Ministry Policy Site


How to Read a Policy Document

This page explains what each section of a policy document means. The ministry policies on this site generally follow the format below.


Ministry Policy Site


Policy Document: [Name of Policy]

[Date policy issued and/or date policy is in effect.] [Status of Policy.]

[A plain language overview of the policy to be listed here.]

[Any major changes to a policy to be listed here in point form.]


POLICY STATEMENT

[Usually, the policy statment is the major guide to future action. It is generalized, philosophically based and goal oriented.]

RATIONALE

[This briefly introduces the policy and porivdes a history or rationale for the policy.]

LEGISLATION/REGULATIONS

[The sections of the School Act or other statutes that apply to the policy are reproduced or lined under this section. Unless otherwise refrence, "the Act" means the School Act. Regulations are law. Authority for a regulation is contained in the statute.]

POLICY

[Elaborates on the Policy Statement. May idenfity specific objectives/goals of the policy. Provides additional information and interpretation of the Policy Statement.]

PROCEDURES

[Procedures outline the steps required to implement the policy. Generally, they outline who does what, how, and in what order. Procedures can be either "mandatory" or "discretionary." The two types are quickly distinguished by reference to their verbs:

  • Use of the word "shall", or "must" indicates mandatry items.
  • Use of the word "may" or "should" indicates discretionary items.]

 

Topic Contents

    [Contact information is porvided for one or more ministry staff to whom questions relating to the policy may be directed.]
    [Other manuals, handbooks, documents, reports, Acts, regulations and policies are identified and linked (or access information otherwise provided) which provide additional information with respect to a particular policy.]