TITLE 19.EDUCATION

Part 8. WINDHAM SCHOOL DISTRICT

Chapter 300. GENERAL PROVISIONS

19 TAC §300.2

The Windham School District Board of Trustees adopts new §300.2, concerning Windham School District Board of Trustees Operating Procedures with one change to the text as proposed in the February 6, 2004, issue of the Texas Register (29 TexReg 1142).

The purpose of the new rule is to establish operating procedures for the Windham School District Board of Trustees to conduct business.

One comment was received by Susan McHenry regarding a change to subsection (c)(4) indicating that if the committee uses videoconference technology to convene a meeting, at least a majority of a quorum of the committee must include not two, but three members of a four member committee. The response was to change the number of members from two to three.

The new rule is adopted under Texas Education Code, §§19.001, et seq., which establish the Windham School District, with the governance and policymaking role of the Texas Board of Criminal Justice.

Cross Reference to Statutes: Texas Education Code, §19.001.

§300.2.Windham School District Board of Trustees Operating Procedures.

(a) General. This section establishes operating procedures for the Windham School District (WSD) Board of Trustees to conduct business.

(b) Organization.

(1) The Texas Board of Criminal Justice (TBCJ) serves as the Board of Trustees for the Windham School District (WSD Board), pursuant to Chapter 19, Texas Education Code. The TBCJ is a nine (9) member body appointed by the Governor to oversee the Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ). The Chairman of the TBCJ is designated by and serves at the pleasure of the Governor (Section 492.005, Texas Government Code).

(2) The WSD Board operates utilizing the same officers and structure established by the TBCJ.

(3) The TBCJ Education Committee provides WSD a reporting avenue to the WSD Board. By appointment to this committee (in accordance with TBCJ practices), members will be designated to become particularly familiar with various WSD issues, and to bring forward consensus recommendations or a candid report on any disagreements to the full WSD Board.

(4) The Chair of the Education Committee, appointed by the Chairman, may appoint non-members to sit on the committee in an advisory capacity; however, advisory members are non-voting members and cannot be reimbursed for expenses incurred in this capacity.

(5) For employment decisions made specifically by the WSD Board, a limited-purpose committee shall be appointed by the Chairman as deemed necessary to formulate recommendations for full WSD Board consideration.

(c) Meetings.

(1) The WSD Board shall hold its regular meetings in conjunction with those of the TBCJ. Special called meetings of the WSD Board can be held at the discretion of the Chairman.

(2) The TBCJ attempts to hold regular meeting at least every odd-numbered month of the year, but shall meet at least once each quarter of the calendar year. These meetings shall be held in Austin, Texas, or under exceptional circumstances in Huntsville, Texas (Section 492.006, Texas Government Code and the General Appropriations Act). If the TBCJ uses videoconference technology to convene a meeting, at least three (3) members must convene at the Austin videoconference site, or under exceptional circumstances, the Huntsville videoconference site. The other members may convene using the technology from remote sites.

(3) The agenda for the meetings of the WSD Board shall be set by the Chairman, after consultation with members of the WSD Board and the WSD Superintendent.

(4) A meeting of the TBCJ Education Committee shall be held at a site chosen by the Chairman of the committee. The Chairman of the committee shall set the agenda for the meeting in consultation with the WSD Superintendent. If the committee uses videoconference technology to convene a meeting, at least a majority of a quorum of the committee, such as, three (3) members of a four (4) member committee, must convene in one location, and the other members may convene using the technology from remote sites.

(5) A majority of the WSD Board or the Education Committee constitutes a quorum for the convening of, and transaction of business at, any meeting. A quorum of a committee with two (2) members is two (2).

(6) A quorum of a committee cannot depend on the presence of an advisory member. A non-unanimous vote on an action by a committee cannot be decided by an advisory member.

(7) Meetings of the WSD Board and its committees shall be conducted according to standard parliamentary procedures.

(8) Meetings of the WSD Board and its committees are governed by the Texas Open Meetings Act (Chapter 551, Texas Government Code).

(9) The WSD Superintendent, in coordination with appropriate TDCJ staff, shall ensure that members are provided with materials necessary to conduct the business of the WSD Board well in advance of any meeting.

(10) The WSD Superintendent, in coordination with appropriate TDCJ staff, shall ensure that minutes of each meeting are prepared, retained, filed with the Legislative Reference Library, and made available to the public. The minutes shall state the subject matter of each deliberation and shall indicate each vote, order, decision, or other action taken by the WSD Board.

(11) Requests by the public to make presentations to the WSD Board are governed by WSD Board Rule, §300.1 of this title.

This agency hereby certifies that the adoption has been reviewed by legal counsel and found to be a valid exercise of the agency's legal authority.

Filed with the Office of the Secretary of State on April 2, 2004.

TRD-200402290

Carl Reynolds

General Counsel

Windham School District

Effective date: April 22, 2004

Proposal publication date: February 6, 2004

For further information, please call: (512) 463-0422