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Meetings will be broadcast on ϱ.TV, and on .
Regular Voting Meetings
Regular voting meetings are held at 5:30 p.m. on the fourth Thursday of each month unless otherwise indicated.
Information Sessions
Information sessions are held the second Thursday of the month unless otherwise indicated.
NOTE: Check the district calendar for any changes to board meeting dates and times.
Broadcast Dates and Times
ϱ.TV broadcasts the ϱ ISD board meetings. Live broadcasts include information sessions on the second Thursday of the month and regular voting meetings on the fourth Thursday of the month.
Meetings are rebroadcast Saturday at 1 p.m. and 7 p.m., Sunday at 1 p.m. and Thursday at 7 p.m. A complete television listing is available at ϱ.TV.
Public Testimony
Public Testimony will be offered any time agenda items are scheduled for action or for discussion with possible action. This typically takes place during Regular Board Voting Meetings the fourth Thursday of the month, however, items may be scheduled for action or for discussion with possible action during any voting meeting. Additional meetings will be posted on the district calendar.
Meeting agendas are posted at least 72 hours before the start of all public meetings.
The posted agenda will be available on ).
The public may only address agenda items scheduled for board action during public testimony. This includes consent agenda items, items for a separate vote and items scheduled for a public hearing. You may also provide remarks for items categorized under “Student Achievement” on the Board agenda.
In general, there will be a parenthetical notation written after agenda items defining the purpose of the item. Purpose options include, but are not limited to: (recognition), (information), (discussion with possible action) and (action).
Beginning September 1, 2021, public testimony may be provided in person. Public testimony may also be recorded over the phone 3:30–4:45 p.m. the day before the meeting and 7:45 a.m.–4:30 p.m. the day of the board meeting. Instructions for signing up to provide public testimony in-person and for recording public testimony over the phone are outlined below.
Public Hearings
The board may schedule public hearings as required by policy or law. Input is taken in the form of public testimony. Speaking time is 1 minute. If the subject of the public hearing is also the subject of an agenda item, a person may provide public testimony once.
Those who wish to speak during a Public Hearing should follow the same procedure for providing in-person public testimony or recording over the phone outlined below.
The format of public hearings is set at the discretion of the board.
Public Comment
General public comment will take place during Board Information Sessions. General public comment topics are not limited to action items and may pertain to any issue or topic the public would like to address. At Board Information Sessions, the Board may schedule up to 60 speakers who wish to provide comments to the Board. An additional 10 speakers may be placed on a waitlist to provide general public comment if time remains in the allotted 60 minutes for public comments.
General public comment may be made in person or pre-recorded over the phone 3:30–4:45 p.m. the day before the meeting or 7:45 a.m.–4:30 p.m. the day of the board meeting, unless otherwise posted in the agenda. Instructions for recording public comments over the phone are outlined below.
Instructions for Giving Public Comment
The board will allow up to 60 recorded messages who wish to provide general comments to the Board. Your comments may address any issue or topic.
You may either sign up to speak in person or record your testimony by calling 512-414-0130 between 3:30–4:45 p.m. the day before the meeting or 7:45 a.m.–4:30 p.m. the day of the meeting. When you call, you will be connected with an ϱ ISD representative. If for any reason you are not able to reach a live ϱ ISD representative, please call the number again.
- After the phone greeting, you will hear a beep indicating that the recording has started. State your name and the agenda item you are addressing at the beginning of your comments.
- Please prepare your comment to be no more than 60 seconds and know that you will have a grace period in which to state your name and topic you are addressing. When the allotted time is reached, the recording will stop automatically.
- General Public Comments at Board Information Sessions are not required to pertain to an agenda item.
- Whether you intend to give a complaint or praise, please reference any staff members by position or by abbreviated last name.
- Should you wish to offer additional written remarks that are not bound by time, please email them to trustees@austinisd.org
- If you are providing your comments in Spanish, your comments will be aired in the original language followed by a reading of your comments translated into English. All languages other than Spanish (including ASL) need to be requested at least 48 hours in advance to the board meeting. Those requests can be emailed to trustees@austinisd.org with Board Meeting Interpreter Request in the subject line.
For more information on the agenda, visit the .
Instructions for Giving Public Testimony
Public Testimony must be related to items scheduled for action or for discussion with possible action on the board agenda. In addition, the Board may limit the number of speakers regarding the District's Scorecard to 60 speakers. In general, there will be a parenthetical notation written after agenda items defining the purpose of the item including but not limited to: (recognition), (information), (discussion with possible action) and (action).
