Overview
School district board public hearings on reorganization is addressed via Wis. stats. 117. The following sample agenda below is also available as an editable Word document.
Sample Agenda
Call Meeting to Order
"As Chair of this public hearing on reorganization, I hereby call this meeting to order."
Identification of Chairperson
"I am _______________, _________________ (Chair's title - ie. President of the School Board, District Administrator, Principal, Attorney). Let the record indicate that the board resolution which set forth the date and time of this hearing also contained my appointment as Chair. The original copy of that resolution is here, should you wish to view it."
In a joint hearing, or if the issue is particularly contentious, you may wish to find an independent chair who is familiar with parliamentary procedure, such as a respected local attorney. In this situation, it is recommended that the host district administrator serve as the secretary for this hearing. The duties of the secretary in this hearing are administrative in nature. He/she will review the alternative board motions, hand out the ballots, review what a "Yes" and "No" vote means, and tabulate and announce the results. (It is assumed there would also be someone responsible for recording the testimony given, presumably the host board secretary.) The Chair should entertain a motion on the selection of the administrative secretary in the presence of and with the participation of all the board members involved.
"It has been suggested that _____________ be the secretary for this hearing. I will entertain a motion to this effect. Is there a second?"
Secretary Reads Notice of Hearing
This may be waived if there is no objection, and the waiver has been approved by the school board(s).
Introduction of School Board Members Present
Let the record indicate those members present.
Statutory Basis for Making a Decision
The school board(s) shall consider and weigh the following factors as they affect the educational welfare of all the children of all the school districts affected by the proposed reorganization:
- The geographical and topographical characteristics of the affected school districts, including the estimated travel time to and from school for pupils in the school districts;
- The educational needs of all children residing in the affected school districts, the educational programs currently offered by each affected school district and the ability and commitment of each school district to meet those needs and continue to offer those educational programs;
- If territory is proposed to be detached from one school district and attached to an adjoining school district, whether the proposed detachment will have any adverse effect on the program currently offered by the school district from which the territory is proposed to be detached, including both curricular and extracurricular aspects of that program;
- The testimony of and written statements filed by the residents of the affected school districts;
- The estimated fiscal effect of the proposed reorganization of the affected school districts, including the effect of the apportionment of assets and liabilities;
- Whether the proposed reorganization will make any part of a school district's territory noncontiguous;
- The socioeconomic level and racial composition of the pupils who reside or will reside in territory proposed to be detached from one school district and attached to an adjoining school district or in a school district proposed to be dissolved; the proportion of the pupils who reside in such territory who are children at risk, as defined under s. 118.153; and the effect that the pupils described in this paragraph will have on the present and future socioeconomic level and racial composition of the affected school districts and the proportion of the affected school districts' enrollments that will be children at risk.
In reaching its decision, the school board(s) may consider and weigh other appropriate factors as needed.
Overview of the Petition By Chair
"At this time I will present an overview of the petition to provide a common background of developments and issues for the school board(s) and those present at this meeting."
General Comments by Chair
"Before taking testimony, I would like to review the rules applicable to this hearing. This is an informal hearing, but we will record all of the information presented. Each person offering information will come to the table where you may either sit or stand. Please state your name, address, and school district. Speak distinctly so that we can be sure that your information is recorded. The procedure is to hear from the proponents and opponents of the petition. The proponents, those people asking the school board(s) to transfer the territory, will be heard first. Following the proponents, the opponents of the petition, those people who do not want the territory transferred, will be heard. Following the initial presentation by the proponents and opponents, there will be a short time allotted for rebuttal and/or summation by both sides in the same order as before."
Proponents of the Petition
As each proponent speaks, the Chair should ask them to first state their name, address, and school district of residence.
Opponents of the Petition
As each opponent speaks, the Chair should ask them to first state their name, address, and school district of residence.
Proponents' Opportunity for Additional Information
Opponents' Opportunity for Additional Information
Chair Closes the Public Presentations
"At this time I will close the public presentations on this petition and open the school board(s) deliberations. The only information presented hereafter will be on request of the school board members concerning the information received by them or brought out in this meeting. Are there any questions or information that any board member would like answered or clarified? Each board member that would like to state their thoughts on this petition may do so now."
The Alternative Decisions
The Chair reviews the decision alternatives and explains them.
- Grant the request for transfer of the territory described in the petition.
- Deny the request for transfer of the territory described in the petition.
Suggested Motions
Motion No. 1 - To grant the transfer of the territory described in the petition. That the reorganization requested in the petition filed on ______________, 20__ , be granted and an order entered detaching the territory described in said petition from the _____________ School District and attaching said territory to the _____________ School District.
Motion No. 2 - To deny the transfer of the territory described in the petition. That the reorganization requested in the petition filed on ______________, 20__, to detach territory described in said petition from the __________________ School District and to attach it to the _________________ School District be denied and that said petition be dismissed.
The Motion
"Board members, I will entertain a motion at this time, and I ask that you read the entire motion for the record."
The Ballots
Mr./Ms. secretary would you hand out the ballots and review what a "YES" or "NO" vote means? Click on the following link to view or print sample ballots.
It is suggested that the secretary have sufficient copies of each type of ballot prepared.
Tabulating the Ballots
- Mr./Ms. secretary would you tabulate the results of the ballots?
- The motion (carries/fails).
Adopt a Resolution Authorizing Issuance of an Order of:
- Reorganization.
- Denial.
All reorganizations are effective on July 1.
Adjourn