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America First Policy Institute
Local Policy Brief
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| 📅 Thursday, October 1, 2026 to Calendar |
| 📄 View Official Agenda |
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We reviewed the upcoming agenda for New Hope-Solebury SD and found 5 items with policy significance ahead of the vote.
| PRIORITY (LEVEL 9) |
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Policy Mandates In-Person ‘Wellness Checks’ for Virtual Students
The second read of Policy 204.2 establishes a protocol for mandatory weekly ‘real-time visual wellness checks’ for students in the virtual academy. The policy’s escalation protocol for non-attendance includes an in-person wellness check at the student’s home within 24 hours of a missed conference and allows for contacting law enforcement or child welfare agencies. This represents a significant expansion of district authority into the homes of families choosing virtual education.
Policy Use
BRIEF STATE AFFAIRS: Item 4.A.1 contains Policy 204.2. Send the text of the escalation protocol to the state team as a concrete example of how state-level ‘wellness’ mandates are being implemented with invasive local policies.
Policy Lever: Parental Rights
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| PRIORITY (LEVEL 9) |
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Bullying Policy Allows Delaying Parental Notification
The second read of Policy 249 on Bullying/Cyberbullying contains a provision allowing the district to delay notifying parents of an incident. If staff or ‘other professionals’ believe notification could put a student at risk, the principal may delay it after consulting with legal counsel. This creates a significant exception to parental notification rights.
Policy Use
TRACK AND DOCUMENT: Item 4.A.1 contains Policy 249. Document this parental notification exception language and add the district to the state tracker for policies that limit parental rights.
Policy Lever: Parental Notification
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| PRIORITY (LEVEL 8) |
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District Adopts Discretionary Law Enforcement Referral Policy
Administrative Regulation 805.1-AR-1 gives administrators discretion on whether to report certain criminal offenses, such as simple assault and terroristic threats, to law enforcement. The policy encourages considering factors like a student’s disability and the use of ‘school-based diversion programs’ instead of police involvement. This reflects a shift away from mandatory reporting and consequences for certain offenses.
Policy Use
BRIEF STATE AFFAIRS: Item 4.B.1 contains AR 805.1-AR-1. Provide the text to the state team as an example of a district adopting policies that reduce law enforcement involvement in school discipline.
Policy Lever: School Discipline Policy
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| PRIORITY (LEVEL 7) |
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District Proposes New Restrictions on Public Comment
A new draft of Policy 903 on Public Comment in Board Meetings is under review. The policy sets a three-minute time limit and provides a detailed list of prohibited speech that can be used to terminate a speaker’s comments, including speech that is ‘profane’ or involves ‘racial, ethnic, religious or nationality intimidation.’ These rules could be used to limit public criticism of board policies.
Policy Use
TRACK AND DOCUMENT: Item 5.A contains the draft of Policy 903. Monitor this policy for its second reading and final vote, as it could set a precedent for restricting public comment.
Policy Lever: Public Comment Rules
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✅ Models to Replicate
Local actions worth capturing as model policy.
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| Model Policy (LEVEL 8) |
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District Policy Mandates Public Listing of Curriculum Materials
The second read of Policy 105 on Curriculum includes a provision requiring that ‘A listing of all curriculum materials shall be made available for the information of parents/guardians, students, staff and Board members.’ This policy codifies a key component of curriculum transparency.
How to Capture It
CAPTURE THE MODEL: Item 4.A.1 contains Policy 105. Secure the final adopted text and add it to the state model policy file for curriculum transparency.
✅ Why It Matters: Parental Rights
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District Leadership
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180 W Bridge St, New Hope, PA 18938 |
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America First Policy Institute
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