FILE: BCB

Cf: BBA, BCBA

Cf: BCAD

 

SCHOOL BOARD MEETING RULES OF PROCEDURE

 

 

The East Baton Rouge Parish School Board recognizes that it is essential to the maintenance of a democratic society that public business be performed in an open and public manner, exceptas provided by state law, and that the citizens be advised of and be aware of the performance of public officials and the deliberations and decisions that go into the making of public policy.

 

In matters of procedures not covered by law, School Board policy, or the Louisiana Board of Elementary and Secondary Education, meetings of the School Board, including committee meetings, shall be governed by Robert's Rules of Order, Revised. The President shall be entitled to discuss and vote on all matters before the School Board.

 

RULES OF PROCEDURE

 

  1. TIME, PLACE, AND AGENDA OF SCHOOL BOARD MEETINGS

 

    1.  each month to consider those items contained on the agenda prepared for each meeting. Each meeting shall be conducted in accordance with these Rules of Procedure. The meeting on the first Thursday of each month will be a meeting of the School Board’s Committee of the Whole (COW) and the third Thursday is designated as the School Board’s regular meeting unless otherwise provided for herein. A meeting may be extended for a specific period not to exceed thirty (30) minutes, but only by unanimous consent of all Board members then present. Only one additional thirty (30) minute extension may be considered and if unanimous consent,the meeting is extended for an additional thirty (30) minutes.  When the time of a meeting has reached 8:50 p.m., the presiding officer may call for a motion and vote to extend the meeting an additional thirty(30) minutes. Absent unanimous consent to extend the meeting, the meeting ends at 9 p.m.

    2. Except as otherwise provided in these Rules of Procedure, all meetings of the School Board shall be held at its domicile and offices at 1050 South Foster Drive, Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

    3. A meeting of the Committee of the Whole and/or a regular meeting of the School Board may be cancelled,or the time and place thereof changed, by the President of the School Board when circumstances warrant, or by a motion duly adopted at a regular or special meeting of the School Board. Notice of such change and notice of the agenda for any Committee of the Whole meeting and/or regular School Board meeting shall be given by:


      1. Posting a copy of the notice at the School Board Office, or publishing same in the official journal of the School Board no less than twenty-four (24) hours exclusive of Saturdays, Sundays,and legal holidays,before the meeting; and

      2. Mailing a copy of the notice and agenda to any member of the news media who requests notice of such meetings; any such member of the news media shall be given notice of all meetings in the same manner as is given to members of the School Board.

      3. In addition to the above,by providing notice on the School Board’s website no less than twenty-four (24) hours immediately preceding the meeting.

 

    1. In the event the time to end a regular meeting is reached and items remain on the agenda that have not been considered, such items will be deferred for future action as “Unfinished Business”to the next regular meeting agenda without any action required by the Board members, or if action is required prior to the next meeting then by majority vote of the entire Board to set a special meeting. If a Committee of the Whole meeting ending time is reached and items remain on the COW agenda that have not been considered, such items will be deferred for future action as “Unfinished Business” on the next COW agenda without any action required by the Board or if action is required prior to the next meeting then by majority vote of the entire Board to set a special meeting.

 

  1. SPECIAL MEETINGS OF THE BOARD

 

    1. Special meetings of the School Board may be called only by the President or by a majority of the entire School Board except that when the President is out of the Parish, ill, or otherwise unavailable, the Vice-President of the School Board may call a special meeting of the School Board.

    2. No special meeting may be called except upon written notice to the members of the School Board, Superintendent, and public or by motion adopted at an official School Board meeting. Such written notice must be signed by the President, Vice President, or a majority of the members of the entire School Board, as the case may be. Such written notice shall be provided at least twenty-four (24) hours, exclusive of Saturdays, Sundays, and legal holidays, prior to the time of such special meeting; additionally, the Superintendent and/or his/her designee shall attempt to contact all Board members by telephone. Such written notice shall also be posted at the School Board Office, the school system website, and forwarded to any member of the news media who has requested such notice. Special meetings shall not extend more than four (4) hours absent a unanimous vote of the Board members then present to extend the meeting for an additional thirty (30) minutes.

