The Austin ISD board of trustees could change the way it hears comments from members of the community at board meetings.

Parents, teachers, students and other members of the community can address trustees during a citizens communication period at regularly scheduled meetings. At an Oct. 13 work session, trustees discussed updating the citizens communication process with the goal of increasing effectiveness.

Trustee Gina Hinojosa said the board's Ad Hoc Community Engagement Committee received feedback about the current process, including a concern that the name "citizens communication" could exclude some members of the community because of their citizenship status. Hinojosa said the board could change the name to "public comment" instead.

Board President Vincent Torres said he would support that move.

"I don't think it's contrary to the Constitution because the Constitution speaks to the requirements of the state. This really is asking the public to comment on our work, and the public is made up of a variety of folks," he said.

Trustees also discussed a number of other changes, such as establishing opportunities for members of the public to sign up for citizens communication by phone and online.

A few trustees including Jayme Mathias said they were unsure whether adding a phone sign-up system would be the best way to improve accessibility.

"Coming down shows some commitment to being here," he said. "I like the idea of making it more accessible but then the question becomes: 'How do we do that?'"

Mathias noted sometimes speakers sign up to speak but then do not show up at the meeting.

Torres suggested moving the registration time to an hour before the meeting. Currently, speakers must sign up in person on the day of the meeting starting at 7:45 a.m. and the limit is 30 speakers.

Trustee Robert Schneider suggested a lottery system wherein names would be drawn at random rather than a first come, first served registration process.

Other options identified by the committee included increasing each speaker's time from two to three minutes, using the board's comment web page to solicit input on specific issues well in advance of board action, and adding opportunities for citizens communication at board dialogue or work session meetings.

More information about the district's citizens communication process is available at https://www.austinisd.org/community/citizens-communications.