EDUCATION BRIEFS
News from Round Rock ISD
COMPILED BY BROOKE SJOBERG
NUMBER TO KNOW outcomes during RRISD meetings held in October, compared to 202 minutes spent discussing other topics 285 The number of minutes spent discussing student
Policies updated relating to books in libraries, classrooms
ROUND ROCK ISD The board of trustees approved two policies regarding instructional materials and library books during its Nov. 17 meeting. The two policies concern the process by which books for instructional use, such as for class reading assign- ments, and library books are selected and reviewed. Previous discussion of the policies from district sta and the Texas Association of School Boards took place in October and centered around the district’s existing informal process for reconsidering reading materials. RRISD Chief of Instruction Ryan Smith told the board of trustees that this existing method is most commonly used within the district when a parent or guardian nds a resource questionable. “At that point, the librarian agrees a majority of the time, and then that book is removed,” Smith said Oct. 20. “We haven’t had any books that had to have a formal process on the library side, at least as far back as any of us that are here currently can remember. Those have all been resolved in an informal process.” The new policies will have selected members of local regulatory groups examine an informal challenge of reading materials before advancing the process to a more formal challenge codi ed into district policy.
THE CHALLENGE PROCESS
QUOTE OF NOTE
If a parent or guardian wants to challenge the inclusion of an instructional or library resource within Round Rock ISD, the process will advance through the following steps: A complaint may be issued to a campus librarian. It then goes to a principal if it cannot be resolved. Informal challenge
HIGHLIGHTS ROUND ROCK ISD Trustees approved the use of capital funds for a replacement of McNeil High School’s roof during a Nov. 17 meeting. The contract was awarded to Advantage USAA Inc. for $2.17 million. ROUND ROCK ISD Trustees tabled an update to the district’s rank- in-class policy on Nov. 17 that would have expanded the number of courses counted toward the nal class rank of students. Board members cited a need for more discussion on the item given the number of courses in consideration for inclusion. Round Rock ISD board of trustees Meets Dec. 15 at 5:30 p.m. 300 Lake Creek Drive, Round Rock 512-464-5000 www.roundrockisd.org MEETINGS WE COVER "ON THE TEMPLATE I'M WORKING OFF OF, THEY TYPICALLY LOOK AT TWO HOUR MEETINGS OR LESS. I'M NOT SURE HOW REALISTIC THAT IS FOR THE KINDS AND TYPES OF BUSINESS THAT YOU HAVE TO CONDUCT." DAVID FALTYS, TEXAS EDUCATION AGENCY MONITOR ASSIGNED TO ROUND ROCK ISD, ON REDUCING TIME SPENT CONDUCTING SCHOOL BOARD MEETINGS
A review committee at the campus level decides whether to pull the book from the library or classrooms. Unresolved complaints escalate to campus principal
The superintendent may invoke a districtwide review committee to consider the resource. Districtwide consideration invoked
An appeal to the decision resulting from Level II may be made to the school board. An appeal may be made
SOURCE: ROUND ROCK ISD COMMUNITY IMPACT
Virtual public comments no longer allowed at meetings per new policy
ADDRESSING THE BOARD
Public commenters will see some changes to the Round Rock ISD policy go into e ect at the next regular meeting of the board: • Public comment is limited to 2 minutes from the previous 3 minutes allowed. • Starting with the Dec. 13 meeting, speakers who cannot appear in person may only address the board through recorded voice messages . • Speakers for the Dec. 8 meeting may only address the board in person.
ROUND ROCK ISD The board of trustees will implement a new public comment policy that eliminates virtual options. O cials approved the change at a Nov. 17 meeting. The policy update limits the amount of time speakers have to address the board from three minutes to two and no longer allows virtual public comments. RRISD General Counsel Cindy Hill said the new policy will allow
commenters to leave phone messages.
“You can either show up here and speak in person or you can record on a phone, and we will play that back,” Hill said. For the Dec. 8 RRISD board meet- ing, Hill said speakers will only be able to address the board in person. Details on the new policy, including rules for public comments left via phone messages, are forthcoming.
SOURCE: ROUND ROCK ISD COMMUNITY IMPACT
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ROUND ROCK EDITION • DECEMBER 2022
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