The most common resource for parliamentary procedures is Robert’s Rules of Order. The central purpose of Robert’s Rules is to ensure that the board’s majority can decide, the minority can be heard, and the rights of individual board members are protected.
By standardizing procedures, the rules prevent meetings from descending into chaos and allow groups to focus on substantive issues rather than procedural disputes. There are other rules of procedure, and districts may choose from among them, but Robert’s Rules is the most popular.
A Guidebook and FAQs
WSSDA offers a guidebook on parliamentary procedure, but below are answers to some of the most commonly asked questions. Other resources include Robert’s Rules of Order and Jurassic Parliament.
Key Components
Parliamentary Rules of Procedure are a procedural guide for running orderly, fair, and efficient meetings, that ensures structure, equal opportunity to speak, and clear voting processes. Key components include:
- Focus on one item at a time: A meeting should address and resolve one motion (a proposal for action) before moving on to the next.
- Right to speak: All members have an equal right to speak, but they must be recognized by the chair before doing so. This ensures debate is orderly and prevents a single person or faction from dominating the conversation.
- Right to debate and vote: Members can discuss and propose amendments to a motion before it is put to a vote. A majority vote is typically required to pass a motion.
- Impartiality of the chair: The presiding officer or “chair” is responsible for maintaining order and acting impartially during debates.
- Hierarchy of motions: The rules establish a clear ranking for different types of motions (main, subsidiary, privileged, incidental), determining which ones take precedence over others.
- Record-keeping: A secretary is responsible for taking accurate minutes, providing a formal record of decisions mad
Board Chair or President’s Role
The chair facilitates discussion, maintains order, and ensures adherence to agenda and rules—remaining impartial except to break a tie.
How Motions are Called
A director moves an action (“I move that…”), another seconds, then the Chair calls for discussion. When discussion is finished, the Chair calls for the vote. The Chair announces the result.
Consent Agenda
One of the most useful tools for efficient meetings is a consent agenda. This is a single item of business on a regular agenda that includes several items bundled together. The items cannot be discussed or debated. They are approved with a single vote.
Removing an Item from the Consent Agenda
When the board reaches that point in the meeting agenda where it considers the consent agenda, the chair first asks if anyone wants to remove an item from the consent agenda. If a board member requests it, the chair immediately removes the item from the consent agenda. It will be considered at its proper place in the usual order of business. Board members don’t need to give a reason for requesting that an item be removed from the consent agenda.
Tabling a Motion
A motion is tabled by a vote in the same method as any other motion. If a motion is tabled, it can be reintroduced at the next meeting by:
- Listing it on the agenda
- A motion to take from the table (requires a second and majority vote)
- Proceeding to discussion and vote.
Public Threats or Inappropriate Comments
It is absolutely advisable to include this incident in the minutes. Accurate and comprehensive minutes serve as historical records, capturing significant actions taken during the meeting. However, it is essential to follow your specific school district’s guidelines and legal requirements regarding minutes.