Policy Governing Public Participation at Board Meetings

Meetings of the KIPP North Carolina Board of Directors (the “Board”) are conducted for the purpose of carrying on the official business of the school system. The public is cordially invited to attend Board meetings to observe the Board as it conducts its official business.

The Board, as an elected representative body of the school system, also wishes to provide a forum for the public to express interests and concerns related to the school system. In order for the Board to conduct an orderly meeting while providing an opportunity for input, individuals or groups may be heard by the Board in accordance with this policy.

Public Comment

A portion of each regularly scheduled Board meeting will be presented as an opportunity for individuals to address the Board through public comment. Each speaker will receive three minutes to present comments. The public comment portion of the meeting, however, will not exceed 30 minutes total except by majority vote of the board.

Formal notification must be given to the Executive Director by any individual or group to indicate their desire to address the board at least 10 business days prior to the regularly scheduled board meeting. The Executive Director and Chair of the Board together will decide the amount of time devoted to public comments.

Substitute speakers will not be permitted, and speakers may not donate any portion of their time to another speaker. If a speaker is unable to present all of their information within the specified time limit, the speaker may provide the Board with the additional information in written form. If an unusually large number of people request to speak, a majority of the Board may decide to reduce the time for each individual, or to require the designation of a spokesperson for each group of persons supporting or opposing the same positions. At any time, the Board may establish additional procedures to ensure that public comment sessions proceed in an efficient and orderly manner.

Board members will not respond to individuals who address the Board except to request clarification of points made by the presenter.

Except in cases of emergency, information received during presentations will not be acted upon at the time it is received. It will take unanimous vote of the Board members present to take action on a presentation considered to be of an unusual or emergency nature at the time it is presented.

Disruptions by any person or persons of a public meeting will be subject to action in accordance with G.S. 143-318.17.

Requests to Place an Item on the Agenda

In order that the Board may fairly and adequately discharge its overall responsibility, individuals desiring an item to be placed on the agenda for a specific Board meeting should direct written requests to the Executive Director of KIPP North Carolina at least 10 working days prior to the meeting.

The request should include:

  • The name and address of the person or persons making the request
  • The organization or group, if any, represented
  • A brief explanation of the nature of the item

Any questions and/or materials to be presented to the Board are to be submitted along with the request.

The Executive Director will confer with the Chair of the Board concerning whether to approve placing the requested item on the agenda and to determine the appropriate meeting for such discussion. The Executive Director, with the consent of the Chair of the Board, will accept or deny a request for inclusion on the agenda for any reason determined appropriate by the Executive Director and Chair.

The Executive Director will notify the requesting party of the response to the request. If the request is denied, the Executive Director will explain any other processes available for addressing the concerns.

At the meeting, the Board may, by majority vote and notwithstanding prior denial by the Executive Director, add an item to the agenda before the agenda is adopted. After the agenda has been adopted, a two-thirds vote is required to add a new item to the agenda.

The Executive Director will establish the amount of time for individual or group presentations.

Legal References: G.S. 143-318.10 and -318.17; 115C-36, -51