You may either sign-up to speak in-person or record your testimony by calling 512-414-0130 between 3:30-4:45 p.m. the day before the meeting or 7:45 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. the day of the meeting. When you call, you will be connected with an ϱ representative. Please specify if you are choosing to provide an in-person Public Comment or if you would like to leave a pre-recorded message. If for any reason you are not able to reach a live ϱ representative during the call hours, please call the number again.
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Once connected with an ϱ representative you will be asked for your name and phone number to ensure that your message is played at the board meeting. The ϱ representative will then transfer your call. For in-person public testimony, the representative will also take your information and greet you at a designated sign-in table outside of the boardroom prior to the start of the board meeting.
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After the phone greeting, you will hear a beep indicating that the recording has started. Please state your name and, if applicable, the agenda item you are addressing at the beginning of your comments.
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Please prepare your comment to be no more than 60 seconds, and know that you will have a grace period in which to state your name and the agenda item you are addressing. When the allotted time is reached, the recording will stop automatically.
The public may only address agenda items scheduled for board action during public testimony. This includes consent agenda items, items for a separate vote and items scheduled for a public hearing. You may also provide remarks for items categorized under “Student Achievement” on the Board agenda. -
Whether you intend to give a complaint or praise, please reference any staff members by position or by abbreviated last name.
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Should you wish to offer additional written remarks that are not bound by time, please email them to trustees@austinisd.org.
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If you are providing your comments in Spanish, your comments will be aired in the original language followed by a reading of your comments translated into English. All languages other than Spanish (including ASL) need to be requested at least 48 hours in advance to the board meeting. Those requests can be emailed to trustees@austinisd.org with Board Meeting Interpreter Request in the subject line.
For more information on the agenda, visit the .
Remarks may be subject to redaction
The ϱ ISD Board of Trustees deeply values community input and welcomes anyone interested in expressing their point of view. If you have attended in person or viewed our meetings online, you may have noticed that we do not play names of individuals stated in messages recorded by callers—other than their own names. In addition to individual names, it is important to keep in mind that we are also unable to allow other personally identifying student information to be disclosed through public comment.
We will always strive to play all recorded messages and will redact or remove message content as sparingly as possible to allow the spirit and intent of any message to be heard. We must, however comply with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), which is the federal law that prohibits the District from disclosing personally identifiable information contained in student records. This requirement extends to information beyond names and includes any information that could identify one of our students.
For more information regarding FERPA, please review ϱ Board policy .
Understanding Options to Direct Comments to the Board
| If you want to speak about… | General topics or agenda items that are not scheduled for a board vote | Agenda items that are scheduled for a board vote | Items scheduled for a Public Hearing |
|---|---|---|---|
| You will have this opportunity at… | Board Information Sessions | Regular and Special Board Voting Meetings | Board Public Hearings |
| Public comment will appear on the agenda as… | GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT | PUBLIC TESTIMONY | PUBLIC HEARING- [topic] |
| The meeting will be held on.. | 2nd Thursday of the month unless otherwise indicated | 4th Thursday of the month unless otherwise indicated | 4th Thursday of the month unless otherwise indicated |
| You may sign up between… | 3:30–4:45 p.m. the day before the meeting or 7:45 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. the day of the meeting | 3:30–4:45 p.m. the day before the meeting or 7:45 a.m.–4:30 p.m. the day of the meeting | 3:30–4:45 p.m. the day before the meeting or 7:45 a.m.–4:30 p.m. the day of the meeting |
| Your comments must be no longer than… | 1 minute | 1 minute | 1 minute |
| How many speakers will be accepted? | 60 speakers (10 speakers on waiting list) | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Will there be restrictions on the topics addressed? | No restrictions |
Remarks must be related to an item the board is scheduled to vote on (listed under “CONSENT AGENDA” or “ITEMS FOR SEPARATE VOTE”) or the agenda item titled "Student Achievement and Scorecard Goals" | Remarks must be related to the agenda item listed for the Public Hearing |
| How does it work? | Call 512.414.0130 to pre-record your remarks over the phone or to speak to a staff person who will sign you up to speak in-person | Call 512.414.0130 to pre-record your remarks over the phone or to speak to a staff person who will sign you up to speak in-person | Call 512.414.0130 to pre-record your remarks over the phone or to speak to a staff person who will sign you up to speak in-person |
You may also communicate with the Board of Trustees via email at trustees@austinisd.org
ϱ ISD Board Monitoring and Agenda Item Calendar
How will I know what items are posted for consideration (i.e. action or discussion with possible action)?
Meeting agendas are posted at least 72 hours before the start of all public meetings, which usually falls at the end of business on Fridays because most board meetings are scheduled for Thursday evenings. In general, there will be a parenthetical notation written after agenda items defining the purpose of the item. Purpose options include, but are not limited to: (recognition), (information), (discussion with possible action) and (action).
