Public Comments

Board Operating Procedures for Public Comment


Speaker Signup

Individuals who wish to provide public comment or testimony to the Board at the designated time during a Board meeting must sign up in advance of the Board meeting by attending in person, the board meeting prior to it commencing. Signup will open thirty minutes before the board meeting is scheduled to begin and close at the start of the board meeting. When an individual signs up, the individual must indicate whether the comment pertains to an item on the Board agenda and, if so, which item or items. An individual who will be accompanied by a translator must notify the District at the time of signup.

Topic of Public Comment

At meetings other than regular Board meetings, public comments are limited to items on the posted meeting notice and agenda. At regular meetings, comments on other topics may be allowed as time permits. Public comments should be limited to topics relevant to District business.

Time for Public Comment

Generally, the Board will conduct public comment at the beginning of its Board meetings.

However, in the interest of time and the orderly conduct of public business, the Board reserves the right to:

    • Increase or decrease the per-speaker time limit to address the Board.

    • Move comment on non-agenda topics to the end of the meeting.

    • Take items in a different order than shown on the meeting notice.

    • Proceed first with agenda items for which no speakers have registered to provide comment.

    • Recommend that comments involving the performance of individual District employees or officers be made through the grievance policy.

    • Require that comments involving personally identifiable student information be made through the grievance policy.

    • Continue a meeting or an agenda item to another day in order to allow adequate time for public comment.

    • Make other reasonable adjustments to the timing of public comment in accordance with law.

The Board delegates to its presiding officer the authority to make reasonable adjustments to the timing and conduct of public comment in accordance with law. [See BDAA]

The presiding officer will announce these adjustments in an open meeting.

Per-Speaker Time Limit

A speaker will be given up to 5 minutes to address the Board. If, however, the total number of speakers seeking to address the Board at a meeting exceeds 6, the per-speaker time limit may be reduced. In no event will a speaker be given less than one minute to address the Board. A speaker who wishes to address multiple agenda items may be given one minute as additional time to address the Board.

Written Comments to the Board

In lieu of or in addition to speaking at an open meeting, a member of the public may also submit written comments to the Board regarding District business as follows:

Written comments to the Board can be submitted in person to the Board Secretary at the Sharyland ISD Business Office.

Written submissions to the Board are subject to public disclosure in accordance with the law.