Sumner County Board of Education Policy -- ABC

Title:

Board Members Legal Status

Authority:

Tennessee Constitution, Article VII, Section 2; TCA 49-2-201; TCA 49-2-202; Tennessee Private Acts (1987 Chapter 72)

Purpose:

To establish the legal status of members of the Sumner County Board of Education

Application:

Board Members 7

Definitions:

None

Policy:

The legal status of Board members shall be as follows:

Number

The Board is composed of seven (7) members. There will be one member elected in each of six Educational Districts and one member elected at-large by the entire county.

Responsibility-Authority

While six members of the Board are elected by districts, the Board meeting in session has the authority for the operation of the school system as a whole and the responsibility to insure, as determined by Board action, fairness throughout the system

Qualifications

Members of the Board shall be residents of and elected from Educational Districts except for the one member at large. No member of the County Commission nor any other county official shall be eligible for election as a member of the Board.

Members of the Board shall be residents and voters of Sumner County and have a practical education. No person shall qualify as a candidate for election to the Board until such person has filed with the County Election Commission proof of that candidate’s graduation from high school or received a G.E.D., evidenced by a diploma or other documentation satisfactory to the Commission.

Terms of Office

Members of the Board shall serve four (4) year terms and may be reelected.

Method of Election

Members of the Board shall be elected by qualified voters of Sumner County at the August election. Members are elected to represent Education Districts One (1), Two (2), Four (4) and the district at large every four years beginning in August 1990. Members are elected to represent Education Districts Three (3), Five (5) and Six (6) every four years beginning in August 1992.

Vacancies

Vacancies shall be declared to exist on the account of death, resignation, removal from Education District which elected the Board member, removal from the county or through procedural due process proceedings.

When a vacancy occurs, the unexpired term shall be filled at the next regular meeting or special meeting of the County Commission. Such appointment shall continue until the next regular election.

All Board members, except as provided below, must reside in the Education District from which that member was elected. The following are exceptions:

1. Any member elected at-large may reside anywhere in the county for the term of office for which the member was elected at-large; and

2. If reapportionment results in a member no longer residing within the Education District from which that Board member was elected and represents, then such member shall continue to hold office until the expiration of such member's term of office or until the office is vacated for any reason. Such member shall not be eligible for reelection in that Education District.

Continuing Education

Every member of the Board shall participate annually in mandated Board training provided by the State Department of Education. A member may be removed from office for failure to participate in the required Board training.