What is the Job of The Board?

A seven-member Board of Trustees serves as the legal agent of the State of Texas in carrying out the will of the citizens of Claude Independent School District in the matters of public education.  The Board conducts the school program in accordance with the state constitution and the standards set by the Texas Education Agency.  A policy-making body, the board delegates the day-to-day administration of the school to the Superintendent and the professional staff.

Major responsibilities of the Board:

• to govern and oversee the management of the school district
• to approve the budget and set the tax rates
• to authorize collection, disbursement and auditing of funds
• to approve employment and termination of personnel
• to approve property purchases
• to approve new building plans
• to award bids
• to hear grievances of employees, students, and citizens of the district
• to set the policies for the CISD
• to develop and improve the educational system
• to secure adequate financing
• to select the superintendent of schools
• to foster good community relations

Addressing the Board

The Board welcomes input from members of the community.  A public comments session is normally scheduled at the beginning of each regular monthly meeting of the Board.  Those wishing to address the Board about an item on the agenda or about an issue that is not on the agenda may do so during this section of the meeting.  The protocol to be followed comes from Policy BED(Local):

• The Board shall allot 15 minutes of a regular board meeting to hear persons who desire to make comments to the board
• At all other times during a board meeting, the audience shall not enter into discussion or debate on matters being considered by the board, unless recognized by the presiding officer
• No audience member presentation shall exceed five minutes.
• Delegations of more than five persons who wish to speak on the same subject, shall appoint one person to present their views before the board.
• Persons who wish to participate in the public participation segment of the meeting must complete the “Participation Request Card” and submit it to the Board president or the Board secretary before the meeting begins.
• Complaints or concerns for which other resolution channels are provided shall be directed to those channels if appropriate or necessary as determined by the presiding officer or his/her designee.
• By law, the members of the Board may not speak to any topic that is not listed as an item on the agenda.
• The Board president may thank the participant, may refer the participant to District policy on the subject, may suggest that the subject could, if appropriate, be placed on a later agenda and/or share that the subject will be discussed by the board as an agenda later in the meeting.