This post was contributed by a community member. The views expressed here are the author's own.

Schools

Less Transparent Government Not an Option for School Boards

Despite news reports saying otherwise, school boards are exempt from new rules giving cities, counties and other public agencies permission to ignore California's open-meeting laws.

Although city councils and other elected bodies now have permission to be less transparent without breaking state open-meeting laws, school boards do not.

Officials at the City of Watsonville and the Pajaro Valley Unified School District said nothing has changed for them.

It’s been widely reported, both at Patch and other mainstream media outlets, that a last-minute addition to the state’s 2012-13 budget allows cities and counties to skip Brown Act requirements that they post meeting agendas 72 hours in advance. In addition, the new rules allow local boards and councils to forgo publicly disclosing actions taken during closed-session meetings.

Find out what's happening in Watsonvillewith free, real-time updates from Patch.

However, school boards and governing bodies for community college districts do not have that option.  

“Obligations under the Brown Act remain fully in effect for school districts and colleges,” according to School Services of California, a consultant hired by school districts throughout the state, including Capo Unified. “Open meeting and ‘sunshine’ requirements come not only from the Brown Act but also from the education code, the California constitution, board policy and other sources.”

Find out what's happening in Watsonvillewith free, real-time updates from Patch.

The Legislature gave cities, counties, water boards and other public agencies the ability to opt out of the Brown Act’s requirements because the state no longer reimburses those agencies for the additional costs associated with posting the agendas.

In California, state mandates placed on local jurisdictions must be funded by the state. With Brown Act subsidies running nearly $100 million a year by some estimates, the state decided to suspend the mandates.

Unlike those agencies, school districts still have the ability to seek reimbursement, according to School Services.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

The views expressed in this post are the author's own. Want to post on Patch?