    3. The written notice required herein, or the motion adopted at an official School Board meeting, shall state the date, time and place of such special meeting, and shall specify the matters to be considered at such meeting. Notice of the meeting will also be provided via the school system’s website not less than twenty-four (24) hours, exclusive of Saturdays, Sundays, and legal holidays, immediately preceding the scheduled time of the meeting. Failure to timely post notice via the Internet or the inability of the public to access the website due to any type of technological failure shall not be a violation of the Open Meetings law or this policy.

      No matter or item not stated in the call for the special meeting shall be considered by the School Board at such meeting except upon unanimous approval of the School Board members present. The motion to add an item not on the agenda shall identify the item with reasonable specificity, including the purpose for the proposed addition to the agenda, and shall be entered into the minutes.

    4. In cases of extraordinary emergency, the time and notice requirements of this section shall not be required, provided, however, that the person or persons calling such special meeting shall give such notice thereof as they deem appropriate and circumstances permit, including notice to the news media in the same manner as notice is given to School Board members.

 

  1. QUORUM AND VOTE NECESSARY FOR AFFIRMATIVE ACTION

 

    1. No meeting of the School Board may be officially convened and conducted unless a quorum (simple majority of the total membership of the School Board) is present. Retreats and workshops do not require a quorum.

    2. Except as provided in Sections 2(C), 5(A), (G) and (H), 6(B), (D) and (E), 8, and 9 hereof, any motion, resolution or other action of the School Board shall be deemed valid only upon a favorable vote of a majority of the members of the total School Board taken at a properly called regular or special meeting of the School Board.

    3. Should a quorum cease to be present after a meeting has been officially convened, the presiding officer shall recess the meeting for such time as is deemed appropriate to attempt to reestablish a quorum and may thereafter declare the meeting adjourned if such presiding officer determines that a quorum cannot be obtained within a reasonable time.

 

  1. VOTING PROCEDURE AND REQUIREMENTS

 

    1. Voting shall be by the use of an electronic voting board which will reflect simultaneously a "yes", "no", or "abstain" vote of each member present.  When the voting board does not correctly reflect the voting intent of a member of the School Board, that member may correct his/her vote by immediately advising the presiding officer of such error prior to announcement of the vote by the presiding officer.

    2. When the voting board is not available, the vote may be taken by a show of hands or by roll call of the members present at the discretion of the presiding officer. Each School Board member must be present in his/her seat in the School Board meeting room in order to have his/her vote counted on the voting board or otherwise; and no School Board member or other person may cast a vote, in any manner, for another member of the School Board.

    3. There shall be no voting by proxy and no voting by secret ballot.

    4. In determining whether a particular motion, resolution or action of the School Board has received the requisite number of "yea" votes, an "abstention" shall not be counted,and that member shall be considered as not voting.  This rule shall apply regardless of whether the required number of favorable votes must be of the total membership of the School Board, of those members present or, of those members present and voting.

 

  1. SCHOOL BOARD MEETING AGENDA

 

    1. The Superintendent and/or his/her designee, with the approval of the President, shall prepare a concise and efficient written agenda for each regular School Board meeting, which shall list the specific items of business for which School Board action is required and except for Administrative Matters as described in Section 8 hereof,no matter may be considered by the School Board which has not been listed on such agenda except after a motion to suspend these rules to consider a specific item has been adopted by unanimous approval of the School Board members present. The motion to add an item not on the agenda shall identify the item with reasonable specificity, including the purpose for the proposed addition to the agenda, and shall be entered into the minutes.

    2. No business, item or matter may be placed upon the agenda for any School Board meeting except at the direction of a member of the School Board or the Superintendent, and no business matter or item not listed on such agenda may be considered by the School Board or discussed at the meeting without a suspension of the rules as provided herein above.

    3. The agenda for any particular meeting of the School Board shall be considered as closed as of 12:00 noon on the Tuesday immediately preceding such School Board meeting; however, the Superintendent, with the permission of the School Board President, may add an item to the agenda when circumstances warrant as long as the addition is achieved twenty-four (24) hours, exclusive of Saturdays, Sundays, and legal holidays, prior to the scheduled time of the meeting.

    4. Upon the agenda's being closed, the Superintendent and/or his/her designee shall immediately prepare the written agenda and provide it to each member of the School Board,the Superintendent, the School Board's general counsel, and all newspapers and television and radio stations who have submitted a written request for such notification and agenda. The Superintendent and/or his/her designee shall, at the same time, post a copy of the agenda on the front door of the School Board Office, and have it posted on the school system website, and have copies available for interested citizens.

    5. Any item placed on the agenda shall contain a brief explanation of the subject matter of the item, and the Superintendent is hereby specifically prohibited from placing an item on the agenda which does not contain such explanation. Except as provided for in paragraph 5(C) herein, supporting documentation for each item should be provided to each Board member via email or in extraordinary circumstances via hand delivery,not less than forty-eight (48) hours prior to the meeting.

    6. Any citizen or organization may request consideration by the School Board of an item concerning matters within the jurisdiction of the School Board at a particular School Board meeting by submitting such request in writing to the Superintendent and/or his/her designee, together with a brief explanation of the subject matter and the action requested of the School Board,by 12:00 Noon on the preceding Thursday one week before any meeting.  Within twenty-four (24) hours after the written request is received, the Superintendent and/or his/her designee shall notify the citizen or organization making such request as to whether or not the Superintendent has placed such item on the agenda.

    7. The written agenda prepared by the Superintendent and/or his/her designee shall conform to applicable School Board policy, existing state law and it shall list the business of the School Board for a particular meeting in an orderly manner.

      SUGGESTED AGENDA FOR REGULAR BOARD MEETINGS:

 

      1. Call to order, invocation, and pledge of allegiance.

      2. Roll call for determination of a quorum present.

      3. Approval of minutes.

      4. Recognitions by the Board or Staff.

      5. Personnel Matters. This item is generally provided for informational purposes only unless otherwise provided for by law.

      6. Superintendent’s Report/Update

      7. Educational Presentations

      8. Report from School Board Appointees to Community Committees/ Agencies

      9. Unfinished Business. Under unfinished business will be listed items from previous agendas which were not completed and/or which were specifically deferred to this particular meeting. These items shall be listed exactly as they appeared on the previous agenda.

      10. Consent Agenda.  The consent agenda will contain items that are considered to be routine and will be enacted with one motion. There will be no separate discussion of items unless a School Board member so requests, in which event the item will be removed from the consent agenda and considered as an item on the regular agenda for separate vote preceding the last item on the regular agenda.

      11. New Business.  Those items that have not been initially considered at the Committee of the Whole and forwarded to the regular School Board meeting for consideration.

      12. Regular Agenda items for School Board consideration

      13. Organizational Items

      14. Review of any appeals of Student Expulsions

      15. Appeal Hearing for a Student Expulsion

      16. Adjournment. Meetings of the School Board may be adjourned on motion of the presiding officer or any member of the School Board, which motion will carry unless objections are raised.  In the event objection to the adjournment is raised, a vote shall be taken on the motion to adjourn without need of a second to the motion,and the meeting shall be adjourned on the vote of a majority of the members present and voting.

