Section B: School Board Governance and Operations

SECTION B: SCHOOL BOARD GOVERNANCE AND OPERATIONS

BBA                School Board Powers and Duties

BBB                School Board Elections

BBBA              Board Member Qualifications

BBBB              School Board Ballot Issues

BBC                Board Member Resignation

BBD                Board Member Removal From Office

BBE                Unexpired Term Fulfillment/Vacancies

BBF                School Board Member Ethics

BBFA              Board Member Conflict of Interest And Financial Disclosure

BCA                Board Organizational Meeting

BCB                Board Officers

BCC                Appointed Board Officials

BCCA              MSBA Delegate & Alternate

BCE                Board Committees/Advisory Committees to the Board

BCG                School Attorney/Legal Services

BDA                Regular Board Meetings

BDC                Executive Sessions

BDDA              Notification of Board Meetings

BDDB              Agendas

BDDE              Rules of Order

BDDF              Voting Method

BDDG              Minutes

BDDG-R           Board Meeting Minutes

BDDH               Public Participation at Board Meetings

BDDL               Release of Information

BF                    School Board Policy Process

BHA                 New Board Member Orientation

BHD                 Board Member Compensation And Expenses

BHE                 Board Member Insurance

BI                     School Board Legislative Program

BJ                    School Board Memberships

FILE: BBA

Critical

SCHOOL BOARD POWERS AND DUTIES

The Strafford R-VI Board of Education is a representative body elected by the registered voters of the Strafford R-VI School District of Greene County. It is the purpose and the role of the Board of Education to exercise general supervision over the schools of the district, and to ensure that the schools are maintained as provided by the state statutes, the rules and regulations of the Missouri State Board of Education and/or the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, and the policies, rules and regulations of the school district. In addition, the Board is accountable to the electorate, and shall be responsive to the educational needs and the imposed financial constraints of the district. In conducting its various functions as the legislative and policy-making authority for the district, the Board recognizes the following general responsibilities as paramount:

Ø Legislative and Policymaking – The Board is responsible for the development of policies, rules and regulations to serve as guidelines for the general management and administrative actions of the district. The establishment of the goals and objectives of the school district and the methods of financial support needed to reach those goals and objectives are a part of the policymaking function of the Board of Education.

Ø Executive – The Board shall employ a superintendent to serve as the chief executive officer of the district. The Board shall delegate, in writing to the superintendent, the executive and administrative duties and responsibilities necessary for carrying out its policies, and shall hold the superintendent accountable.

Ø Appraisal – The Board is responsible for evaluating the effectiveness of its policies and their implementation. The Board shall hold the superintendent responsible for furnishing complete information necessary for the Board’s evaluation of the district’s programs.

Ø Provision of the Financial Resources – The Board is responsible for the adoption of the annual budget, which will provide financial basis for personnel, facilities, materials and equipment to enable the district to carry out its educational program.

Ø Staffing and Appraisal – The Board is responsible for employing the professional and support staff necessary for carrying out the district’s instructional program. The Board is also responsible for establishing salary schedules, terms of employment, and other personnel policies districtwide, and for the regular evaluation of its staff.

Ø Public Relations – The Board is responsible for providing adequate and direct means for keeping the district patrons informed about the schools, and for keeping itself and the school staff informed about the needs and wishes of the public.

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SCHOOL BOARD ELECTIONS

(Ballot Placement by Random Drawing -- Seven-Director Districts)

The qualified voters of the Strafford R-VI School District shall annually elect two (2) directors for terms of three (3) years each on the municipal election day in April. An additional director shall be elected triennially. Unexpired vacant terms will be filled in accordance with law.

Candidate Filing

Before the sixteenth Tuesday preceding the election, the Board shall publish in at least one (1) newspaper of general circulation in the district the opening filing date, the offices to be filled, the place for filing, the closing date for filing and a statement that candidates filing on the first day of filing will be listed on the ballot in random order.

Qualified applicants for the Board may file a declaration of candidacy during business hours in the superintendent's office commencing at 8:00 a.m. on the sixteenth Tuesday prior to the election and ending at 5:00 p.m. on the eleventh Tuesday prior to the election. The candidate shall declare his or her intent to become a candidate in person and in writing to the secretary of the Board of Education or designee.

The names of qualified candidates shall be placed on the ballot in order of filing, except that for candidates who file a declaration of candidacy prior to 5:00 p.m. on the first day of filing, the district shall determine by random drawing the order in which such candidates' names shall appear on the ballot. Each candidate filing on the first day shall draw a number at random at the time of filing. The district shall record the number drawn with the candidate's declaration of candidacy. The names of candidates filing on the first day of filing shall be listed in ascending order of the numbers so drawn and ahead of the names of candidates filing on a later date.

