Fast Facts for Open Meetings
Length of notice for charter school board meetings
- Regular meetings
- Schedule of meeting time and place posted in an area for the widest possible audience (school website, school front office, bulletin board, and/or school newsletter)
- Change to regularly scheduled meetings
- Written notice posted 7 calendar days before the day of the first meeting with this revised schedule
- Special meetings
- Written notice posted 48 hours in advance of the meeting
- Emergency meetings
- Can occur when all members are notified and the procedure for noticing the meeting to the public is carried out
Nine legal reasons to go into closed session
- To discuss confidential, privileged information
- To discuss awards and prizes
- To protect attorney-client privilege
- To discuss the location or expansion of the school
- To negotiate material terms of a contract or salary of an employee
- To discuss specific personnel matters
- To discuss alleged criminal misconduct
- To create plans relating to emergency response to events of school violence
- To discuss safety plans related to existing or potential terrorist activity
Motion and formal vote are required to enter and exit closed sessions.
Reasons not to go into closed session
- Not sure how to proceed with a sudden issue that occurs in open session
- To meet and discuss what will be discussed during the open meeting
- Budgeting matters
- Employment and discharge of employees or independent contractors
- Election irregularities
There is no voting in closed session.