This month’s meeting of the Parsons USD 503 School Board was the last to be livestreamed or recorded because of a change in state law.
The meetings are still open to the public, but the livestreams have provided access to the meetings for many years for those unable to attend.
School boards are not required to livestream or record board meetings and post them online. The record has been done as a courtesy. Regardless, patrons of some school districts in the state took issue with their school boards not recording all board meetings. Some boards were said to be recording the business portion of board meetings but excluding public comment at the end.
The state’s adoption of House Bill 2134 has brought that courtesy service to an end. HB 2134 was created to resolve the complaint, requiring all meetings attended by a school board member to be conducted the same way. So, school districts livestreaming or recording even one board meeting and posting it online must now record all meetings in their entirety in which even a single board member elected to serve in any representative position is involved, Superintendent Lori Perkins said.
If the board that broadcasts meetings is meeting for five minutes in the morning before school or at noon to approve a change order on a construction project, they are now required to record it. Parsons does not have a board room specifically dedicated to recording board meetings, using the high school’s Viking Media classroom and recording equipment once a month. Board access to the classroom and equipment during the school day would mean disruption to classes, the school board heard this month.
If a board member is appointed to serve on a building site council, a calendar committee, or the city’s recreation commission, districts are now required to livestream or record those meetings,
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regardless of the meeting not having a board quorum present and no board action being taken, Perkins told board members. This would require transporting the equipment to every location, which is not feasible, and paying extensive overtime to personnel to operate the equipment, which is not feasible, she said.
Board member Jeff Quirin said the board has made the effort to provide the streaming service to patrons for many years, but the bill’s requirements are “over the top” and inconsistent with the original intent of the board’s decision to provide the livestreams and recordings of regular monthly meetings.
The alternative for school districts, according to the Kansas Association of School Boards, is not to record any meetings, so all meetings are being conducted the same way. Board member Kala Green said it is KASB’s recommendation to all school districts not to livestream any meetings, as it opens them up to liability.
Given the issues HB 2134 presents, the board voted to no longer provide livestreams or recordings of board meetings.
As always, the public is invited to attend all open session portions of board meetings.
Data review Attendance has been a focus for the last three years, and the district continues to see gains, with a 5% overall increase in attendance this year, Assistant Superintendent Jeff Pegues told the board. With the midyear hiring of Community Health Worker Jaran Dixon and Lincoln Sparkwheel coordinator Tanner Smith, the district believes next year’s data will be more impressive.
Behavior data looks pretty good, too, Pegues said. With the schools working to be more preventative rather than reactive, instances of flagrant misbehavior and horseplay were up slightly, but there was a 53% reduction in violent instances. Pegues attributes those figures to staff being more present and observant and stopping situations like rough horseplay before it can escalate to someone getting hurt and getting angry.
Social-emotional areas showed improvement, especially in self-efficacy, where there was a 20% gain.
Pegues said they have also seen a big reduction in skipping and elopement at the secondary level this year with the e-Hall pass system, and hiring a dedicated athletic director, allowing the assistant principal more time to dedicate to those duties.
IN OTHER BUSINESS, the board: — Heard Lincoln kindergarten teacher Brenda Winder received her 25-year certificate of service in education from the University of Kansas. Winder has taught all 25 years here in Parsons. Tri-County employees working in Parsons were also honored. Special Ed teacher Jill Cleaver received her 25-year certificate and psychologist Jen Tavernaro received her 15-year certificate.
— Heard Perkins completed BOLD 2.0 (Building Operational Leadership Development). It is a year-long training.
— Heard the District Office will be closed for Junteenth on June 19 and Independence Day July 4.
— Congratulated the Parsons High School boys tennis team who are the 2025 state champions.
— Discussed first readings of the Parent/Student Handbooks, Bus Driver Handbook, Parent/Student Transportation Handbook and Social Media Guidelines.
— Set a July organizational meeting for July 14 at 6 p.m. The regular board meeting will follow at 6:10 p.m.
— Heard there is a 99% likelihood students will still eat for free next year under the Community Eligibility Program. The district will know for sure in July.
— Increased adult meal prices to $5.25 for lunch and $3.10 for breakfast.
— Approved the contract with CHC-SEK to provide one nurse at the high school, one assistant at the middle school and one floater for the elementaries.
