LINCOLN - When the Lincoln Board of Education revised its public comment rules last May, board members said the change would bring Lincoln Public Schools more in line with other school districts in the state.

The most significant changes include reducing speakers' time from five minutes to three and setting limits on when speakers could sign up.

However, the ways that school boards in the state approach public participation at meetings are almost as varied as the number of state districts. These meetings have become an outlet for parents and patrons to voice concerns over a variety of issues.

"There's a whole slew of ways of doing it," said David Jespersen, public information officer with the Nebraska Department of Education.

LPS officials say the revisions to the policy and regulations that govern public comment flesh out practices already in existence, such as defining what people can bring to meetings.

Additionally, they argue the reduction in speakers' time allows for more speakers in the first public comment period while allowing the board to get to its business.

LPS board member Bob Rauner, who serves on the Nebraska Association of School Boards Board of Directors, said the changes were, in part, the result of conversations he had with board members from other districts and how they run public comment.

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