This bill proposes several updates to the current statutes regarding school district governing boards. It removes the existing prohibition on appointing individuals who are registered sex offenders from serving on governing boards, while simultaneously establishing new criteria for ineligibility. Specifically, it introduces a provision that makes individuals ineligible for appointment if they are either registered sex offenders or if they do not meet the criteria outlined in the newly added section 15-349, subsection E.

Additionally, the bill mandates the development of a comprehensive training program for school district governing board members, which must cover various topics such as public school finance, governance, and ethical responsibilities. Each board member is required to complete this training every two years and report their completion to the county school superintendent. The bill also allows the Department of Education to charge school districts for the training costs and establishes that failure to complete the required training will render a board member ineligible for future nominations or appointments.

Statutes affected:
Introduced Version: 15-302, 15-349, 15-421, 15-481, 15-271, 15-904