Operating Guidelines
MISD BOARD OPERATING GUIDELINES
1. DEVELOPING BOARD MEETING AGENDA
Who can place items on Agenda and Guidelines for doing so
Tentative agenda are created by administration and presented to the Board prior to the regular Board meeting.
Board member must request to Board President or Superintendent, in advance, any item they wish to have placed on the agenda.
In accordance with Texas Open Meetings Laws, no member can place anitem on the Agenda less than 72 hours in advance of meeting, except inan emergency as per Texas Education Code.
Items that cannot be heard in open session
All personnel issues must be conducted in Executive Session unless specifically required by Texas Open Meetings Act.
Anything that violates an individual’s right to privacy cannot be placed on the Agenda.
2. MEMBER CONDUCT DURING BOARD MEETINGS
(Any time four or more Board members are gathered, it is considered a meeting)
Discussion of employee performance (Board/audience)
The Board will not entertain comments on individual personnel in public session.
The Board will not entertain comments on individual students in public session.
Hearings
During hearings, the Board is assembled to gather input only.
The Board will not answer questions or enter into two-way dialogue except with their attorney.
Rules for hearings will be strictly adhered to.
Board will limit response to (5) minutes
Board will accept written and/or oral testimony.
Board will not allow duplicate testimony.
Board President and/or their attorney is sole judge.
Board will not allow any derogatory comments directed at staff or students.
Board shall observe the parliamentary guidelines and procedures
Discussion of Motions
All discussion shall be directed solely to the business currently under deliberation.
The Board President has the responsibility to keep the discussion tothe motion at hand and shall halt discussion that does not apply to thebusiness before the Board.
The Board President has the right to recognize a Board member prior to giving their comments.
3. VOTING
The Board President will vote on all action items.
In case of a tie vote, the item is tabled and returned on the next agenda
as an action item.
4. CITIZEN REQUEST/COMPLAINT TO BOARD MEMBER
The Board member should hear the citizen problem and then:
Issue chain of command to citizen.
Remind the citizen of the due process and that the Board member mustremain impartial in case the situation goes before the Board.
Refer citizen to appropriate person by the chain of command.
Citizens MUST GO THROUGH THE CHAIN OF COMMAND.
Board member must inform the Superintendent or designee of the complaint within 24 hours.
The Superintendent will respond to citizen in a timely fashion.
5. EMPLOYEE REQUEST/COMPLAINT TO BOARD MEMBER
The Board member will hear employee’s problem and then:
Issue chain of command to the employee
Remind employee of the due process procedures and remain impartial.
Refer employee to appropriate person/chain of command.
Employee MUST GO THROUGH THE CHAIN OF COMMAND.
Board member must inform the Superintendent or designees of the complaint within 24 hours.
The employee will receive a response from the Superintendent in a timely manner.
6. BOARD MEMBER VISIT SCHOOL CAMPUS
Board members are encouraged to attend as many school events as their time permits.
Board members are not to go into teacher classrooms or
individual buildings for the purposes of evaluation.
Board members should notify the Superintendent and building principal before and after visits.
7. COMMUNICATIONS
Superintendent will meet with Board President regularly to discuss issues of the District.
Superintendent will communicate information in a timely fashion to all Board members.
rd and Superintendent will keep each other informed via telephone.
Board will communicate with the community through public hearings,
regular Board meetings, and regular publications.
Individual Board members cannot speak in an official capacity outside the Board Room.
8. EVALUATION OF SUPERINTENDENT
Board members will receive training annually.
Board will approve the Superintendent Appraisal Document.
Board President obtains input from all other members on the Board.
Evaluation is conducted in executive session by consensus.
Evaluation is conducted every January.
9. EVALUATION OF THE BOARD
Superintendent and Board evaluations are the same….TEAM OF EIGHT
Evaluation is conducted in executive session by consensus.
Evaluation is conducted every February.
10. CRITERIA AND PROCESS FOR SELECTING BOARD OFFICERS
No Board member can hold office without one-year minimum Board experience.
Election is held in May of each year.
Elections of Offices will be specific to the positions of President,Vice President, and Secretary and will be taken in that order.
11. ROLE AND AUTHORITY OF BOARD MEMBER AND OFFICERS
No Board member or officer has authority outside the Board meeting.
No Board member can direct employees in regard to performance of their duties.
PRESIDENT
Shall preside at all Board meetings
Sign all legal documents required by law
VICE PRESIDENT
Shall act in capacity of President in absence of President
SECRETARY
Keep accurate record of Board meetings
Acting in absence of President and Vice President, the Secretary shall call meetings and elections
Sign all legal documents required by law
OFFICE VACANCY
A vacancy among officers of the Board other than the President shall be filled by majority action of the Board.
A vacancy in the Presidency shall be filled by the Vice President and a new Vice President shall be elected.
12. ROLE OF BOARD IN EXECUTIVE SESSION
Board can only discuss those items listed on the executive session agenda and as limited by law
Board must vote in public (open) session.
Information during executive session must remain confidential.
13. MEDIA INQUIRIES TO THE BOARD
The Board President and or the Superintendent shall be the officialspokesperson for the Board to the media dealing with issues of mediaattention.
All Board members who receive calls from the media should direct themto the Board’s spokesperson and notify the Board President andSuperintendent.
14. PHONE CALLS AND LETTERS
The MISD Board of Trustees encourages input; however, anonymous callsor letters will not receive Board attention, discussion or response andwill not result in administrative decisions.
The MISD Board of Trustees encourages input. A signed letter will beforwarded to the Superintendent and a response using standard formatwill be sent to the originator of the letter. The Superintendent willrespond and send a copy to the full Board.
15. ADDRESSING ISSUES INVOLVING YOUR OWN CHILDREN
While members of the Board of Trustees have no authority asindividuals, it is sometimes difficult for the staff members to see themas ordinary parents.
Board members should make it clear that they are acting as a parent.
Board members should not request nor accept extraordinary consideration for their students.
Board members follow the same chain of command as non Board members.