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 aside a specific time 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 also 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 5 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 valid, 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 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.
NOTE: This policy must be displayed on the district’s website to comply with the district’s legal requirements on transparency.
NOTE: Boards need to make the determination how best, to involve the public in their board meetings. Boards that follow other practices for allowing the public to participate in board meetings should amend this policy to reflect their practice.
| Legal Reference: | Iowa Code §§ 21; 22; 279.8, 279.8B |
Date of Adoption:
June 8, 1981
Date of Review:
August 9, 2021
August 14, 2023
REVISED:
August 14, 2023
213.1 - Handling Grievances-Complaints
213.1 - Handling Grievances-ComplaintsA. Personnel Grievances/Complaints
Grievances and complaints from personnel shall first be brought to the attention of the appropriate building administrator or supervisor. If not resolved to the satisfaction of all parties, then the grievance or complaint may be brought to the attention of the Superintendent of Schools (Superintendent). If the matter is still not resolved to the satisfaction of all parties, then the parties may appeal to the Board of Directors (Board).
Personnel desiring to address the Board on any matter shall direct their communications to the Superintendent.
B. Student/Parent Grievances/Complaints
Grievances and complaints from students/parents shall first be brought to the attention of the appropriate building administrator. If not resolved to the satisfaction of all parties, then the grievance or complaint may be brought to the attention of the Superintendent of Schools (Superintendent). If the matter is still not resolved to the satisfaction of all parties, then the parties may appeal to the Board of Directors (Board).
Students/parents desiring to address the Board on any matter shall direct their communications to the Superintendent.
C. Citizens' Grievances/Complaints
Whenever a citizen is aggrieved at the action of any employee, such citizen may give information to the employee's immediate supervisor. In the event that the matter is not satisfactorily resolved, the appeal process will follow this order:
- Other supervisory or administrative personnel in the line of responsibility.
- The Superintendent.
- The Board.
The board, consistent with its board policy-making role, will deal with complaints concerning specific schools, programs or procedures only after the usual channels have been exhausted. Complaints regarding employees or complaints by students will follow the more specific policies on those issues. Complaints requiring attention received by the board or a board member will be referred to the superintendent.
When all of the channels have been exhausted, the complainant may appeal to the board by requesting a place on the board agenda or during the public audience portion of the board meeting. If the complainant appeals to the board, the appeal will be in writing, will be signed and will explain the process followed by the complainant prior to the appeal to the board. It is within the board’s discretion to determine whether to hear the complaint. No appeal will be heard by the Board unless reduced to writing, signed by the party bringing the same, and presented to the Board through the Superintendent.
Legal Reference:
(Code of Iowa)
Date of Adoption:
May 12, 1975
Date of Review:
December 14, 2020
213.2 - Public Complaints
213.2 - Public ComplaintsThe 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 or 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 or 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.
Legal Reference:
Iowa Code § 279.8
Approved: September 10, 2018
Date of Review:
August 9, 2021