Public Forum Guidelines
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The Wylie ISD Board of Trustees welcomes those who wish to provide public comment on matters related to the district. Time is allotted at each regular meeting for this purpose. We ask that you please review the policies and procedures that govern our meetings.
Audience participation at a Wylie ISD Board meeting is limited to the portion of the meeting designated to receive public comment. The audience shall not enter into discussion or debate on matters being considered by the Board during a board meeting. The trustees may not respond to items not listed on the agenda, but will in every way possible make sure your concerns are reviewed, and if necessary, call for an agenda item related to the concern at a future meeting.
Individuals who wish to participate during the portion of the meeting designated for public comment must sign up on the audience participation sheet outside the boardroom on the night the meeting is held. The individual wishing to speak shall indicate the item on which they wish to address the Board.
Regular Monthly Board Meetings
At regular Board meetings, the Board shall permit public comment, regardless of whether the topic is an item on the agenda posted with notice of the meeting. If wishing to speak about an agenda item, the individual shall indicate the agenda item on which they wish to address the Board.
Allotted Time
The presiding officer may adjust public comment procedures, including adjusting when public comment will occur during the meeting, reordering agenda items, deferring public comment on non-agenda items, continuing agenda items to a later meeting, providing an expanded opportunity for public comment, or establishing an overall time limit for public comment and adjusting the time allotted to each speaker. However, no individual shall be given less than one minute to make comments. [Board Policy - BED(LOCAL)]
Executive Session
State law strictly governs which types of items can be addressed in a closed executive session of a public meeting. In general, they are limited to meeting with their attorney on litigation or a settlement offer; deliberating personnel matters; deliberating the purchase or lease of property; discussing certain financial contract negotiations; or discussing deployment of security devices, real estate transactions, personnel issues, or legal issues. Any action taken as a result of an executive session is posted on the meeting agenda and voted on in the open session.
We are Always Listening
We want to ensure everyone is aware of the many avenues available to reach out to the board and administration. In addition to the public comment portion of board meetings, we provide contact information for board members on the district website. You do not have to wait for a board meeting to get in touch with us to express an opinion or raise a concern.
If you are interested in a specific topic or issue, you can participate in one of the many advisory groups that have been established to assist in setting district policies. For example, there are advisory boards for our dress code, a district improvement committee, and specially formed committees as needed. We also urge interested parents to participate in the PTA at their children’s school.
Staff and board members are part of the community and meet with interested citizens on a regular basis. We are mindful that state law strictly governs the structure of meetings that involve a quorum of board members.
Finally, if you are interested in a specific issue or have questions, the most effective way to reach us is in writing. Information provided to board members is shared with the administration and all board members are kept apprised of issues.
Public Forum FAQ
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When did Wylie ISD last update its public participation policy [BED(LOCAL)]?
Wylie ISD officially adopted Update 114, which included an update to BED(LEGAL) and BED(LOCAL) at the Jan. 27, 2020 regularly scheduled Board of Trustees meeting. This adoption is recorded in our official minutes. Wylie ISD has not amended this policy, BED(LOCAL), since the January 2020 adoption of Update 114.
More context and information about Update 114, BED(LEGAL), and BED(LOCAL) can be found below.
TASB, the Texas Association of School Boards, pushed out Update 114 to Texas school districts in 2019. Update 114 encompassed changes in law from the 86th Legislative Session that had an immediate effect on the governance and management of school districts, and impacted numerous policies. In that packet was an update to BED(LEGAL) and BED(LOCAL).
BED(LEGAL) AND BED(LOCAL) FOR TEXAS SCHOOL DISTRICTS
- BED(LEGAL) was updated to ensure compliance with House Bill 2840, which went into effect Sept. 1, 2019. As a reminder, legal policies are not adopted by the Board, only local policies.
- The result of HB 2840? Chapter 551 of the Texas Government Code was amended with the addition of Section 551.007. Section 551.007(c) states, “A governmental body may adopt reasonable rules regarding the public's right to address the body under this section, including rules that limit the total amount of time that a member of the public may address the body on a given item.”
- BED(LOCAL) was revised by TASB policy consultants to incorporate the new requirements for public comment from HB 2840.
- More specifically, the provisions on procedures and meeting management for BED(LOCAL) provide a Board’s presiding officer flexibility in implementing the new requirements from HB 2840.
- School districts across the state adopted Update 114 between October 2019-January 2020.
- If the public looks at the bottom left corner of BED(LOCAL) for Wylie ISD, it says “Date Issued 11/21/2019 - Update 114.”
- Wylie ISD officially adopted Update 114 at the Jan. 27, 2020 regularly scheduled Board of Trustees meeting. This adoption is recorded in our official minutes.
- Wylie ISD has not amended this policy since the January 2020 adoption of Update 114.
