• To discuss the employment of public officers or employees
• To discipline a public officer or employee
• For collective-bargaining negotiations when both parties request discussion in executive session
• To review evaluations of public officers or employees
• To consult with the collective-bargaining negotiator
• To discuss certain confidential records
• To consult with legal counsel regarding pending litigation
• To discuss real property transactions
• To consider and act on student expulsions

To convene an executive session, the board chair must publicly cite the appropriate Oregon Revised Statute (ORS). For example: "The board will now meet in executive session authorized by ORS 192.660(2) to consult with legal counsel on pending litigation."

The board chair should make sure that discussions in executive sessions don’t stray into areas other than the topics outlined in the public announcement.

The news media is permitted to attend executive sessions except sessions dealing with:

• Collective-bargaining strategy
• Student medical records
• Student expulsions
• Pending litigation with the employer of the news media representative

The news media is not allowed to report on discussions held in executive session unless the board strays from the topics announced and outlined under the law. The chair should remind reporters at executive sessions that reporting of the material discussed is not allowed under Oregon’s Public Meetings Law.

If you have questions about the state’s public meetings laws and other state statutes dealing with the meetings of public officials, call OSBA.