 

    1. Subject to the exceptions listed below, no item, matter, subject or business which has been considered and voted on at a previous School Board meeting, regardless of the nature of the motion voted upon and regardless of the outcome of the vote, may be considered at a subsequent School Board meeting until after the expiration of sixty (60) days from such vote,unless a motion to suspend the rules to reconsider such item has first been duly made, seconded and carried by the favorable vote of two-thirds (⅔) of the total membership of the School Board. This prohibition shall not apply where the previous motion was to defer action on the item for a specific period of time or until a specific School Board meeting or where the previous motion was to refer the matter to staff personnel or to a committee of the School Board for further study. This prohibition shall also not apply to consideration of items supplemental to an item previously acted upon, but shall apply only where the purpose of the item is to change previous School Board action.

 

  1. CONDUCT OF SCHOOL BOARD MEETING

 

    1. The purpose of School Board meetings is to allow the duly elected representatives of the people to consider and act upon matters of importance to the operation of the school system which are within the jurisdiction and authority of the School Board.  It is in the best interest of the citizens of this parish that such meetings be conducted in an orderly and expeditious manner which permits full presentation of information and viewpoints by interested citizens, followed by thorough discussion among the School Board, the Superintendent and designated members of the staff, and concluded with debate and final decisions by the School Board on those items of business listed on the agenda. To that end, rules in this section shall govern the conduct of all meetings of the School Board and its committees and subcommittees.

    2. The President of the School Board, or in his/her absence,the Vice President of the School Board, shall serve as the presiding officer for all School Board meetings. In the absence of both the President and the Vice President, the Superintendent shall serve as the presiding officer, or the School Board may elect a temporary chair for that meeting by a majority vote of those members present and voting.

    3. After the call to order, invocation, pledge of allegiance, student presentation, roll call and action on the minutes of any previous meeting, the presiding officer shall, absent unanimous agreement of the School Board members present to change the order of listed items, call in the order listed on the agenda, first the items under unfinished business and then the items under new business, and shall recognize first the Superintendent or the School Board member who caused such item to be placed on the agenda. The Superintendent or School Board member shall then explain the item. Next, for any item for which a vote shall be taken, the presiding officer shall open the floor to the community in accordance with La. Rev. Stat. Ann. §42:15(A) for input not to exceed three (3) minutes for any one individual, group or organization prior to the School Board taking any vote. Members of the public who wish to speak on the motion or matter, must request permission to do so when the presiding officer announces such time. The presiding officer shall, with the approval of the School Board, set a time limitation on an agenda item. In the event more than five (5) members of the community request to speak on an agenda item, the presiding officer may also reduce the time for each individual input to be less than three (3) minutes. At the conclusion of the public input, the presiding officer shall again recognize any members of the School Board to make any motion regarding the agenda item. Upon a motion and second, the Superintendent and members of the staff designated by the Superintendent, who wish to be heard on that item, may be heard in the order the presiding officer deems advisable. No member of the School Board or staff shall speak without first being recognized by the presiding officer. In view of the many items appearing on any agenda, each School Board member will be allowed a maximum of five (5) minutes to express his/her views including the time of any requests by the member made to any staff member and their responses on any agenda item or any pending primary motion without interruption from the other members upon initial consideration and five (5) minutes for any rebuttal.  Each Board member will be allotted an additional three (3) minutes for COMMENTS on an amended motion and in the event of a substitute motion, each Board member will be allotted an additional five (5) minutes for any comments on a substitute motion.

    4. After discussion by the members of the School Board and the Superintendent and/or his/her designees has been completed, the presiding officer shall call for the vote upon the pending motion or any amendments or substitute motions which may have been made. During School Board discussion of an agenda item, any School Board member, at any time, may move the question on any pending motion, substitute motion, amending motion, etc. and thus conclude further discussion of same, provided there is an affirmative vote of two-thirds (⅔) of the members present and voting on the motion for the call for the question.