The notice of election and certification of candidates must be submitted to the election authority by the tenth Tuesday prior to the election in the manner provided by law. After the tenth Tuesday prior to the election, the candidate list may only be modified pursuant to court order, in accordance with law.

Prior to the district's certification of candidates to the election authority, a candidate may withdraw from the election by presenting to the district a notarized written statement of his or her intention to withdraw. After the deadline for certification of candidates to the election authority, a candidate may only withdraw pursuant to court order, in accordance with law.

The district will provide each candidate a copy of the Notice of Candidate's Obligation to File Financial Interest Statement and a plain language summary of the applicable laws provided by the Missouri Ethics Commission as required by law. Candidates must comply with laws concerning eligibility, campaign financing and campaign disclosures.

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SCHOOL BOARD BALLOT ISSUES

The Strafford R-VI School District School Board may place issues on the ballot as needed or as required by law.

Certification of Ballot Language

The Board will approve ballot language before any ballot issue is submitted to the election authority for inclusion on the ballot. The superintendent is authorized to have ballot language drafted or reviewed by an attorney prior to Board approval. In accordance with law, the superintendent or designee will notify the election authority of the ballot issue and provide the language for the ballot no later than 5:00 p.m. on the tenth Tuesday prior to the election. The superintendent or designee may send the required notices by facsimile transmission as long as the election authority receives the original copy of the notice within three (3) business days of the facsimile.

If there will be no additional cost for printing or reprinting the ballots, or if the Board agrees to pay any costs incurred, the Board may seek a court order to add an issue to or remove an issue from the ballot, as long as the certification occurs no later than 5:00 p.m. on the sixth Tuesday before the election.

Accepting Election Results

The Board will be presented with official election results at the next regular meeting scheduled after the district receives the results. The Board will accept the results or, alternatively, decide whether to take action to challenge the results.

Restriction on Use of Funds

In accordance with Board policy and law, no contribution or expenditure of public funds will be made directly by any Board member, employee or agent of the district to advocate, support or oppose any ballot measure or candidate for public office.

Types of Ballot Issues Submitted by the District

Bond Issues

When the Board deems it necessary to raise capital funds, the Board may vote to submit a bond issue to the voters. All bond issues must be in the furtherance of the districts facility plan and should only be submitted after careful study of the districts needs and after consultation with member of the public and the professionals necessary to accurately determine the cost and feasibility of the project. A bond issue passes with four-sevenths vote at the general municipal election (April), primary election (August of even-numbered years) or a general election (November of even-numbered years). A two-thirds majority is required for all other elections. Following approval by the voters, the disposition of the bonded indebtedness will be in accordance with law.

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Levy Issues

By law the Board may set a tax rate of $2.75 on the hundred-dollar assessed valuation without an election. The Board may vote to submit a levy issue to the voters when the Board deems it necessary to levy taxes in excess of that amount. In addition, the Board must submit a proposition to the voters as to whether the rate of taxation shall be increased by the Board if the Board receives a written petition signed by voters requesting the proposition. The petition must include voter signatures numbering at least ten (10) percent of the votes cast for the member of the School Board receiving the greatest number of votes cast at the last school election in which Board members were elected. Levy issues pass with a majority vote if the proposed levy is under $6.00. A proposed levy in excess of $6.00 requires a two-thirds vote to pass.

Waiver of Proposition C Rollback

By law the Board must reduce the total operating levy of the district to decrease the revenue the district would receive by an amount equal to 50 percent of the previous fiscal year state sales tax receipts, with some exceptions. The Board may submit an issue to the voters to forgo all or part of this reduction when the Board deems it necessary to increase the revenue received by the district. This issue passes with a majority vote.

Transportation of Students Living Less than One (1) Mile from School

If the district wishes to transport students living less than one (1) mile from school and if an increase in the tax levy of the district is required to provide transportation, the Board shall submit the issue at an election. This issue passes with a two-thirds majority.

Boundary Change

The Board must submit a proposition to change the boundary of the school district if it receives a written petition signed by voters requesting the proposition. The petition must include voter signatures numbering at least ten (10) percent of the votes cast for School Board members in the last annual school election in the district. A petition meeting this criteria must be submitted to the school boards of all districts affected by the proposed boundary change. Once the Board has received a petition meeting this criteria, the question will be submitted at the next election.

