By the time you receive this issue of the SLATE, the legislative session will have come to a close and ISBA’s platform will have been implemented to the greatest extent possible. During this session, it became apparent to me that not all of our members understand how ISBA’s legislative platform is established. I thought I would spend this year discussing that process and how it works. These will be the four topics I plan to discuss:
The Resolution Process
- How to do it, who can do it, the process, and the possible outcomes.
- Once the resolutions are sent to all school board members, what is your responsibility?
Voting on Resolutions
- When is it done?
- Who can vote?
- What is the voting requirement?
- The outcome establishes the ISBA platform.
Turning The Resolutions Into Legislation
- Once a resolution is passed, then what? How does the ISBA create the legislative platform, craft legislation based on the resolutions, fight legislation we are opposed to, and move the ISBA platform forward.
What Happens Next?
- Possible policies
- Changes in the way school districts do business
Question: Who Can Submit a Resolution?
Answer: Any school board member, a school district, or an ISBA Region can submit a resolution to the ISBA. Those resolutions are submitted to the ISBA office and staff.
Question: Who Can Submit a Resolution?
Answer: Any school board member, a school district, or an ISBA Region can submit a resolution to the ISBA. Those resolutions are submitted to the ISBA office and staff.
Question: When Do Resolutions Need to be Submitted and What Happens Once They are Submitted?
Answer: Resolutions need to be submitted no later than July 31 of each year. Why so early? The ISBA Bylaws require that all resolutions be forwarded to all school board members at least 30 days in advance of the Annual Business Session. The Business Session is sometime in early November. As such, the ISBA staff needs to forward all resolutions to all our school board members no later than early October.
The ISBA Executive Board meets in early September and makes recommendations on the resolutions. Prior to that meeting, ISBA staff reviews the resolutions and works with local school districts to make edits or to combine them with other school district resolutions that may be similar in nature.
Once the staff has the resolutions ready, they are submitted to the Government Affairs Committee who reviews them, makes further recommendations, and then sends them to the full Board for review – thus the need for a submission on July 31 of each year.
Question: What Happens Once Resolutions are Reviewed by the ISBA Executive Board?
Answer: During their fall Executive Board meeting, the Executive Board makes recommendations on all submitted resolutions. The Executive Board may decide to make a recommendation of pass or do not pass. However, it is important to understand that ALL resolutions are voted on by the members of ISBA.
Once the recommendation is made, ISBA staff adds the recommendation to each resolution. Those resolutions are then forwarded to all the members. That is done via email to the most recent email address we have on file for you.
Question: What Should Board Members do Once They Receive the Resolutions?
Answer: We recommend that all boards discuss the resolutions at a Board meeting. Why do you need to do that? The ISBA recognizes that every member of your board may not be able to make it to the Annual Business Session. As such, the Bylaws allow one member of your board to vote all the votes that are allowed for your school district.
If you have the opportunity as a board to discuss the resolutions, then whoever attends the Annual Business Session will understand the wishes of their full board and can debate or vote accordingly. Then assign at least one board member to attend the Business Session and vote for their entire board.
Next Steps. In the next issue, I will discuss what happens once we all get to the Annual Business Session. In the meantime, I would encourage all of you to start thinking about any resolutions you may want to submit. Please know that the ISBA staff is ready to support you in any way we can. We will help you draft the resolution, offer comments, make edits, and help you to work with other school districts. And, we look forward to hearing from you.
Hope you are enjoying your spring and summer!