Who Really Runs Your School Day-to-Day? (Hint: It’s Not Who You Think.)

Federal law sets the floor (non-negotiable rights and rules).
State law & your SEA (e.g., MDE) set the lane lines you drive in all day.
Local board policy hands you the playbook you use with staff.
Your job? Stay in all three—without drifting.

Not legal advice; it’s a principal-tested, policy-aligned way to keep your school safe, compliant, and moving.

The Myth vs. the Monday Morning

We hear it all the time: “This is federal—we have to.” True… but federal usually shows up as the guardrails: IDEA/504, Title IX, FERPA, ESSA. Those guardrails matter (crash into them and it’s a headline), but they don’t write your bell schedule, attendance minutes, testing windows, accountability model, or day-to-day paperwork.

That grind? State law and your state department do that. And the local board policy translates it into the forms and steps your team actually follows.

Translation: You feel state every hour; you fear federal when it triggers; you use local policy every time you act.

A Principal’s Hierarchy (that actually works)

Federal rights first
If an issue touches disability services (IDEA/504), discrimination/harassment (Title IX), records access (FERPA)—you lead with federal procedure. Period.
Then the state/SEA rule set
Accountability, testing, participation, accreditation, attendance (often minutes/hours, not days), discipline limitations, restraint/seclusion rules, notifications, timelines.
Then your board policy/handbook
How you operationalize it: who completes which form, who calls whom, where it’s documented, what the timeline is.
Document like an auditor is watching
Because… they are. And future-you will thank present-you.

Sticky note mantra: Federal sets the floor. State implements. Board policy is your workflow.

Why State Law Hits Your Desk Every Hour

Accountability model: The points, cut scores, and participation rules shape calendars, PLC agendas, and messaging to families.
Attendance: States increasingly define time (minutes/hours) to earn credit—your master schedule and check-in/out routines live here.
Discipline parameters: State rules can prohibit or limit practices (e.g., corporal punishment with disabilities), require reporting, and outline due process.
Testing & security: State windows, accommodations protocols, who can proctor, how to store materials, what to do when someone sneezes on a test booklet (kidding… kind of).
Safety/Restraint/Seclusion: Definitions, logs, and timelines are spelled out by the state; your board policy echoes them.

Bottom line: state + board is your daily muscle memory.

But What About Federal Title Funds? Can States “Do What They Want”?

Short answer: No. States have bounded discretion. Federal Titles come with formulas, set-asides, and cross-cutting rules (hello, 2 CFR 200). Here’s the real-world map:

Title I-A: Most dollars must flow to LEAs by federal formula (Basic, Concentration, Targeted, EFIG). States can reserve limited set-asides (e.g., School Improvement) and define how those set-aside dollars are awarded—but they can’t freestyle the whole pot.
Title II-A: State keeps a small slice for state activities/admin; the rest goes to LEAs via formula (population + poverty).
Title IV-A: Subgrants to LEAs with 20/20/60 use requirements at the LEA level (well-rounded; safe/healthy; technology).
Always on: Supplement-Not-Supplant, allowability, procurement, equitable services, maintenance of effort, comparability, time & effort, inventory. States can be stricter than federal—but not looser.

What this means at school level: Your district can’t spend Title dollars just because “the state said it’s fine.” It must be federally allowable, state-aligned, in your approved plan, and documented. (Four doors; walk through all of them.)

The Principal’s “Go/No-Go” on Funding & Initiatives

Before you green-light an idea, run this in order:

Is there a federal right in play?
- IDEA/504, Title IX, FERPA → follow those timelines and procedures first.
What does the state require?
- Minutes, deadlines, notices, forms; accountability implications.
What does our board policy say?
- If it isn’t in policy (or your handbook aligned to policy), add it before you enforce it.
Funding reality check
- Is it allowable under the Title we want to use?
- Does it supplement, not supplant?
- Is it already in the approved plan/budget? If not, amend first.
- Do we have evidence, procurement, time & effort, and inventory lined up?
Document need → selection → implementation → results.
- That’s the auditor’s favorite four-part story.
Handy tool: Here’s a one-page flowchart you can share with APs/coaches:

Title_Funds_Flowchart_OnePager_v2 Download

“Worst-Case Scenario” Decision Making (Why It Protects You)

It’s not pessimism; it’s prudence. When I decide as if the worst case could happen, I:

choose the process that respects rights (federal),
meet the timelines (state),
and stay inside policy (local).
Popular? Maybe not. Defensible? Always. And that consistency calms staff and parents, because they can see the integrity of the lane lines.

School vs. Community: Clearing Up Local Law Confusion

A common tangle: “The school disciplined my child; I’m going to the police.”

Schools apply education law and policy (due process, codes of conduct).
Law enforcement applies criminal law.
Both can proceed, but most day-to-day student fights are resolved through the school system’s discipline track. Your job is to be clear, consistent, and documented—and to know when an incident must be reported externally per state rule or board policy.

Practical Scripts You Can Use Tomorrow

Staff: “Federal sets the floor. State sets our lane lines. Board policy is our workflow. If a right is in play, we follow federal first. Otherwise, state + policy all day.”
Parents: “We follow state law and board policy the same way for every student. That keeps it fair, safe, and consistent.”
District/CO: “Here’s the need, the policy tie-back, and how the spend is allowable. Here’s our evaluation plan and timeline.”

Five Moves That Keep You Out of the Ditch

Anchor everything to board policy (quote the code in communication).
Use checklists for IDEA/504, Title IX, FERPA requests—no improvisation.
Time-stamp key actions (notice sent, meeting held, parent contact).
Train your GLAs & coaches to run the same play every time.
Keep your receipts—needs assessment, evidence base, purchasing, time & effort, outcomes.

Final Word: Lead With Urgency and Integrity

Think outside the box—while keeping both feet firmly inside the box of law and policy. Federal rights protect your students. State rules shape your day. Local policy keeps your team on the same page. When you align all three, you get the most precious outcome of all: trust—from students, staff, parents, and your community.

School Leaders' Think Tank