The boundary will be immediately changed if a majority of the voters in all districts affected vote for the boundary change. If the voters in one (1) of the districts approve the change and another does not, either of the districts affected or a majority of the signers of the petition may appeal in writing to the State Board of Education within 15 days of the election. The State Board will appoint a board of arbitration to settle the matter.

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If the potential receiving district obtained a score consistent with the criteria for classification of the district as Aaccredited@ on its most recent annual performance report (APR), and the potential sending district obtained a score consistent with the criteria for classification of the district as Aunaccredited@ on its most recent APR, the board of arbitration will approve the proposed boundary change. Otherwise, the board of arbitration will base its decision on the following factors:

1. The presence of school-age children in the affected area.

2. The presence of actual educational harm to school-age children, either due to a significant difference in the time involved in transporting students or educational deficiencies in the district that would have its boundary adversely affected.

3. The presence of an educational necessity, not of a commercial benefit to landowners or to the district benefiting from the proposed boundary adjustment.

Consolidation

The Board, by a majority vote, may call for an election on a proposal to consolidate with one (1) or more adjacent districts. The issue will be put on the ballot if the school board(s) of the district(s) with which the Board seeks to consolidate likewise vote(s) to put the issue on the ballot.

The Board must submit a proposition to consolidate the district with one (1) or more adjacent districts if it receives a written petition signed by voters requesting the proposition. The petition must include voter signatures numbering at least ten (10) percent of the votes cast for school board members in the last election in which board members were elected, or 100 voters, whichever is the higher number. A petition meeting this criteria must be submitted to the school boards of all districts involved in the consolidation. Once the Board has received a petition meeting this criteria, the question will be submitted at the next election.

A plat of the proposed new district will be published and posted with the notices of election. The results of the election will be certified to the state commissioner of education by the board secretary of each district or by the election authority charged with conducting the elections. If the measure passes with a majority vote in each affected district, the state commissioner will declare the new district formed as of July 1 following the submission of the question.

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Annexation

The Board must submit a proposition for the district to be attached to one (1) or more adjacent districts if it receives a written petition signed by voters requesting the proposition. The petition must include voter signatures numbering at least ten (10) percent of the votes cast for School Board members in the last election in which Board members were elected, or a majority of the voters of the district, whichever is the lesser.

Alternatively, the Board may, by a majority vote, submit a plan to the voters of the Strafford R-VI School District to attach the Strafford R-VI School District to one or more adjacent districts and call for an election.

A plat of the proposed new district will be published and posted with the notices of election. If a majority of the votes cast in the election favor annexation, the Board secretary will certify the fact, with a copy of the record, to the Board and to the school boards of the districts to which annexation is proposed. If a majority of all the members of the school boards of each district the Strafford R-VI School District seeks to be attached to vote in favor of annexation, the boundary lines of the affected districts shall be changed to include the Strafford R-VI School District.

Dissolution

The Board must submit a proposition to dissolve the district if it receives a written petition signed by voters requesting the proposition. The petition must include voter signatures numbering at least ten (10) percent of the votes cast for School Board members in the last election in which Board members were elected or 100 voters, whichever is greater. The question will be submitted at a municipal election. If a majority of voters voting favor dissolution, the district will be dissolved and may be annexed to one (1) or more other districts by the State Board of Education, in accordance with law.

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Note: The reader is encouraged to check the index located at the beginning of this section for other pertinent policies and to review administrative procedures and/or forms for related information.

Adopted: May 15, 2008

Revised:

Cross Refs: DC, Taxing and Borrowing Authority/Limitations

DCB, Political Campaigns

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Legal Refs: Mo. Const. art. VI, ' 26(b); art. X, ' 11(c)

'' 115.125, .646, 162.223, .431, .441, .451, 164.031, .121, .151, 167.231, RSMo.

Strafford R-VI School District, Strafford, Missouri

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BOARD MEMBER RESIGNATION

The Board believes that any citizen who files for and seeks election to the Board of Education should do so with full knowledge of and appreciation for the investment of time, effort and dedication expected of all Board members, and that the citizen's intent to serve reflects his or her intention to serve a full term of office.

However, if a member decides to resign prior to the end of the term of office for reasons of health, relocation outside of the district, or any other compelling reason, the Board requests the earliest possible notification of intent to resign so that it may plan appropriately to fill the vacant seat.

A Board member who resigns shall file a letter of resignation with the Board secretary, who shall forward it to the Board for consideration. A vacancy shall be declared