During each regular and special open meeting of the Board, any person may comment to or ask questions of the School Board (public participation), subject to the reasonable constraints established and recorded in this policy’s guidelines below. The Board listens to comments or questions during public participation; responses to comments to or questions of the Board are most often managed through policy 3:30, Chain of Command. 

To preserve sufficient time for the Board to conduct its business, any person appearing before the Board is expected to follow these guidelines: 

1. Address the Board only at the appropriate time as indicated on the agenda and when recognized by the Board President. This includes following the directives of the Board President to maintain order and decorum for all.

2. Use a sign-in sheet, if requested. 

3. Identify oneself and be brief. Ordinarily, the time for any one person to address the Board during public participation shall be limited to five minutes. In unusual circumstances, and when an individual has made a request to speak for a longer period of time, the Board President may allow a person to speak for more than five minutes. If multiple individuals wish to address the Board on the same subject, the group is encouraged to appoint a spokesperson.

4. Observe, when necessary and appropriate, the Board President’s authority to: 

a. Shorten the time for each person to address the Board during public participation to conserve time and give the maximum number of people an opportunity to speak; and/or

b. Determine procedural matters regarding public participation not otherwise covered in Board policy.

5. Conduct oneself with respect and civility toward others and otherwise abide by Board policy 8:30, Visitors to and Conduct on School Property. 

Petitions or written correspondence to the Board shall be presented to the Board in the next regular Board packet. 

LEGAL REF.: 105 ILCS 5/10-6 and 5/10-16.

5 ILCS 120/2.06, Open Meetings Act.

CROSS REF.: 2:220 (School Board Meeting Procedure), 8:10 (Connection with the Community), 8:30 (Visitors to and Conduct on School Property)

Adopted: January 27, 2025