Citizens' Advisory Committees 7-21.1

School Board of the City of Virginia Beach
Regulation 7-21.1

COMMUNITY RELATIONS

Citizens' Advisory Committees

The Superintendent has responsibility for developing procedures that are consistent with School Board policy and regulation as well as applicable state and federal law or regulation for the appointment to and functioning of the following Citizens' Advisory Committees: Special Education Advisory Committee, General Advisory Council for Technical and Career Education, Community Advisory Committee for Gifted Education, Interagency Adult Basic Education Advisory Committee; the School Health Advisory Committee; the Ad Hoc Strategic Plan Committee; and such other committees as the School Board determines are necessary. The Superintendent is authorized to take all reasonable and necessary actions to implement this Regulation and the supporting Policy. The Superintendent or designee will ensure that appropriate staff support, facilities and resources are made available to Citizens' Advisory Committees in order for such committees to accomplish their purposes.

1. Citizens' Advisory Committees authorized by School Board

   Individuals who wish to serve on a Citizens' Advisory Committee will apply directly to the School Board or as otherwise specified by law, policy or regulation. To ensure that qualified citizen members are recruited, appointed to and retained on Citizens' Advisory Committees, the Superintendent or designee will be responsible for ensuring that the below conditions are followed:

   1. To the extent practicable, the citizens appointed to citizen member positions on Citizen's Advisory Committees should reflect a broad cross-section of the community;
   2. The Superintendent or designee will ensure that timely public notice is made to the community that the School Board will accept applications for membership on Citizens' Advisory Committees. By January 1st of each year, Citizens' Advisory Committees will provide the Superintendent or designee with a list of membership positions that will expire on June 30th of that year. Citizens' Advisory Committees may request that the School Board seek applicants to fill vacant positions that occur at any time other than the expiration of the term for which a member was appointed;
   3. The Superintendent or designee will work with Citizens' Advisory Committees to seek applicants for membership positions that reflect the necessary qualifications and are consistent with policy, regulation and applicable law;
   4. Applicants for citizen member positions must be residents of the City of Virginia Beach;
   5. Committee members appointed to fill positions that represent related governmental bodies, agencies, service organizations or businesses are not required to reside in the City of Virginia Beach but preference may be granted to applicants who are also residents of the City;
   6. Applicants must demonstrate an interest in and the intent to work collaboratively with committee members to address the needs of Virginia Beach City Public Schools;
   7. Applicants must demonstrate specific experience or qualifications if membership on a committee requires such;
   8. Applicants and current committee members are not eligible to serve on a Citizens' Advisory Committees if they have been convicted of a felony, a crime of moral turpitude, a misdemeanor crime set forth in Virginia Code §22.1-296.1, as amended, or have founded complaints of child abuse or neglect. Applicants or current committee members who are under investigation or who have pending or otherwise unresolved criminal charges or child protective services complaints will not be eligible for consideration until such matters are resolved. The Superintendent will be responsible for developing procedures to verify such information;
   9. Applications for appointment to Citizens' Advisory Committee positions that will begin on July 1st must be received by the Clerk of the School Board no later than April 15th. All applications for appointment must be presented to the School Board for consideration no later than May 15th or the second School Board meeting in May (whichever is later). The Superintendent or designee will be responsible for preparing agenda materials for consideration of the applicants as well as scheduling a closed session to consider applications; and
   10. The Superintendent or designee will seek input from the Citizens' Advisory Committee for which an applicant seeks membership regarding the qualifications of applicants and provide the School Board with such information along with the application.
2. Appointment of citizen members to committees
   1. To the extent consistent with committee membership requirements or conditions, the School Board will not discriminate against applicants based on: race; color; religion; national origin; sex; sexual orientation; gender identity; pregnancy; childbirth or related medical condition; marital status; disability; genetic information; or veteran status;
   2. The School Board has the right to appoint applicants who the School Board determines best meet the needs of the Citizens' Advisory Committee and the School Division at the time of the appointment. The School Board may fill a citizen member position with an applicant who does not meet all of the criteria for the position if the School Board determines that such appointment will meet the needs of the committee. Applicants will not be entitled to a hearing or other meeting with the School Board concerning the application process, appointment decision, or the decision to remove a committee member;
   3. The School Board may meet in closed session to discuss the qualifications of applicants;
   4. Applicants chosen for appointment to a citizen member position will first be presented on the Information Agenda at a School Board Meeting. The vote for appointment to a citizen member position will occur at a subsequent School Board Meeting; and
   5. Beginning on July 1, 2018, terms of service for newly appointed citizen members will begin on July 1st of the first year and end on June 30th of the final year. The length of the term of service will be determined by the committee, or as otherwise set forth in School Board policy, regulation, or applicable law, and will be included in the bylaws of each committee. Terms of service for citizen members serving on citizen advisory committees before July 1, 2018, are hereby adjusted to conclude on the June 30th following the final date of their current terms if the final date of the term of service was not on June 30th.
3. Retention of citizen members and filling vacancies
   1. Should it be necessary for an appointed member of a Citizens' Advisory Committee to vacate his/her position prior to the end of his/her appointed term of service, the Citizens' Advisory Member will provide notice to the Superintendent or designee with the reasons for vacating the position and the Superintendent or designee will provide such information to the School Board;
   2. Appointed citizen members who no longer meet residency requirements will forfeit their appointments; and
   3. If a vacancy occurs in a citizen member position prior to April 1st, the School Board, at its discretion, may accept applications for and appoint a qualified applicant to fill that vacancy at any time during the year. The School Board reserves the right to use the process set forth in this Regulation to fill any vacancies.

Adopted by School Board: February 27, 2018
Amended by School Board: November 27, 2018