HISD board meeting changes on the table

Trustees may emphasize student achievement, create more meaningful public engagement

Houston ISD trustees have agreed to continue considering changes to their meeting structures, which several board members said will put greater focus on student achievement and create more meaningful public engagement.

Trustees voted 7-1 on Thursday on the first reading of the proposal, meaning they will continue debating the recommendations ahead of a second — and likely final — vote in the coming weeks.

The proposal calls for shortening board meetings, shifting some public comment time to days before meetings, and limiting the amount of speaking time available to members of the board and public.

Trustees also would start submitting written questions about agenda items before board meetings, with HISD administrators responding in writing and publicly posting the answers.

“The system we currently have isn’t working, and we need to try something different,” HISD Board President Diana Dávila said.

Some trustees and members of the public have criticized the board for running inefficient meetings that do not adequately address student outcomes or provide avenues for conversation with residents.

A few board meetings also have been marred by public displays of acrimony among trustees, who often are not limited in the amount of time they are allowed to speak.

Under proposed timelines, agenda review meetings would last three hours; regular meetings would take two hours and 30 minutes.

Public comment would be limited to 90 minutes combined between the two meetings.

Members of the public offered mixed feedback on the proposals at Thursday’s school board meeting, which clocked in at 5 hours and 15 minutes.

Some praised efforts to focus more on student achievement; others criticized constraints on public comment.