Rockwood School District Policy Changes to Public Comment Procedures

On June 22, 2023, the Rockwood School District Board of Education unanimously approved revisions to its public participation procedures. The updates modified how residents may place items on meeting agendas and eliminated the previously available open comment period that had allowed residents to address any issue at a board meeting.

The vote occurred as tensions around school library content and parental involvement were already high. For many parents in attendance, the changes felt significant—not merely procedural.

Under the revised rules, residents who wish to have an item placed on a Board of Education meeting agenda must submit a written request to the board secretary. Before the item can be added to an open meeting agenda, the resident is required to meet with Superintendent Curtis Cain or another district official. The district official has up to 20 days to meet with the resident to discuss the issue and determine whether it can be resolved administratively before coming before the board.

If the issue is not resolved or the meeting is not held within that 20-day period, the resident may resubmit the request. Provided the written request is received at least five business days before a regular meeting, the item will be placed on that meeting’s agenda. Requests received less than five business days in advance will be scheduled for a future meeting.

The updated procedures also limit the number of resident-initiated agenda items. A maximum of three such items may appear on a single meeting agenda. Additionally, the board retains discretion to decline requests if similar issues have recently been addressed.

As part of these revisions, the board removed the open comment period that had previously allowed residents to speak on any topic. A 30-minute public comment period remains, but comments must now be limited to approved agenda items.

Several residents expressed concern at the June 22 meeting. District resident Ben Murray stated that adding additional steps to participation could have a chilling effect on community engagement. Others questioned whether the new process created unnecessary barriers for parents seeking direct board consideration of issues affecting their children.

District officials described the changes as compliance with new state law and as a way to create structure around agenda-setting. Superintendent Curtis Cain indicated that avenues for communication with board members remain available, though the format has changed.

For some parents, however, the revisions reflected a broader shift in how public participation in education is structured—not only in Rockwood, but in districts across the country. In an environment where school library content and parental oversight were already under active debate, the procedural changes were seen by some as narrowing the pathway for direct public input.

Whether viewed as administrative streamlining or as a tightening of participation procedures, the June 2023 decision marked a notable change in how community voices are incorporated into Rockwood School District board meetings.