The posted agenda will be available on ).
How much time will I have to address the board?
The time allowed each speaker during Public Testimony and General Public Comment is 60 seconds.
Should you wish to offer additional remarks not bound by time limits, you may email all board members at trustees@austinisd.org.
What if I would like to speak on a topic that is not on the agenda?
General Public Comment will take place during Board Information Sessions, typically on the second Thursday of the month. Should you wish to comment on a topic that is not on the agenda, you may also email all board members at trustees@austinisd.org.
What is the difference between General Public Comment and Public Testimony?
Public Testimony is required and regulated by state law, and must be related to agenda items scheduled for Board action. Public Testimony is offered during regular and special Board Voting Meetings and the number of speakers may not be limited. Public Comment is an opportunity to provide comments about any issue or topic and is regulated by ϱ Board policy. It is typically scheduled for 60 minutes during Board Information Sessions.
Thank you for staying involved in the education of ϱ’s school children. Thank you also for giving us space to learn the best ways to implement this new process. Please share your feedback on .
Las juntas de la mesa directiva del ϱ ISD serán transmitidas por ϱ.TV, o .
Juntas ordinarias de votación
Las juntas ordinarias de votación tienen lugar el cuarto jueves de cada mes a las 5:30 p.m. a menos que se indique lo contrario.
Sesiones informativas
Las sesiones informativas tienen lugar el segundo jueves de cada mes a menos que se indique lo contrario.
NOTA: Revise el calendario del distrito para cualquier cambio en las fechas y horarios de las juntas de la mesa directiva.
Fechas y horarios de las transmisiones
ϱ.TV transmite las juntas de la mesa directiva del ϱ ISD. Las transmisiones en vivo incluyen las sesiones informativas el segundo jueves de cada mes y las juntas ordinarias de votación el cuarto jueves de cada mes.
Las juntas se vuelven a transmitir el sábado a la 1 p.m. y las 7 p.m., el domingo a la 1 p.m. y el jueves a las 7 p.m. Una lista completa de la programación está disponible en ϱ.TV.
Testimonio público
El testimonio público se ofrecerá en cualquier momento en el que haya asuntos de la agenda para los cuales está programado tomar acción o discutir una posible acción. Esto normalmente tiene lugar durante las juntas ordinarias de votación de la mesa directiva, pero puede programarse la acción o discusión con posible acción de los asuntos durante cualquier junta de votación. Las juntas adicionales se publicarán en el calendario del distrito.
Las agendas de las juntas se publican al menos 72 horas antes del comienzo de todas las juntas públicas.
La agenda publicada estará disponible en ).
El público puede hablar acerca de asuntos incluidos en la agenda para los que esté programado que la mesa directiva tome acción durante el testimonio público. Esto incluye asuntos de la agenda para llegar a acuerdos, asuntos para votar por separado y asuntos programados para una audiencia pública. También puede dar sus comentarios en relación con el asunto en la agenda de la mesa directiva titulado "Rendimiento estudiantil y metas para la tarjeta de resultados".
En general, habrá algunas notas escritas entre paréntesis después de los asuntos de la agenda, que definirán el propósito de ese asunto. Las opciones del propósito incluyen, pero no se limitan a (reconocimiento), (información), (discusión con posible acción) y (acción).
A partir del 1.° de septiembre de 2021, el testimonio público se podrá dar en persona. El testimonio público también se puede grabar por teléfono entre las 3:30–4:45 p.m. el día antes de la junta o de 7:45 a.m.–4:30 p.m. el día de la junta de la mesa directiva. Las instrucciones para anotarse para ofrecer testimonio público en persona y para grabar el testimonio público por teléfono están abajo.
Audiencias públicas
La mesa directiva puede programar audiencias públicas según lo requieran las normas o la ley. La participación se toma en forma de testimonio público. El tiempo para hablar es de un minuto. Si el tema de la audiencia pública también es el tema de un asunto de la agenda, una persona puede ofrecer testimonio público una sola vez.
Quienes deseen hablar durante una audiencia pública deben seguir el mismo procedimiento para grabar comentarios y testimonio público por teléfono descrito abajo.
Quienes deseen hablar durante una audiencia pública deben seguir el mismo procedimiento que se describe abajo para ofrecer testimonio público en persona o para grabarlo por teléfono.
El formato de las audiencias públicas se establece a discreción de la mesa directiva.
