Adopted: May 1983
Revised: October 2024
Download 201 - General Organization
1. Official District Name – This district shall be known as Independent School District 196 (Rosemount-Apple Valley-Eagan Public Schools).
2. Role of the School Board – Persons elected by the citizens of the district to serve on the School Board are responsible for developing policy to insure the proper care, management and control of school district affairs. The board shall act to enhance the educational welfare of district students by supporting the district's mission of educating, developing, and inspiring our students for lifelong success.
3. Legal Basis
3.1. The legal basis of the schools of Independent School District 196 rests upon the will of the citizens of Minnesota to have public education as expressed in the state constitution, the court statutes relating to education, the court interpretation of the validity of such statutes and the powers implied under education laws.
3.2. The board must meet and organize on the first Monday of January or as soon as possible thereafter to elect a chairperson, vice chairperson, clerk and treasurer; and approve board committee memberships and appointments.
3.3. By the first of July each year, the board shall designate the district depositories, select an official newspaper, set a schedule for regular School Board meetings for the year and conduct other business necessary to begin activities for the new school year.
4. Limitations – The decisions or actions of a single board member shall not be binding on the entire board. The board must exercise its powers and duties only in properly called meetings in which a majority of the board members constitutes a quorum to transact business.
5. Functions – Since the board is the governing body of the district with full control over the school program, its attention is necessarily directed to policy-making, planning and evaluating.
6. Assignment to Committees and Other Organizations
6.1. Ongoing board committees shall be established each year at the annual organization meeting in January. (Refer to Administrative Regulation 201.6AR, School Board Committee Descriptions, for information on specific committees.)
6.1.1. Each ongoing board committee shall work with the superintendent and/or with staff designated by the superintendent to accomplish its tasks.
6.1.2. The committees shall only serve in a fact-finding, deliberative and advisory role to the administration and the board.
6.1.3. Recommendations from ongoing board committees may be reported to the board by the committee chairperson or designee, and/or integrated in an administrative proposal.
6.2. Temporary committees may be appointed at any time by the board chairperson. The duties of such committees shall be outlined at the time of appointment. A temporary committee shall be considered dissolved when its final report is made and accepted by the board, or at the end of the fiscal year.
6.3. Board members may be assigned to represent the school district on various types of school and community organizations, such as district advisory councils and statewide educational organizations. Assignments shall be made at the annual organization meeting in January and thereafter by the board chairperson as new needs arise throughout the year.
7. Resident Participation
7.1. The board shall welcome the advice and counsel of district residents in the planning and operation of the district. Residents who would like to present topics for consideration by the board shall make their request in writing through the Office of the Superintendent and/or the board chairperson. The chairperson shall decide the placement of items on the agenda after ensuring that all appropriate administrative actions have been taken.
7.2. Board members shall refer all resident concerns to the administration, through the superintendent, for appropriate resolution.
7.3. The board shall offer opportunities for school district stakeholders to address members of the school board through community listening sessions as authorized by School Board Policy 801, District-Community Relations.
References: - Minnesota Statute 123B.09, Boards of Independent School Districts
- Minnesota Statute 123B.14, Officers of Independent School Districts