Board Member Ethics

As a member of the board, I shall promote the best interests of the district as a whole and, to that end, shall adhere to the following ethical standards:

• I will be fair, just, and impartial in all my decisions and actions.
• I will accord others the respect I wish for myself.
• I will encourage expressions of different opinions and listen with an open mind to others’ ideas.
• I will support and protect school personnel in the proper performance of their duties.
• I will be accountable to the public by representing district policies, programs, priorities, and progress accurately.
• I will be responsive to the community by seeking its involvement in district affairs and by communicating its priorities and concerns.
• I will work to ensure prudent and accountable use of district resources.
• I will make no personal promise or take private action that may compromise my performance or my responsibilities.
• I will vote to appoint the best qualified personnel available after consideration of the recommendations of the superintendent.
• I will tell the truth.
• I will share my views while working for consensus.
• I will respect the majority decision as the decision of the board.
• I will base my decisions on fact rather than supposition, opinion, or public favor.
• I will refrain from using my board position for personal or partisan gain.
• I will refuse to surrender judgment to any individual or group at the expense of the district as a whole.
• I will consistently uphold all applicable laws, rules, policies, and governance procedures.
• I will not disclose information that is confidential by law or that will needlessly harm the district if disclosed.
• I will focus my attention on fulfilling the board’s responsibilities of goal setting, policymaking, and evaluation.
• I will diligently prepare for and attend board meetings.
• I will avoid personal involvement in activities the board has delegated to the superintendent. I will seek continuing education that will enhance my ability to fulfill my duties effectively.
• I will be continuously guided by what is best for all students of the district.
• I will represent all students in Grand Prairie ISD.
• I will not meet with vendors and staff concurrently.

Board Authority

• Board authority rests with the board as a whole and not with individual board members; thus, board members have authority only at board meetings and not outside of the meetings.
• Board members shall recognize the superintendent as the Chief Executive Officer to whom the board has delegated administrative authority to manage every aspect of the district’s operations.
• When someone brings a concern/complaint to a board member, the board member will refer the person to the superintendent.
• Board members retain the right to express personal opinions and when expressing opinions, will note clearly that the opinion as his/her own and not the board’s.
• No board member shall make commitments on matters which should properly come before the board as a whole.
• Board decisions are made by majority vote and require board members to support those decisions, even though an individual board member may not have voted in favor of the decision.
• Board members will encourage open communications amongst members, will listen to and consider other members’ points of view, will focus on joint problem solving, and will support consensus building decision making whenever possible.
• The board as a whole directs the superintendent: the superintendent directs the staff; individual board members do neither.
• Requests from board members for additional information pertaining to agenda items shall be submitted to the superintendent as early as possible to allow time to prepare and provide the information to all board members.
• Board members will come to meetings prepared to address agenda items by reviewing the materials in advance.
• The board will review these operating agreements annually and will modify them when necessary to enhance teamwork among board members.
• Any requests for information or data will be directed to the superintendent, not district employees. The superintendent will share any information or data requested with the entire board.
• In order not to disrupt the school or business day, board members will notify the superintendent prior to facility visits so that the superintendent can arrange the visit.
• The board will not engage in a walking quorum.
• Requests of the attorney will go through the superintendent.

Communication with the media

• The board president or designee shall be the official spokesperson for the board and can only make statements on actions or positions upon which the board has taken official action.
• Press releases on behalf of the board shall be approved by the board prior to release unless an emergency or public necessity exists.
• The superintendent or a designated staff member shall be the official spokesperson for the district on issues that relate to district operations.
• Statements shall not be made to the media regarding personnel or other matters protected by law.
• While communications and contact from the media are usually referred to the superintendent or designee, a board member retains the right to speak to the media as an individual but must understand that any comment will likely be interpreted by viewers/readers as an official statement by the board. If an individual board member speaks to the media, notification must be given to the superintendent who will notify the entire board.

Participation in public meetings

• Board members are expected to conduct themselves professionally, ethically, and with courtesy during all meetings and public forums: no rude remarks, interruptions, yelling, name calling, or disrespectful verbal or body language.
• If, during a public meeting or public forum, a board member conducts himself or herself in a manner that violates this standard, the board president may recess the meeting. If a majority of the board disagrees with the recess, then the meeting must continue.

Annual board calendar

• No later than May of each year, the board president, in cooperation and consultation with the superintendent, shall develop the board’s annual calendar of regular and pre- agenda board meetings and board workshops. The calendar shall be posted on the district’s Web site after it has been approved by the board.
• No later than August 1 of each year, the board president, in cooperation and consultation with the superintendent, shall develop the board’s annual activity calendar. This calendar shall be distributed to the board for input and approval before August 31. The calendar will include items legally required at specified times, items legally required annually but not at specific times, and items required by board policy.
• The annual board calendar may be modified at any time by consensus of the board.

Placing items on the agenda

• Agendas are drafted by the superintendent in consultation with the board president, but final approval of the agenda is the sole authority of the board president.
• Board members who wish to place an item on the agenda must make the request in writing to the board president at least 14 days before the scheduled board meeting.
• Should the board president decline to place an item on the agenda, the board member, by signature of one other board member, can place the item on the agenda, provided that the item is submitted to the superintendent at least 10 days before the board meeting.

