room 112, Rockville, Maryland 20850, or by calling 301-279-3853.

Individuals who wish to comment about these revised policies should respond in writing to the Office of the Superintendent of Schools, 850 Hungerford Drive, Rockville, Maryland 20850. Responses to the two revised policies are due by different dates. Responses to Policy JFA are due by February 27, 2004. Responses to Policy BOA are due by March 12, 2004. All responses will be shared with the Board of Education.