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What Should a Student Handbook Contain?

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What Should a Student Handbook Contain?

The world is advancing — new technologies and trends emerge each year. It's important for school administrators to update the student handbook continually to accommodate these changes. Still, there is more to consider. Is your student handbook clear? Does it emphasize the important policies to ensure students know them? Is the handbook specific to your school, district and community? 

This guide teaches administrators how to create a student handbook that is easy to digest and explores why it is important. 

Table of Contents

What Is a Student Handbook? 

A student handbook is the school's official statement of school rules. It includes general rules, guidelines, principles, the student code of conduct and administrator and school board contact information. Good student handbooks are updated, easy to navigate and unambiguous. 

What Is the Purpose of a Student Handbook? 

Student handbooks aim to inform students, parents and guardians about the guidelines, policies and information that enhance their quality of life and education in the school environment. They outline clear expectations and provide a framework for educators and students to ensure values are applied consistently throughout the school. Some of the main purposes include: 

  • Creating a safe and productive environment.
  • Ensuring the smooth operation of the school.
  • Attracting prospective parents, staff and pupils.
  • Communicating the school's core rules, procedures and regulations.

Why Are Student Handbooks Important? 

Student handbook policies and guidelines are important for five key reasons:

  • Consistency: Policies in the student handbook ensure all teachers and students are treated consistently and fairly. Outlining guidelines and expectations in all aspects of the school helps maintain uniformity and order. 
  • Safety: Student handbooks include information about emergency preparedness and how to mitigate challenging situations, ensuring the well-being of teachers, students and staff members. 
  • Fairness: Handbook policies promote fairness because all teachers and students have access to the same resources and opportunities. 
  • Accountability: Policies ensure accountability because they offer a basis for measuring progress, monitoring and identifying areas for improvement. This helps schools work toward continuous growth and development. 
  • Academic success: Setting expectations for academic standards in the student handbook ensures all students know which goals to work toward. This creates a positive and productive learning environment. 

What Should a Student Handbook Contain? 

7 things that a student handbook should contain

Here are some of the key school policies a student handbook should include.

1. Attendance Guidelines

Attendance can impact academic progress and success, making it important to outline attendance rules. Ensure the number you incorporate is clear and leaves little room for misunderstandings. The policy can include instances that may be seen as excused absences, unexcused absences and tardiness. 

2. Dress Codes

Whether your school requires uniforms or casual clothes, a dress code is essential for outlining the appropriate ways students may present themselves at school. Update this code yearly to ensure it accommodates new trends. For example, if a new fad starts and becomes distracting to other students, you can add this to the handbook for the following year as an example of what not to wear. 

3. Bullying Policies

A bullying policy can help students feel safer at your school. This policy should specify particular bullying behavior that is unacceptable and procedures for addressing those incidents. Doing so ensures that students know which types of behavior are wrong in case they were not aware before. The handbook should also include general guidelines on what to do if a student is being bullied, such as reporting to specific teachers. 

4. Discrimination and Harassment Rules

Discrimination and harassment policies aim to protect students from being treated differently or unfairly based on gender, race, age, disability or national origin. Private schools that receive federal funds are required to include this policy. 

Your policy should describe the prohibited actions and the investigation process the school will implement if there is discrimination. Implementing this policy will help promote a safe and peaceful learning environment. 

5. Respect Policies

Encouraging — and enforcing — mutual respect between students and teachers is important. Be sure to state that the same goes for substitute teachers. These individuals often have issues gaining students' trust and respect because they have not known them as long as their regular teachers. This policy may help you attract teachers and substitutes who want to work in a respectful environment. 

Make sure to state that there will be consequences for both students and teachers who do not abide by this rule. 

6. Emergency Procedures 

Include a section about emergency procedures to give students, parents, guardians and staff members peace of mind. This policy should outline the procedures for different emergencies, such as threats, lockdowns, emergency closings and severe weather. It should also include all emergency numbers inside and outside of the school. 

7. Student Discipline Guidelines

Create a section explaining the details of student disciplinary procedures. This will help parents understand what processes their child might go through to ensure that a student is only disciplined if the teachers and other students can prove that a student behaved improperly. The policy also ensures that students cannot argue that they were not informed about the consequences. 

Considerations for Creating a Student Handbook 

Before you compile your student handbook, consider the following tips for maximizing its impact: 

  • Emphasize important policies: Your student handbook should be digestible and easy to follow. For this reason, make sure it only includes need-to-know information in simple language. The focus of the handbook should be what students should do to be part of a constructive, positive school community rather than simply stating how students could get in trouble. 
  • Provide two separate handbooks: If you have more to say than your digestible student handbook, it helps to create a separate, more comprehensive handbook with examples and other policies that are important to your school. 
  • Include pictures: Some policies may be easier to understand when you include pictures and infographics. You could also place these images around the school for periodic reminders of these important policies. 
  • Create a disclaimer: Include a disclaimer to say that the handbook is not all-encompassing. You want parents, teachers and students to know that the handbook will be revised to ensure student well-being, and new situations can be added over time if you find that certain situations were not addressed. 

Leverage Student Handbooks From Success by Design 

Ensuring your school's student handbooks look appealing is just as important as adding pictures and keeping the language clear and concise. 

Success by Design develops high-quality student handbook materials to help you create the ideal handbook for your school. Simply submit your print-ready handbook PDF, choose from our available templates and we'll print numerous copies in a presentable manner. We welcome you to check our student handbook offerings and work with our friendly customer service representatives today! 

A student handbook available for sale from Success by Design


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