Should the Wake County school board consider putting time limits on how long individual board members can debate issues at meetings?

The school board's policy on rules of order has a section on board debate, including saying a person who hasn't spoken yet should be allowed to talk before a board member speaks again. It also talks about, to the extent possible, alternating between proponents and opponents of a measure.

During Tuesday's policy committee meeting, board member Susan Evans said she's fine with the present debate rules. But Evans also asked if they wanted to consider putting time limits on how much individual board members can speak when they have the floor.

More to come, but here's a quick recap of today's Wake County school board policy committee meeting.

The committee didn't act on staff's recommendation to recommend changes in the capping policy, principally including wording authorizing the superintendent to place partial caps at schools. Board members said they will approve it at some point but want to flesh out the capping issue more in the assignment plan discussion before approving policy changes.

Board member Susan Evans floated the idea of limiting how long board members can debate issues, citing how long meetings have gotten. Other board members weren't willing to go that far and that idea wasn't incorporated into the proposed revisions of the rules of order policy that will go to the full board.

The committee also agreed to send to the full board the revised duties of board officers policy.

The Wake County school board's policy committee will tackle today enrollment capping and the way the board operates.

The capping policy has been meant to apply to schools for the foliating school year. Since the caps proposed in the draft 2013-14 assignment plan would affect schools for this school year, some revisions might be needed.

The committee will also discuss the policy on the rules of order that govern board meetings.

The committee will also discuss the policy on the duties of officers, namely the board chair and vice chair. The discussion comes a week before the board's annual organization meeting when officers will be selected for the next year.

UPDATE

Click here to view the proposed revision to the capping policy. It would incorporate wording on the use of partial and full caps.

Click here to view the proposed revision on the duties of board officers. It would formalize into the policy the practice that's been followed the past year that allows the board chair to vote  on all issues. The board chair has been voting on everything, and not just to break ties, since the General Assembly made it possible last year.

Click here to view the proposed revision on the rules of order. It drops the wording that the board chair can only vote to break ties. It also formalizes the practice that's been taking place of board members making comments at the start of the meeting.

The Wake County school board took a step last week toward completing the last remaining action step required by AdvancED.

AdvancED had in its March 2011 report faulted the school board's then Republican majority for using resolutions to make decisions, bypassing the normal two-vote process for policies and often not providing the resolutions with advance notice.

The board voted last week to give initial approval to this new policy that would set the general scope of what board resolutions should be used for. It would also stipulate providing information on the resolutions ahead of time.

Should the Wake County school board fill Chris Malone's soon-to-be-vacant seat with a person from Eastern Wake?

As noted in today's article, some Eastern Wake leaders say the vacancy should be filled by a person who would be strong voice for the region. Malone's district includes most of Eastern Wake and also Wake Forest and Rolesville.

Area leaders say they want things such as more resources, magnet schools, electives and other programs to help with the high percentage of free-and-reduced-lunch students in the region's schools.

Wake County school board member Debra Goldman, fresh off her unsuccessful run for state auditor, is looking for a full-time job.

"As I determine how to approach my next move, it is the search for a full time job, I ask that if you have any thoughts on this or are able to help, please let me know!," Goldman posted on her Facebook page late Wednesday. "Thank you, Debra."

Fellow school board member John Tedesco, coming off his unsuccessful run for state schools superintendent, has said he's also looking for a full-time paying job. Presumably Goldman, like Tedesco, would use the job to supplement her school board pay.

SEE UPDATE AT END OF POST

Magnet schools, the next school bond issue, the 2013-14 school calendars and the way board agendas are set are among the topics at today's Wake County school board meeting.

During the work session, the board will have continued discussion about what schools to include in the federal Magnet Schools Assistance Program grant. This could change which schools are recommended to receive magnet programs and which magnets would get their themes overhauled

The board will then begin discussion of the initial school lost of school capacity needs for the next bond issue. In determining how many new school to fund in the bond, there could also be discussion about whether more or less multi-track year-round calendar schools are needed.

UPDATE

The school board will proceed with first reading of policy 1321. Policy 1322 will be pulled from the regular meeting agenda and referred back to the policy committee. Policy 1321 was approved on a 5-4 vote with the five Democrats in support and the four Republicans voting no.

What's the proper balance between having Wake County school board meetings run efficiently and allowing individual members to get their concerns aired in public?

The school board's policy committee is forwarding along proposed changes to how meetings are run, including how information items can be requested and the minimum notice for bringing information to board members.

But school board member Debra Goldman is concerned that the changes could make it harder for board members to get information items added. She's also concerned that the changes in policy also don't provide a way for minority members to get action items added.

Wake County school board agendas, transparency, board advisory councils and the grading policy are all among the agenda topics at today's policy committee meeting.

The committee will discuss this change to policy 1322 that would regulate how board members can add items such as resolutions and information items to regular meeting agendas. They'll also discuss this change to policy to 1321 saying that adequate data needs to be presented before any board action is requested.

The changes are the outgrowth of concerns from AdvancED about how the prior board majority was making decisions without data or public notice. The old board had approved the changes in November but second reading was never done by the new board.

The days of the Wake County school board holding an annual meeting in June to elect a chair and vice chair will soon be over.

Last week, the General Assembly passed a bill that eliminates wording saying the Wake school board must hold its annual meeting to elect board officers in June or July. This will allow the school board to hold the annual meeting whenever it wants, likely in December after the fall board elections.

The change came about because in 2009 the new Republican majority kicked Kevin Hill out of his term early to make Ron Margiotta the board chair. The new Democratic majority reciprocated last year by kicking John Tedesco out early as vice chair in favor of Keith Sutton.

Rather than go through the process of picking new officers in December and then holding another vote in June, the board unanimously agreed to ask the legislature to change the local law. This now means that the terms of board chairman Kevin Hill and vice chairman Keith Sutton will likely end in December instead of June.