School Governance Manual for External Wireless Siting Decisions
A district-level governance framework supporting structured review, documentation discipline, and defensible decision-making for external wireless proposals affecting school environments
Who this is for
- Superintendent
- Board of Education
- District Legal Counsel
- Facilities & Operations Leadership
- Cabinet / Executive Leadership
Why this manual exists
School districts increasingly encounter external wireless infrastructure proposals that originate outside district control but directly affect school environments. These proposals often intersect with fragmented regulatory authority, evolving federal standards, and unclear administrative responsibility boundaries.
Absent a formal governance framework, districts may rely on ad-hoc decision structures, incomplete documentation, or inconsistent communication practices. This can create defensibility challenges, governance ambiguity, and long-term institutional exposure unrelated to any single siting outcome.
This manual exists to address that governance gap by establishing a structured, documented, and administratively coherent approach to external wireless siting decisions affecting school environments.
What this manual governs
This manual governs:
- District-level administrative review of external wireless siting proposals affecting school property or proximity
- Governance considerations related to federal regulatory constraints and administrative discretion
- Documentation practices supporting defensible institutional decision-making
- Board-level positioning and administrative coordination across departments
- Communication governance related to parent engagement and intergovernmental coordination
Boundary statement
This manual does not provide legal advice, medical guidance, engineering services, or technical determinations. It consults on governance, documentation, oversight structure, and institutional decision defensibility.
Table of contents
SECTION 1 — Administrative Orientation for District Leadership
Category: Governance Orientation & Institutional Scope
Consults on: Purpose, administrative role, decision boundaries, and internal framing.
1.1 Purpose and Intended Use of This Manual
1.2 School District Standing in External Infrastructure Decisions
1.3 Scope Limitations and Exclusions
SECTION 2 — Federal Regulatory Context and Administrative Constraints
Category: Federal Policy Awareness
Consults on: Federal exposure standards, regulatory scope, and judicial context.
2.1 Overview of FCC Exposure Framework
2.2 Judicial Review of FCC Exposure Standards
2.3 Administrative Implications of Federal Limitations
SECTION 3 — Vulnerable Populations and Developmental Considerations
Category: Population Sensitivity Awareness
Consults on: Developmental context, federal acknowledgments, and administrative relevance.
3.1 Children as a Recognized Vulnerable Population
3.2 Developmental Sensitivity and Environmental Context
3.3 Federal Agency Positions on Chronic Exposure Evaluation
SECTION 4 — Distance-Based Research Patterns and Administrative Relevance
Category: Comparative Research Context
Consults on: Proximity patterns, exposure logic, and siting considerations.
4.1 Overview of International Distance-Based Research
4.2 Relevance of Distance in Exposure Modeling
4.3 Application of Distance Patterns to School Environments
SECTION 5 — Industry Risk Disclosures and Institutional Awareness
Category: Industry Transparency & Risk Framing
Consults on: Carrier disclosures, uncertainty acknowledgments, and administrative interpretation.
5.1 Overview of Wireless Carrier Risk Disclosures
5.2 Administrative Interpretation of Industry Statements
SECTION 6 — Insurance Coverage Exclusions and Liability Awareness
Category: Risk Management & Institutional Protection
Consults on: Insurance exclusions, liability allocation, and governance considerations.
6.1 Overview of RF-Related Insurance Exclusions
6.2 Potential Institutional Exposure Considerations
6.3 Duty-of-Care Implications for Governing Boards
SECTION 7 — Occupational Precedents and Policy Consistency
Category: Precedent Analysis & Institutional Logic
Consults on: Occupational exemptions, policy consistency, and comparative reasoning.
7.1 Overview of Occupational Wireless Siting Exemptions
7.2 Administrative Consistency Considerations for School Settings
SECTION 8 — Long-Term Exposure Uncertainty and Foresight
Category: Long-Horizon Risk Awareness
Consults on: Latency concepts, uncertainty over time, and governance foresight.
8.1 Understanding Latency in Environmental Risk
8.2 Limitations of Short-Term Evaluation Frameworks
8.3 Duty-of-Foresight in School District Decision-Making
SECTION 9 — Positions of Federal and International Institutions
Category: Institutional Positioning & Standards Context
Consults on: Agency classifications, stated limitations, and administrative interpretation.
9.1 WHO and IARC Classification Framework
9.2 ICNIRP Scope and Stated Limitations
9.3 FDA Position on Long-Term Exposure Evidence
9.4 FCC Role and Evaluation Boundaries
SECTION 10 — Infrastructure Deployment Trends and Siting Pressure
Category: Infrastructure Trends & Policy Environment
Consults on: Network densification, federal policy direction, and siting incentives.
10.1 Overview of Wireless Network Densification
10.2 Federal Actions Affecting Local Review
10.3 Common Siting Factors Affecting School Proximity
SECTION 11 — Establishing a District Precautionary Governance Position
Category: Documentation & Governance Strategy
Consults on: Administrative statements, board positioning, and documentation practices.
11.1 Elements of a Precautionary Administrative Position
11.2 Board Resolution Structure and Governance Role
11.3 Technical Documentation Requests and Recordkeeping
SECTION 12 — Coordination with Municipalities and Property Owners
Category: Intergovernmental Collaboration
Consults on: Shared authority, communication pathways, and administrative engagement.
12.1 Understanding Municipal and District Roles
12.2 Communication with Adjacent Property Owners
12.3 District Support for Community Participation
SECTION 13 — Parent Communication and Institutional Stability
Category: Communication Governance
Consults on: Messaging discipline, trust maintenance, and misinformation control.
13.1 Principles of District Communication
13.2 Structuring Parent Engagement Without Escalation
13.3 Maintaining a Centralized Information Record
SECTION 14 — Independent Information and Verification Resources
Category: Evidence Organization & Technical Support
Consults on: Mapping tools, assessments, and administrative evidence packets.
14.1 Proximity and Exposure Mapping
14.2 On-Campus Information Collection
14.3 Preparation of Administrative Evidence Materials
SECTION 15 — Consolidated Administrative Decision Framework
Category: Decision Governance
Consults on: Escalation thresholds, documentation closure, and long-term planning.
15.1 Precautionary Review Pathways
15.2 Criteria for Elevated Administrative Response
15.3 Long-Term Institutional Risk Planning
APPENDICES — Administrative tools & templates
Category: Templates & Governance Instruments
Consults on: Standardized documentation and internal use materials.
- Appendix A — Board Resolution Template
- Appendix B — Parent Information Brief
- Appendix C — District Correspondence to Municipal Authorities
- Appendix D — Distance-Based Mapping Examples
- Appendix E — Reference and Citation Notes
Procurement & licensing
This manual is issued as part of a broader governance framework portfolio.
Availability, licensing structure, and deployment pathways vary based on jurisdictional context, scope, and institutional need.
Prepared and issued by Wireless Radiation Specialists as a governance framework for institutional use.