Establishment of Board Committees

The Audit Committee is a standing committee of the Board established to oversee the Office of Internal Audit annual work plan and monitor audit corrective action plans.

Additionally, the Board President may establish one or more time-limited ad hoc committees to support work within the Board’s scope of responsibility. Each ad hoc committee will have a charter approved by the President.

Advisory Role of Committees

Committees advise the Board and will promote Board unity of action by making recommendations to the full Board on areas within their committee charter.

Committees may not interfere with the delegation of authority from the Board to the Superintendent. Committees do not exercise authority over the Superintendent or staff reporting under the Superintendent. Any direction to the Superintendent related to a committee recommendation will come from the full Board. 

Committee Appointments and Operations

Each committee shall consist of one chair and two additional Directors appointed by the Board President. The Board President will also appoint non-voting Student Members to committees based on availability and interest per Board Policy No. 1250, School Board Student Members. Student Members serve as advisors and do not make or second motions or vote during committee or other meetings of the Board.

Staffing for each committee is determined by the Superintendent. The committee chair and designated staff will jointly develop agendas and ensure materials are timely provided to the lead staff or their designee for distribution to Directors, Student Members, the Superintendent, relevant staff, and the public in advance of the meeting.

Board committee meetings are held as special meetings open to the public per Board Policy No. 1400, Meeting Conduct, Order of Business and Quorum. Executive sessions may be called during committee meetings consistent with Board Policy No. 1410, Executive or Closed Sessions. Public comments are not generally taken in committee but may be allowed at the chair’s discretion.

Only Directors appointed to the committee may vote during committee meetings. However, an absent committee member may select another Director in advance to substitute as a voting member. The substitution should be communicated in advance to the Chair of the committee and designated staff. If a committee member is absent without a selected substitute present, visiting Directors will be designated in the order of the visiting Directors’ arrival, to vote on issues on the agenda, in the order such issues appear on the agenda, so long as the appointed Director(s) of the committee are absent. Proxy votes are not permitted.

All Directors present, whether or not permitted to vote, may participate in discussion.

Audit Committee Charter

Prior to the first meeting each January, the Board President will appoint directors to the Board’s standing Audit Committee chartered as follows:

• Provide supervision to the Office of Internal Audit, which reports to the Audit Committee, as outlined in Board Policy No. 6550, Internal Audit Policy, and Board Procedure 6550BP, Internal Audit Procedure
• Approve and manage changes to the annual internal audit work plan
• Monitor corrective action plans implemented in response to external audits and reviews conducted by the Washington State Auditors’ Office, the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction, and other outside agencies
• Monitor Risk Management issues of the district

One or more “public advisors” may be added as non-voting advisors to the Committee at the chair’s discretion.  The position of public advisor shall be publicly advertised. The advertisement shall include the responsibilities and the term of service for the public advisor position, as determined by the Audit Committee.

The Audit Committee chair and Board President sign Warrants Reports approved by the Board per Board Policy No. 6215, Warrant Certification, Approval and Cancellation.

Other Board Assignments

The president may appoint directors to advisory and oversight committees formed by the Board and external committee and liaison assignments as appropriate. Individual Directors serving in such appointments will keep the Board informed about their work and observe the requirements of Board Policy No. 1220 with respect to the duties of individual Board directors.