BD1 Board of Education Committees - Revised April 2022

This policy was updated January 4, 2023

New Mexico state statute requires that boards of education have a Finance and Audit subcommittee. The Board of Education may establish additional standing committees. The chairperson and members of each standing committee shall be elected by the Board of Education at the first regular Board of Education meeting held in January. Committee membership terms shall coincide with the president’s term. The superintendent, and/or his designee, may serve as non-voting members of the committees, with the exception of the Audit Committee. All Board of Education committee meetings shall operate in accordance with the Open Meetings Act. 

Committees shall have deliberative and recommending powers only. A committee shall consider only those items referred to it by a Board of Education member, by the Superintendent and/or designee, or by formal Board of Education action. All items on which a vote is to be taken during a board meeting must first be considered during the same month’s respective committee meeting, whenever possible. Board of Education meeting agendas will specifically identify items that have not been considered previously at a committee meeting the same month. 

A committee shall consider only those items that fall within the committee’s scope of duties. If an item does not fall squarely within the scope of a particular committee, the Board of Education president shall determine which committee shall consider the item. Committees shall meet regularly and report their findings and recommendations to the Board of Education for approval.

Board of Education members shall serve on the following standing committees:

• Finance Committee
• Policy Committee
• Capital Outlay, Property and Technology Committee
• Audit Committee
• Instruction and Accountability Committee

Duties and responsibilities of each committee shall be as follows: 

Ad hoc committees may be appointed by the Board of Education president or by a majority of the Board of Education as deemed necessary. Ad hoc committees shall be limited in their jurisdiction to the purpose of their establishment. Ultimate authority to make decisions shall  reside with the Board of Education.

Task force committees or commissions may be appointed by the Board of Education president or by a majority of the Board of Education as one means of discerning the needs and desires of the district and community. Task force committees or commissions shall be advisory and limited in their jurisdiction to the purpose of their establishment. Members of task force committees or commissions may include Board of Education and/or community members. Ultimate authority to make decisions shall reside with the Board of Education.  

Board of Education Position:

• Policy Committee Chair

Administrative Position:

• Board of Education Services Office Executive Director

References:

Legal Cross Ref.:

• §22-5-4 NMSA 1978
• §22-8-12.3 NMSA (2013)

Board Policy Cross Ref.:

• BD Board of Education Organization
• BD2 Audit Committee

Procedural Directive Cross Ref.:

• Board of Education Meetings

NSBA/NEPN Classification: BDE, BDF

Revised: February 17, 1994
Reviewed: March 2, 1994
Reviewed: May 18, 1994
Revised: June 1, 1994
Revised: February 20, 1996
Revised: February 19, 2003
Revised: October 4, 2006
Revised: April 18, 2007
Reviewed: August 26, 2008
Revised: September 3, 2008
Reviewed: January 27, 2009
Reviewed: February 24, 2009
Revised: March 4, 2009
Reviewed: August 9, 2010
Revised: August 18, 2010
Reviewed: June 14, 2011
Revised: June 15, 2011
Reviewed: September 12, 2018
Revised: September 19, 2018
Reviewed: April 6, 2022
Revised: April 6, 2022

This page was last updated on: December 9, 2009.