Board holds first reading of new public‑comment policy; considers 6 p.m. start and 30‑minute preregistration

At its January meeting the Rockford Board of Education considered a first reading of proposed changes to board policy 167.3 governing public participation.

Doctor Wilson Crawford, who facilitated the policy-committee discussion, told trustees the committee recommends shortening preregistration for public comment from the existing five‑hour window to a staffed 30‑minute period immediately before the meeting starts; during that staffed window anyone arriving may complete a public‑comment card that staff will organize for the president. The committee also recommended the board consider routinely moving public comment earlier in the agenda so the public can speak before key votes.

Trustees debated operational details and legal constraints. One trustee asked whether email sign-up by 5 p.m. on meeting day should be allowed for people who cannot sign up in person; proponents said the business office could accommodate both in‑person and email sign-ups and would test the approach, while others raised administrative concerns about requiring staff to manage two registration channels. Doctor Wilson Crawford noted legal limits on the demographic information the board may require and said the form would be reviewed with the district attorney to ensure compliance.

Several trustees said the committee also recommended aligning policy 164.1 with long‑standing practice by striking the requirement that meeting calendars be set "by resolution." The proposed changes will return to the board for a second reading and vote in February, with an anticipated effective date for the registration change in March if approved.