- School districts are encouraged to contact their TASB policy consultant before considering or making any revisions to local policy.
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Can the Board President make adjustments to public forum speaker allotment time?
Yes. According to Board policy [BED(LOCAL)], "When necessary for effective meeting management or to accommodate large numbers of individuals wishing to address the Board, the presiding officer may make adjustments to public comment procedures, including adjusting when public comment will occur during the meeting, reordering agenda items, deferring public comment on nonagenda items, continuing agenda items to a later meeting, providing expanded opportunity for public comment, or establishing an overall time limit for public comment and adjusting the time allotted to each speaker. However, no individual shall be given less than one minute to make comments."
Discussion or a vote by the rest of the Board is not necessary nor required. This is also in compliance with state law. It is also important to note, a school district’s Board Operating Procedures, which often outline guidelines for public forum, do not supersede or modify Board Policy or State Law. If there is a difference between procedure and policy, policy takes precedence.
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Is Wylie ISD's public participation policy similar to other school districts?
Below, you can find the "meeting management" section of BED(LOCAL) for several Collin County and area school districts. The full policy is linked in each district's name.
Wylie ISD - Meeting Management: When necessary for effective meeting management or to accommodate large numbers of individuals wishing to address the Board, the presiding officer may make adjustments to public comment procedures, including adjusting when public comment will occur during the meeting, reordering agenda items, deferring public comment on nonagenda items, continuing agenda items to a later meeting, providing expanded opportunity for public comment, or establishing an overall time limit for public comment and adjusting the time allotted to each speaker. However, no individual shall be given less than one minute to make comments.
Plano ISD - Meeting Management: When necessary for effective meeting management or to accommodate large numbers of individuals wishing to address the Board, the presiding officer may make adjustments to public comment procedures, including adjusting when public comment will occur during the meeting, reordering agenda items, deferring public comment on nonagenda items, continuing agenda items to a later meeting, providing expanded opportunity for public comment, or establishing an overall time limit for public comment and adjusting the time allotted to each speaker, or make other reasonable adjustments to the timing of public comment in accordance with law. However, no individual shall be given less than one minute to make comments.
The presiding officer shall announce these adjustments during the open meeting.
Frisco ISD - Meeting Management: When necessary for effective meeting management or to accommodate large numbers of individuals wishing to address the Board, the presiding officer may make adjustments to public comment procedures. However, no individual shall be given less than one minute to make comments.
Allen ISD - Meeting Management: When necessary for effective meeting management or to accommodate large numbers of individuals wishing to address the Board, the presiding officer may make adjustments to public comment procedures, including adjusting when public comment will occur during the meeting, reordering agenda items, deferring public comment on nonagenda items, continuing agenda items to a later meeting, providing expanded opportunity for public comment, or establishing an overall time limit for public comment and adjusting the time allotted to each speaker. However, no individual shall be given less than one minute to make comments.
Garland ISD - Meeting Management: When necessary for effective meeting management or to accommodate large numbers of individuals wishing to address the Board, the presiding officer may make adjustments to public comment procedures, including adjusting when public comment will occur during the meeting, reordering agenda items, deferring public comment on nonagenda items, continuing agenda items to a later meeting, providing expanded opportunity for public comment, or establishing an overall time limit for public comment and adjusting the time allotted to each speaker. However, no individual shall be given less than one minute to make comments.
Lovejoy ISD - Meeting Management: When necessary for effective meeting management or to accommodate large numbers of individuals wishing to address the Board, the presiding officer may make adjustments to public comment procedures, including adjusting when public comment will occur during the meeting, reordering agenda items, deferring public comment on nonagenda items, continuing agenda items to a later meeting, providing expanded opportunity for public comment, or establishing an overall time limit for public comment and adjusting the time allotted to each speaker. However, no individual shall be given less than one minute to make comments.
McKinney ISD - Meeting Management: When necessary for effective meeting management or to accommodate large numbers of individuals wishing to address the Board, the presiding officer may make adjustments to public comment procedures, including adjusting when public comment will occur during the meeting, reordering agenda items, deferring public comment on nonagenda items, continuing agenda items to a later meeting, providing expanded opportunity for public comment, or establishing an overall time limit for public comment and adjusting the time allotted to each speaker. However, no individual shall be given less than one minute to make comments.
Prosper ISD - Meeting Management: When necessary for effective meeting management or to accommodate large numbers of individuals wishing to address the Board, the presiding officer may make adjustments to public comment procedures, including adjusting when public comment will occur during the meeting, reordering agenda items, deferring public comment on nonagenda items, continuing agenda items to a later meeting, providing expanded opportunity for public comment, or establishing an overall time limit for public comment and adjusting the time allotted to each speaker. However, no individual shall be given less than one minute to make comments.