Participation in discussion, debate, and voting

• The board will follow Roberts Rules of Order, Newly Revised.
• The presiding officer will recognize any member who wishes to speak on a subject. Members will not be allowed to speak a second time until every member who wishes to participate has spoken once.
• Each member will be allowed three minutes to ask questions or comment before he or she must yield the floor. A trustee may yield his time to another trustee.
• Questions or comments must always be germane to the current agenda item.
• Board policies require approval on first reading at one meeting and on second reading at a subsequent board meeting.
• Members abstaining from voting must briefly state their reason for abstaining.
• Board members are required to adhere to a two-minute limit for expressions of thanks, congratulations, and condolences.

Executive session: attendance, confidentiality

• No person other than board members and the superintendent is entitled to attend or participate in executive sessions.
• Board members will comply with the confidentiality requirements of executive sessions and will respect the privacy right of individuals when dealing with confidential information gained through association with the district.
• Others may be invited to participate by consent of the board president and superintendent.
• For the purpose of discussing his or her employment or job performance, and only for this reason, the board may exclude the superintendent from an executive session.
• Members will not disclose or comment on discussion in executive session other than to restate what is posted on the agenda.
• If it is in the interests of the district for a statement to be made regarding a closed- session discussion, the board president will compose an official public statement that meets with the approval of a majority of the board. Any such statement must comply with the limitations of the law.

New board member orientation

• Orientation for a new board member will begin within two weeks of the board member’s taking the oath of office.
• The board president and superintendent, and others as appropriate, will provide the orientation.
• The orientation must include, but will not be limited to:
  • Board operating agreements, ethics policy, and board policies
  • Overview of district administrative organization
  • District budget
  • Open records and open meetings laws
  • Requirements and opportunities for board member training
  • The board’s annual calendar and briefing on upcoming events
  • Expense reimbursement procedures
  • Training to access district electronic communications.

Election and transition of officers

• Annually, at the first regular meeting in June, the board shall elect board officers, a president, vice president, and secretary.
• There are no term limits.
• The election shall take place in open session, as required by the state open meetings law.
• Nominations for a board position will be taken from the floor. Officers shall be elected by a majority vote.
• Any board member who is transitioning out of an office will meet with the incoming officer to review the responsibilities of the position, exchange relevant documents, and review any issues or projects still pending or in process.
• The board president will arrange for a sitting board member to serve as a mentor to a new board member.

Team building

• Each year in July, the board president or designee will work with the superintendent to find potential dates for the annual team-building session.
• The board must approve the date(s) and names of external facilitators.
• The board president and superintendent will seek input from board members but have responsibility for setting the agenda.

Concerns and complaints within the board

• If a board member has a serious, specific concern about the performance of another member, which appears to be in violation of the board operating agreements, he or she shall meet privately with the other member to resolve the issue, and if the concern remains, meet privately with the board president.
• If the board president is not able to resolve the concern, he or she will arrange a meeting with both members.
• If the issue is still not resolved, the president will place it on the agenda of the next executive session under the heading “consideration of the duties of a public officer.”
• Should the Board determine a censorship is warranted, such action may only be taken at a duly posted public meeting as a last resort.

Personnel appointments

• The board may, by state law, only approve or reject candidates brought forward by the superintendent. Board members may not lobby for specific hiring decisions.
• Board members may not advise the superintendent on specific hiring decisions unless such input is sought. Board members may, however, assist the superintendent by identifying individuals with specific professional expertise.
• Board members must abstain from any votes on personnel issues where a conflict of interest is clear, as defined in board policy and/or statute.
• Nothing in this procedure shall prevent or in any way limit the ability of board members to discuss concerns about specific existing employees with the superintendent—but only with the superintendent.

Grievances

• Members must be fully informed on board policies relating to the process for grievances and appeals.
• All grievance or appeal-related materials received by a member and anything heard at a hearing must be held in the strictest confidence.
• Members may only consider information that is presented during the grievance or appeal process; members will not privately seek out information regarding a grievance or appeal. If a board member knows or learns anything about a grievance appeal case except what is admitted through the documents that might render him or her unable to hear the grievance or appeal impartially, then he or she must inform the superintendent immediately and may be asked to recuse himself or herself from the hearing.
• Only the board president can make public statements arising from a grievance or appeal.

Open Forum During Board Meetings

• Open forum on non-agenda items is limited to regular board meetings. Public comment on a non-agenda item is limited to 30 minutes. An individual’s comments to the board shall not exceed three minutes per meeting. Repetitious and irrelevant presentations are prohibited.
• When necessary for effective meeting management or to accommodate large numbers of individuals wishing to address the board, the presiding officer may make adjustments to open forum procedures, including adjusting when open forum will occur during the meeting, reordering agenda items, deferring open forum on non-agenda items, continuing agenda items to a later meeting, providing expanded opportunity for public comment, or establishing an overall time limit for open forum and adjusting the time allotted to each speaker. However, no individual shall be given less than one minute to make comments.

Adopted on August 26, 2021. View and download the signed document here.