Citizens may request to speak before the Board of Trustees in open forum by registering with the Superintendent before the meeting begins. This may be done by phone or in person at the meeting site.

Those addressing the Board are asked to adhere to a five-minute limit. The speaker should identify his or her name and residential address, group affiliation (if any), and make a brief presentation with an identified solution if one is sought. Remarks should be addressed to the Board as a whole. Groups of more than five people who wish to speak on one topic are asked to appoint a spokesperson to present the groups’ views to the Board. This open forum portion of the Board meeting will generally be 30 minutes in length and limit each speaker to five minutes. This permits the citizens to give input while allowing adequate time for important board business. In instances of great public interest, the Board may decide to expand this time to provide for more input.

In the course of a Board meeting, specific facts or review of existing policy may be furnished in response to a patron’s questions; however, the Board is prohibited by state law from deliberating, discussing or taking action on any item that is not on the meeting’s agenda.

The School Board will not hear complaints about individual district employees or permit discussion of such matters at a Board meeting. If a citizen has not first spoken with the employees most directly connected to the issue being presented, i.e. the teacher, principal, coordinator, assistant superintendent and superintendent, the citizen will be asked to do so before coming to the Board.

Individuals who wish to be placed on the agenda to present specific concerns or suggestions to the Board during regular or special meetings must direct the request to the Office of the Superintendent no later than noon on the Tuesday prior to the specified meeting.

Howe ISD

Frequently Asked Questions

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