Comentarios del público
Los comentarios generales del público tendrán lugar durante las sesiones informativas de la mesa directiva. Los temas de los comentarios generales del público no se limitan a las acciones a tomar y pueden concernir a cualquier asunto o tema que el público quiera abordar. En las sesiones informativas de la mesa directiva, la mesa directiva puede programar hasta 60 participantes que deseen ofrecerle comentarios. Otros 10 participantes se pueden anotar en una lista de espera para ofrecer comentarios generales del público si queda tiempo de los 60 minutos asignados para comentarios del público.
Los comentarios generales del público se grabarán previamente por teléfono entre las 3:30–4:45 p.m. el día antes de la junta o de 7:45 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. el dia de la junta, a menos que se indique otra cosa en la agenda. Las instrucciones para grabar comentarios del público por teléfono están abajo.
Comprender las opciones para dirigir comentarios a la mesa directiva
| Si usted quiere hablar de… | Temas generales o asuntos de la agenda que no están programados para voto de la mesa directiva | Asuntos programados para voto de la mesa directiva | Asuntos programados para Audiencia Pública |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tendrá oportunidad en… | Juntas Informativas | Juntas de մdzٲó Ordinarias y Especiales | Audiencias Públicas de la mesa directiva |
| El comentario público aparece en la agenda como… | COMENTARIO PÚBLICO GENERAL | TESTIMONIO PÚBLICO | AUDIENCIA PÚBLICA - (asunto) |
| La junta se lleva a cabo el... |
2.° jueves del mes a menos que se indique otra cosa | 4.° jueves del mes a menos que se indique otra cosa | 4.° jueves del mes a menos que se indique otra cosa |
| Puede registrarse entre… | 3:30–4:45 p.m. el día antes de la junta o de 7:45 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. el dia de la junta | 3:30–4:45 p.m. el día antes de la junta o de 7:45 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. el dia de la junta | 3:30–4:45 p.m. el día antes de la junta o de 7:45 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. el dia de la junta |
| ¿Cuántos oradores serán aceptados? |
1 minuto | 1 minuto | 1 minuto |
| ¿Habrá restricciones en los temas abordados? | 60 participantes (10 más en la lista de espera) | Ilimitado | Ilimitado |
| ¿Cómo funciona? | Sin restricciones |
Los comentarios tienen que estar relacionados con un asunto sobre el cual la mesa directiva tenga programado votar (enlistados como “AGENDA DE CONSENTI-MIENTO” o “ASUNTOS PARA VOTO POR SEPARADO”) o el asunto en la agenda de la mesa directiva titulado "Rendimiento estudiantil y metas para la tarjeta de resultados". | Los comentarios tienen que estar relacionados con un asunto de la agenda enlistado como Audiencia Pública. |
| ¿Cómo funciona? | Llamar al 512-414-0130 para grabar previamente los comentarios por teléfono. | Llamar al 512-414-0130 para grabar previamente los comentarios por teléfono o para hablar con quien agregará su nombre a la lista para hablar en persona. | Llamar al 512-414-0130 para grabar previamente los comentarios por teléfono o para hablar con quien agregará su nombre a la lista para hablar en persona. |
Otra forma de comunicarse con la mesa directiva es vía correo electrónico a la dirección trustees@austinisd.org
¿Cómo sabré qué puntos se han publicado para su consideración (es decir, acción o discusión con posible acción)?
Las agendas de las juntas se publican al menos 72 horas antes del comienzo de todas las juntas públicas, que normalmente cae al final del día laboral los viernes, porque la mayoría de juntas de la mesa directiva están programadas los jueves en la noche. En general, habrá una nota entre paréntesis después de los asuntos de la agenda que definirá el propósito del asunto. Las opciones del propósito pueden incluir, pero no se limitan a las siguientes: (reconocimiento), (información), (discusión y posible acción) y (acción).
La agenda publicada estará disponible en ).
¿Cuánto tiempo tendré para dirigirme a la mesa directiva?
El tiempo asignado para cada participante durante el testimonio público y los comentarios generales del público es de 60 segundos.
Si desea ofrecer comentarios adicionales que no estén confinados a un límite de tiempo, puede enviarles un correo electrónico a todos los miembros de la mesa directiva a trustees@austinisd.org.
¿Qué pasa si quiero hablar de un tema que no está en la agenda?
Los comentarios generales del público tendrán lugar durante las sesiones informativas de la mesa directiva, normalmente el segundo jueves de cada mes. Si desea comentar sobre un tema que no está en la agenda, también puede enviarles un correo electrónico a todos los miembros de la mesa directiva a trustees@austinisd.org.
¿Cuál es la diferencia entre los comentarios generales del público y el testimonio público?
Gracias por mantenerse involucrados en la educación de los niños de las escuelas de ϱ. Gracias también por darnos el espacio para aprender las mejores maneras de implementar este nuevo proceso. Comparta sus opiniones en .