School policy refers to written rules or guidelines developed by school districts or governing bodies to direct how schools operate. Policies outline expectations for areas such as safety, discipline, inclusion, and decision-making processes. They are intended to provide consistency and clarity about how schools should respond to particular situations. However, the existence of a policy does not always guarantee that practices align with it in everyday settings. Families sometimes encounter gaps between policy language and actual practice within schools. Reviewing policies can help clarify what schools have formally committed to doing and can provide a framework for raising concerns when practices appear inconsistent with those commitments.