1. If a board meeting is taking place at the charter school during the school day, can the doors be locked for student safety?
No. Charter board meetings cannot keep members of the public from attending. Visitors at the school should follow the school visitor policy but cannot be excluded from attending the meeting.
2. Do board retreats fall under Open Meetings Law?
Yes. Any gathering with a majority of board members voting, discussing school business or conducting hearings is a public open meeting and fall under the Open Meetings law.
3. What is public record?
The North Carolina Public Records Act states that G.S. 132-1(a):
“Public record” or “public records” shall mean all documents, papers, letters, maps, books, photographs, films, sound recordings, magnetic or other tapes, electronic data-processing records, artifacts, or other documentary material, regardless of physical form or characteristics, made or received pursuant to law or ordinance in connection with the transaction of public business by any agency of North Carolina government or its subdivisions.

As a charter school board that is granted a license to operate a Public Charter School by the North Carolina State Board of Education, the public records acts holds for all board related documents — this includes open meeting agendas, minutes, documentation used in open discussion, and emails concerning board matters.

4. What needs to be in board meeting minutes?
Charter boards “shall keep full and accurate minutes.” This means that a description of the agenda item, the discussion that took place about that item, the motion, and vote count all need to be included in the minutes. Examples of charter school board meeting minutes including closed session are in Appendix 1 and 2.
5. Where can I find additional resources on the Open Meetings law?
The North Carolina Attorney General’s Office with the North Carolina Press Association has published a Guide to Open Government and Public Records. The guide provides information regarding the Public Records Act, records exempted from disclosure, and the Open Meetings law. It can be found here.
6. Where can I find legal definitions about Open Meetings Law?
Legal definitions about Open Meetings Law in North Carolina can be found here.
7. Where can I find examples of parliamentary procedures to use during my board meeting?
Here are two resources for parliamentary procedures during board meetings: