PUBLIC PARTICIPATION

The Tuscaloosa City Board of Education (Board) conducts business with Board Meetings, Open Work Sessions and Committees. It shall be the policy of the Board to conduct all meetings in full view and active participation by the public. The Board encourages citizens of the community to appear and bring before the Board any matter deemed important to the improvement of the school system.

Notification of the Board Meeting, Open Work Session and Committee

To encourage community involvement, the Board will post its meetings, including date, time, location and general nature of the meeting in the lobby of the Board of Education’s Central Office. The posting of all regularly scheduled meetings will be a minimum of seven days in advance of the meeting. In addition, every effort will be made to post all meetings on the system’s home website. If a preliminary agenda has been created, it shall be posted as soon as practical with the posting of the meeting. The Board may discuss additional matters not included on the preliminary agenda.

To receive notification, the public, local media, employee organizations, parent/teacher associations and other community groups must register with the Office of the Superintendent. Notifications of the Board’s meetings shall state the time, date and location of the meeting. The notification must be a minimum of 24 hours in advance. The method on notification shall be by electronic mail or facsimile. All notification recipients should renew their request for notification between June 1 and 30 each year to ensure continued notification.

In case of emergency circumstances, the Board may call such meeting without seven days notice or 24 hours notification to parties registered with the Office of the Superintendent. Emergency circumstances are defined as follows: (1) avoid physical injury to persons or damage to property; (2) accept the resignation of public official or employee. In such situations, notice shall be given as soon as practical, but in no case less than one hour before the start of the meeting. At the same time general notice is given, special notice shall be provided to the parties registered with the Office of the Superintendent.

Board Meetings

The Board Chair, in consultation with the Superintendent, shall prepare an agenda for all Board meetings. The Board’s preliminary agenda for a regularly scheduled meeting agenda shall be disseminated to Board members at the open work session. The Board’s special called meeting agenda shall be distributed to Board members no later than 24 hours prior to the meeting. Agenda items added after the delivery of notifications shall be included as an addendum to the agenda and addressed at the Board's discretion.

Citizens or delegations may address the Board only on items that appear on the agenda. All citizens or delegations wishing to address the Board regarding an agenda item must notify the Board Chair prior to the start of the meeting. The sign-in sheet for the Board meeting will be displayed in an area that is visible and accessible by the public. The Board Chair shall have the authority to determine the amount of time each citizen or delegation has to address the Board. In case of a delegation, the Board Chair may also limit the number of speakers. The Board, by a majority vote, may overrule the decision of the Chair.

While addressing the Board, a citizen or delegation shall not engage in debate with the Board or address questions to any individual member of the Board. The Board may address questions to persons who address the Board after the presentation is complete.

The Board shall have authority to terminate the remarks or remove any person when such remarks become personal in nature or such person disrupts, becomes boisterous, or interferes in any manner with the orderly process of the meeting. The order of business and procedures to be followed shall be established by the Board in accordance with Roberts’ Rules of Order.

Open Work Session

The Board Chair, in consultation with the Superintendent, shall prepare an agenda for all open work sessions. The chairperson of each Board committee may also add items to the agenda of the open work session.

The Board’s open work session provides citizens or delegations opportunities to discuss matters of importance, which are not scheduled to appear on the Board’s agenda. All citizens or delegations wishing to appear before the open work session must notify the Board Chair prior to the start of the meeting. The Board Chair shall have the authority to determine the amount of time each individual has to address the Board. In case of a delegation, the Board Chair may also limit the number of speakers. The Board, by a majority vote, may overrule the decision of the Chair.

Citizens or delegations wishing to make a presentation longer than five (5) minutes to the Board shall submit such request, in writing, to the Superintendent a minimum of three (3) days in advance of the open work session. Citizens or delegations shall state the nature of their presentation and the amount of time required. The Superintendent shall consult with the Board Chair to determine whether items requested are significant enough to warrant inclusion on the open work session agenda. The Board may address questions to citizens who address the Board after the presentation is complete.

While addressing the Board, citizens or delegations shall not engage in debate with the Board or address questions to any individual member of the Board. The Board may address questions to persons who address the Board after the presentation is complete. The Board Chair shall have authority to terminate the remarks or remove any person when such remarks become personal in nature or such person disrupts, becomes boisterous, or interferes in any manner with the orderly process of the meeting.

Board Committees

Members of the Board are organized into the following committees: Curriculum and Instruction, Facilities, Finance, Personnel and Public Relations. The Superintendent assigns the administrative liaison for each Board Committee. The committee meetings are open to the public. Although the meetings are open to the public, the public does not interact with the committees’ discussions, unless otherwise requested by the committee members.

Source: Tuscaloosa City Schools, Tuscaloosa, Alabama
Date: April 19, 2005

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