The eleventh article in an ongoing series intended to help NJ residents, especially students, understand their local and state government.
Every January, New Jersey school boards hold a reorganization meeting that lays out the structure and ground rules the BOE will operate under and the authority they will operate with for the rest of the year.
This entry into our civic education series will use the Berkeley Heights Public Schools BOE reorg meeting as a walk through example. There may be slight differences from one meeting to the next but on the whole, what’s covered here should match what you’ll experience in your District’s re-org meeting.
Reorganization meetings are quiet, focus on procedure and – like most BOE meetings- not well attended. With that said, decisions made during this meeting have a lasting impact on the rest of the year.
No President
The meeting is called to order by the Business Administrator/Board Secretary – not the Board President because there isn’t one yet. A BOE President is elected by the BOE members every year and until that vote happens the Board is technically unorganized and only legally required actions may occur.
The meeting notice statement is evidence that the BOE followed the New Jersey’s Open Public Meetings Act. This is important because if the notice falls short, actions that are taken later in the meeting can be challenged.
BOE Reset
The meeting moves on to the BOE election that concluded November of the prior year and the oath of office is administered to newly elected members.
It is at this time that new members gain legal authority to vote- until the oath is administered, election winners cannot participate in Board action.
After this occurs the full Board is seated but still not organized.
Vote for President and Vice President
The election of the Board President is usually the most important action of the meeting.
Nominations do not require a second and any member may nominate themselves or another member. Once nominations close, the vote is taken by roll call – this vote can occur several times until a President is elected.
Whoever wins becomes the presiding officer immediately and control of the meeting is turned over on the spot.
From that point on, the President controls recognition, manages public comments and has strong influence in how meetings function for the rest of the year.
If the BOE can’t come to an agreement on a President, they’ll kick the issue to the County Superintendent. Typically the Superintendent gives the BOE some time to work it out but if they can’t – he or she will typically interview candidates and make a decision.
The Vice President is elected using the same process, and the role matters more than folks realize. The Vice President presides whenever the President is absent and may become the public face of the Board during extended absences or contentious periods.
Public Comment
Public comments are usually limited to agenda items only and residents can’t bring up unrelated issues even if they’re important. While BOE’s attempt to regulate comments, OPMA requires the that the public be given the opportunity to make comments on any topic…
““…shall be required to set aside a portion of every meeting… for public comment on any governmental or school district issue that a member of the public feels may be of concern to the residents of the municipality or school district.”
Resolutions and Authority
Most of the meeting consists of reorganization resolutions which are usually (but not always) passed quickly – sometimes as a block- and each carrying authority…
– Adoption of Code of Ethics binds members to state standards that apply for the full year.
-Meeting notice and legal advertising designations determine where and how residents are informed about meetings.
-Annual Meeting Schedule locks in all the regular meeting dates (including the budget presentation and adoption).
-Robert’s Rules of Order are adopted and establish how motions, debate and votes function.
-Financial Designations assign authority to sign warrants, approve payments between meetings and execute budget transfers- defining role and responsibility for day-to-day spending.
-Re-adoption of policies and curriculum rolls forward all existing policies and instructional materials unless they are amended later on.
What you probably wont see.
There won’t be much or any discussion connected to student achievement, facilities, staffing levels or budget priorities.
That is intentional as reorganization meetings are about governance, not programming.
Once you understand the reorganization meeting, every agenda that follows becomes easier to read and every controversy becomes easier to decode.
What a BOE reorganization meeting actually does
- It sets the rules for the year. Reorganization meetings establish the structure, ground rules and authority the Board will operate under until next January.
- There is no President at the start. The meeting is called to order by the Business Administrator and Board Secretary because the Board elects its President each year.
- The Board is seated, then organized. Newly elected members take the oath before they can vote, then the Board elects a President and Vice President by roll call.
- The President vote matters most. Once elected, the President immediately presides and strongly influences how meetings run for the rest of the year.
- Public comment must be allowed. Even if a board prefers agenda-only comments during reorganization, OPMA requires an opportunity for the public to comment on any school district issue at every public meeting.
- Resolutions quietly assign power. Reorganization resolutions set notice rules, lock in the meeting calendar, adopt procedural rules and assign key financial authorities.
- Expect little debate on priorities. Reorganization meetings focus on governance, not student achievement, staffing, facilities or budget priorities.
Explore the Entire ‘Understanding Your NJ Government’ Series
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