    5. The presiding officer of any meeting shall conduct such meeting in accordance with these Rules of Procedure and shall have authority to make rulings on interpretation of these Rules of Procedure and any other matter or question which may arise with regard to conducting the meeting, including recognition of speakers, whether a speaker is out of order,etc. The decision of the presiding officer shall be final unless appealed by a School Board member to the entire School Board as set forth hereinbelow. Any member of the School Board who disagrees with a decision of the presiding officer may appeal such decision to the total School Board. Such appeal may be taken by a statement to that effect and no second is required. The presiding officer shall immediately call for a vote on the question of whether or not the ruling of the presiding officer shall be sustained. Upon a favorable vote of a majority of those School Board members present and voting, including the presiding officer, the rules of the presiding officer shall have been sustained.

    6. Remote Participation by Members of the Public with Disabilities

      The School Board shall allow any member of the public with a disability recognized by the Americans with Disabilities Act, or a designated caregiver of such a person, to participate in its meetings via teleconference or video conference, and shall facilitate participation by any such person who requests that accommodation prior to the meeting. Members of the public who desire to participate in this fashion shall certify that they meet the definition of a person with a disability recognized under the Americans with Disabilities Act when they submit, prior to public meetings, their requests to comment on agenda items and shall comply with the same rules and regulations on speaking applicable to those participating in person at such meetings.

    7. In the conduct of meeting of the School Board, any question not covered by these Rules of Procedure shall be governed by Roberts Rules of Order, Revised.

 

  1. ORDER AND DECORUM AT SCHOOL BOARD AND COMMITTEE MEETINGS

    It is in the public interest that meetings of the School Board or its committees, in handling the public's business, be conducted in an orderly and dignified manner. To this end, the following rules are established for the conduct of all persons, including School Board members and staff members, attending a meeting of the Board or its committees.

    No signs, posters,placards, etc. shall be affixed to the walls, doors, etc. of the School Board office building or any room therein, except by the School Board staff in connection with School Board business and then only with permission of the Superintendent and/or his/her designee. No sign, placard, or poster which is carried by hand shall be permitted in the School Board office building or any of its rooms.

    All persons attending meetings of the School Board or of its committees must be recognized by the presiding officer before speaking. In return, the presiding officer and other School Board members shall courteously receive the comments made by such persons.  Any person who fails or refuses to obey the rulings and directions of the presiding officer, or otherwise disrupts the meeting in any manner, shall be requested by the presiding officer to leave the meeting room for the remainder of that meeting. If any person refuses to follow the directions of the presiding officer, the presiding officer shall cause such person to be removed from the meeting as authorized by La. Rev. Stat. Ann.§42:17 C. and other applicable laws of the State of Louisiana.

 

  1. ADMINISTRATIVE MATTERS

    Administrative matters shall be limited to matters of administration which the Superintendent believes should be brought to the attention of the School Board and/or matters which have come to his/her attention after the agenda for that meeting was officially closed and/or which are in need of immediate action by the School Board. Any items under Administrative Matters which require School Board action may be considered only after suspension of the rules by a favorable vote of two- thirds (⅔) of the total membership of the School Board.

 

  1. REPEAL OR SUSPENSION OF RULES OF PROCEDURE

    The Rules of Procedure may not be repealed or amended except by the affirmative vote of two-thirds (⅔) of the total membership of the School Board.

 

  1. SEVERABILITY

    If any provision item, section, paragraph, clause, or phrase of these Rules of Procedure or the application thereof, is held invalid, such invalidity shall not affect any other provision, item, section, paragraph, clause, phrase, or application of these Rules of Procedure which can be given effect without the invalid provisions, items, sections, paragraphs, clauses, phrases or applications, and to this end the provisions of the Rules of Procedure are hereby declared to be severable.

 

Revised: October 16, 2008 Revised: September 28, 2023
Revised: November 21, 2013 Revised:  February 22, 2024
Revised: November 20, 2014 Revised:  May 23, 2024
Revised: July 21, 2022  

 

 

Ref:    La. Rev. Stat. Ann. §§17:81, 42:15, 42:17, 42:19, 42:19.1

Board minutes, 10-16-08, 11-21-13, 11-20-14, 7-21-22, 9-28-23, 2-22-24, 5-23-24

 

East Baton Rouge Parish School Board