HISD board to consider changing meeting structure amid local, state criticism

Houston ISD board members are shown after they returned from a closed executive session Tuesday, April 24, 2018 in Houston. ( Melissa Phillip / Houston Chronicle ) Houston ISD board members are shown after they returned from a closed executive session Tuesday, April 24, 2018 in Houston. ( Melissa Phillip / Houston Chronicle ) Photo: Melissa Phillip, Staff / Houston Chronicle Photo: Melissa Phillip, Staff / Houston Chronicle Image 1 of / 6 Caption Close HISD board to consider changing meeting structure amid local, state criticism 1 / 6 Back to Gallery

Houston ISD trustees on Thursday will consider significant changes to the structure of their public meetings, aiming to focus more on student achievement results and reduce the length of meetings that typically last three to five hours.

The proposed changes include limiting the maximum time allocated for public comment and trustee discussion, and shifting some public comment time to meetings where board members do not vote on agenda items. The proposal also calls for trustees to submit written questions they have about agenda items before board meetings, with HISD administrators’ responding in writing and publicly posting the answers.

Multiple HISD board members have complained in recent months that their meetings take too long, fail to focus on student outcomes and promote grandstanding by trustees and members of the public. A heated April 2018 meeting, in particular, brought negative attention to the district after police arrested two people on misdemeanor trespassing and resisting arrest charges when they refused to leave the boardroom. The order came from then-board president Rhonda Skillern-Jones, who grew frustrated with interruptions by members of the public. The charges later were dropped.

Proposals to limit and restructure public comment — which frequently lasts more than an hour during regular meetings — are likely to face criticism during Thursday’s meeting. One recommendation calls for a maximum of 60 minutes of public comment during agenda review, when trustees only discuss agenda items, and 30 minutes during regular meetings, when trustees vote on items. If more people sign up to comment than time allows, speakers would be chosen on a first-come-first-served basis, with preference given to those who had not addressed the board in the previous 30 days.

Currently, all public comment occurs during regular meetings, with no limitations on the number of speakers and no preference given to those who do not regularly engage in public comment. Speakers are limited to no more than two minutes.

Trustees hope to create more time to discuss student outcomes, which state officials have urged in recent years. HISD adheres to Lone Star Governance, a state-approved framework that calls for school boards to spend at least half of their time in public meetings addressing student achievement. A state-appointed conservator monitoring HISD’s board meetings has reported that trustees frequently spend less than 10 percent of their time on student outcomes.

Under proposed timelines, agenda review meetings would last about three hours, while regular meetings would take 2 hours and 30 minutes. Currently, agenda review typically lasts about two to three hours, with regular meetings lasting three to five hours.

Trustees on Thursday also are expected to hear first-year results from the district’s $16-million campus turnaround plan, known as Achieve 180, and proposals to tweak its teacher evaluation system.

jacob.carpenter@chron.com

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