213 - Public Participation in Board Meetings
213 - Public Participation in Board MeetingsThe board recognizes the importance of citizen participation in school district matters. In order to assure citizens are heard and board meetings are conducted efficiently and in an organized manner, the board will set time aside for public comment.
Public Comment During Board Meetings
Citizens wishing to address the board during public comment must notify the board secretary prior to the board meeting. The board president will recognize these individuals to make their comments at the appropriate time during public comment. Citizens wishing to present petitions to the board may do so at this time. The board, however, will only receive the petitions and not act upon them or their contents.
The board has the discretion to limit the amount of time set aside for public participation. Normally, speakers will be limited to 3 minutes with a total allotted time for public participation of 20 minutes. However, the board president may modify this time limit, if deemed appropriate or necessary. Public comment is a time set aside for community input, but the board will not discuss or take any action on any matter during public comment.
Public comment shall be limited to regular board meetings and will not be routinely held during special board meetings.
Petitions to Place a Topic on the Agenda
Individuals who wish for an item to be placed on the board agenda may submit a valid petition to the board. For a petition to be alid, it must be signed by at least 500 eligible electors of the district, or ten percent of the individuals who voted in the last school election, whichever number is lower.
Upon receiving a valid petition to the board to place a proposal on the next board agenda for public hearing the board will place the proposal identified in the petition on the agenda of the next regular meeting, or a special meeting held within 30 days of receipt of the petition. The board will provide a sign-up sheet for all individuals who wish to speak on the proposal, and the individuals will be called to speak in order of sign-up. The sign-up sheet will require each individual to list their legal name and mailing address. Each speaker will be limited to an amount of time established by the board president that is reasonable and necessary based on the number of speakers signed up. The same time limit will apply to all speakers on the proposal. Each individual will be limited to one opportunity to speak. The board maintains absolute discretion on whether or not to discuss or act on the public comments made on the proposal. If a petition is related to curriculum, the district maintains discretion to determine whether to stop teaching that curriculum until the board holds the public hearing to discuss the curriculum.
The board has a significant interest in maintaining the decorum of its meetings, and it is expected that members of the public and the board will address each other with civility. The orderly process of the board meeting will not be interfered with or disrupted by public comment. Only individuals recognized by the board president will be allowed to speak. Comments by others are out of order. If disruptive, the individual causing disruption may be asked to leave the board meeting. Defamatory comments may be subject to legal action.
Legal Reference:
Iowa Code §§ 21; 22; 279.8 (2007).
Cross Reference:
205 Board Member Liability
210.8 Board Meeting Agenda
Public Hearings
Communication Channels
401.4 Employee Complaints
402.5 Public Complaints About Employees
502.4 Student Complaints and Grievances
Approved: 5/20/24 Reviewed: 04/15/24 Revised: 4/15/24
213.1 - General Complaints by Citizens
213.1 - General Complaints by CitizensThe board recognizes situations may arise in the operation of the school district which are of concern to parents and other members of the school district community.
The board firmly believes concerns should be resolved at the lowest organizational level by those individuals closest to the concern. Whenever a complaint of concern is brought to the attention of the board it will be referred to the administration to be resolved. Prior to board action however, the following should be completed:
- Matters should first be addressed to the teacher or employee
- Unsettled matters from (a) above or problems and questions about individual attendance centers should be addressed to the employee’s building principal
- Unsettled matters from (b) above or problems and questions concerning the school district should be directed to the superintendent
- If a matter cannot be settled satisfactorily by the superintendent, it may then be brought to the board for consideration. To bring a concern, the individual shall notify the board president or board secretary in writing, who may bring it to the attention of the entire board.
It is within the discretion of the board to address complaints from the members of the school district community, and the board will only consider whether to address complaints if they are in writing, signed, and the complainant has complied with this policy. The board is not obligated to address a complaint and may defer to the decision of the superintendent. If the board elects not to address a complaint, the decision of the superintendent shall be final. If the board does elect to address a complaint, its decision shall be final.
Parents, guardians and community members of the district who have concerns about the district or the board may refer to the student handbook for additional guidance from the Iowa Department of Education.
NOTE: School districts with different procedures for addressing complaints about employees should insert it here. The Iowa legislature requires districts to include in student handbooks a reference to guidance issued by the Iowa Department of Education pursuant to Iowa Code Chapter 256/9(63). All districts should reference the existence and location of this guidance in their student handbooks.
Legal Reference:
Iowa Code § 279.8
Cross Reference:
210.8 Board Meeting Agenda
213 Public Participation in Board Meetings
307 Communication Channels
Approved: 5/20/24 Reviewed: 04/15/24 Revised: 4/15/24