What are the roles/responsibilities of School Committee?

Roles and Responsibilities of School Committee Members

General Responsibilities of a School Committee Member

1.   The School Committee has three primary areas of responsibility:

•    Policy – The School Committee makes policies that guide administrative action and evaluates their effectiveness.

•    Budget – The School Committee reviews, revises and approves annual budgets proposed by the Superintendent that support the educational goals and mission of the District. Budgets ultimately must be approved by a weighted two-thirds vote of both the School Committee and District member towns.

•    Personnel – The School Committee has the authority to hire the Superintendent, the Business Manager and the Director of Pupil Personnel Services, as well as school physicians and registered nurses, supervisors of attendance, and legal counsel.  The Superintendent and/or building Principals (or their designees) have the authority to hire all other positions. 

2.   Other School Committee responsibilities:

•    The School Committee approves the educational goals of the District and monitors efforts to achieve these goals.

•    The School Committee also is responsible for communicating to the public about the schools and their programs and for listening to feedback from the public.

3.   Responsibilities of all School Committee members:

•    Members need to regularly attend School Committee and assigned subcommittee meetings.  If a member cannot attend a meeting, they need to inform the School Committee Secretary or the chair of the meeting in advance.  If a meeting lacks a quorum, there may be discussion but no votes may be taken.

•    Discussions that take place in an Executive Session must be kept completely confidential.

•    School Committee members should check their School Committee email account no less than daily to remain informed and to respond to inquiries from staff, colleagues or constituents.  Members are encouraged to be responsive to inquiries, generally within 24 hours, if possible.  If an inquiry has been addressed to the entire School Committee, it is the Chair’s responsibility to respond. School Committee members should not use their personal email account for School Committee business.

•    All School Committee members are required to complete “Charting the Course,” an orientation course that emphasizes members’ roles and responsibilities, within their first year of School Committee membership.  All School Committee members also need to complete the online ethics course/test offered by the Massachusetts State Ethics Commission.  This test must be re-taken/passed every two years.

•    School Committee decisions are binding and School Committee members should support those decisions, once made or, at a minimum, refrain from disparaging any decision made. 

Handling of Constituent Questions or Complaints

1.   If the School Committee member can readily and accurately answer a constituent’s question, they should do so.  If they cannot answer the question, they should direct the constituent to the Superintendent.

2.   If the constituent has a complaint or concern, School Committee members should not attempt to address the complaint on their own and should not promise any particular resolution.  Instead, inform the constituent of this process: 

•    If the complaint involves a specific school (or a person, program or activity within a school), the complainant should bring the issue to the building Principal.

•    If the complaint involves a Principal, a transportation issue, or a District-wide policy, program or activity, the complainant should bring the issue to the Superintendent.

•    If they are not satisfied with the Principal’s response, they can then take their concern to the Superintendent. 

•    If they are still dissatisfied, they can ask the School Committee Chair to put the issue on the agenda for an upcoming School Committee meeting.  Putting an item on the agenda is solely within the discretion of the School Committee Chair.

Personnel Issues

1.   All personnel issues are to be handled by the Superintendent, in conjunction with the District’s legal counsel.  Responsibility for collective bargaining negotiations is shared between the Superintendent (and other Administrators) and the Personnel Subcommittee. 

2.   Personnel matters are generally handled in a strictly confidential manner.  Few details may be available to the public or to the School Committee. Members should avoid commenting on any personnel matter.  All questions or concerns should be directed to the Superintendent.

Media Requests

1.   Requests for comment or information from anyone in the media should be referred to the Superintendent or the School Committee Chair.

Open Meeting Law Basics

1.   Communication among School Committee members

•    “Deliberation” among a quorum of the SC or any subcommittee can only take place during a public meeting

–    A quorum can be achieved if multiple people pass along the same information/discussion outside of a public meeting.

–    “Deliberation” is basically any oral or written communication (e.g. email), unless limited to the scheduling of a meeting, procedural information, or transmission of information to be discussed provided that no one responds to the information.

–         An opinion on a matter that could come before the School Committee is a deliberation if it is sent to a quorum of the School Committee, even if no one responds.

2.   Executive Sessions

•    Meetings must generally be held in open session.  There are only 10 allowable reasons for holding a meeting in executive session (see p.10 of Massachusetts Open Meeting Law (OML) Guide).  Among these are:

–    Collective bargaining sessions (and related strategy sessions)

–    To discuss the reputation or character of a person or to hear/dismiss a complaint issued against a person

–    To discuss litigation or real estate transactions

3. Remote Participation at School Committee or Subcommittee Meetings

• Remote participation (via phone or video) is allowed; certain conditions apply (see MTRSD Policy BEB)

4.   Public Participation at Meetings (see MTRSD Policy BEDH)

•    Public participation is entirely within the discretion of the Chair.

•    Anyone wishing to speak must be recognized by the Chair.

•    Comments should be brief and respectful; this is not the forum for personal complaints.

•    Recording is permitted providing notice is given to all participants prior to the recording.

Practical OML Implications for School Committee Members

1.   Do not use “Reply All” to respond to any email sent to a quorum of the School Committee.

2.   Do not send information directly to School Committee members; rather send the information to the School Committee Secretary and ask that it be sent to Members.  Do not include your opinion about the information in the email.

3.   If you have any question about the propriety of any action under OML, contact the Chair.

Refer to Mass. Opening Meeting Law Guide:

https://www.mass.gov/files/documents/2018/11/15/2017%20Guide%20with%20ed%20materials_revised%201-30-18.pdf