SHAC debates subcommittee meeting times and member inclusion; body creates action item on participation

Members of the Conroe ISD SHAC debated whether subcommittee meetings should be held after 4:30 p.m. so district employees (many of whom are classroom teachers) can attend. A district employee and SHAC member requested later meetings, saying some subcommittee times fell during instructional hours and made participation difficult.

Other members noted prior district guidance that meetings scheduled outside the regular Conroe ISD workday could pose complications for district employees and stressed that no single time will suit all volunteers. One SHAC member described the previous process: the committee polled members on availability and scheduled meetings to accommodate the greatest number of participants.

The council did not adopt a blanket rule requiring after‑4:30 start times. Instead, SHAC approved a motion — passed by show of hands — directing volunteers to prepare a list of ways to broaden participation, including options such as alternating daytime and evening meeting times, using shared documents and electronic comment opportunities, and adjusting subcommittee schedules to maximize involvement. A volunteer agreed to compile recommendations and return them to the council.

SHAC leaders emphasized subcommittees are work groups with no formal quorum requirement and that their outputs are brought back to the full SHAC for formal votes. Several members said they favored flexible solutions (alternating meeting times or offering a mix of meeting times) rather than a single inflexible rule.

The motion and follow-up work item passed with a majority of hands raised; members asked for a concrete list of proposed tactics to improve accessibility and to report progress at a subsequent meeting.