This bill:
(1) Provides, on a limited basis as discussed below, for reestablishment of elected office of school superintendent for counties or cities upon 2/3 vote of the governing body. Any such ordinance or resolution once approved would not be operative until approved in an election. This bill provides for qualifications of candidates;
(2) Specifies, in regard to school systems that reestablish the office of superintendent, that the superintendent will make recommendations, but the board of education will be responsible for electing principals, supervisors, educational assistants, and other employees; also, the board, instead of the superintendent, will be authorized to dismiss nontenured, licensed employees;
(3) Generally, specifies that other certain functions performed by the director of schools will be performed by the board of education in systems that reestablish the office of elected superintendent, such as approval of applications for leave;
(4) Creates a mechanism for systems that have reestablished the office of elected superintendent to abolish such office and return to appointment and employment of a director of schools; and
(5) Specifies that no more than 10 LEAs may reestablish the office of elected school superintendent under this bill. The purpose of the limit is to allow the department of education, with the assistance of the office of research and education accountability, to create a pilot program. The goal of the pilot program is to determine whether the procedures efficiently enable a county or municipality to reestablish the office of elected superintendent. The department will report to the general assembly no later than one year after the 10th LEA has reestablished the office with recommendations for changes in the procedures, if any.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 49-2-203(a)(13)(A), 49-2-203, 49-2-301(a), 49-2-301, 49-2-202(a)(3)(C), 49-2-202, 49-2-301(b)(1)(J), 49-2-301(b)(1)(L), 49-2-303(a)(1), 49-2-303, 49-2-304(a), 49-2-304, 49-5-401(b), 49-5-401, 49-5-409, 49-5-503(5), 49-5-503, 49-5-510, 49-5-511(b)(3), 49-5-511, 49-5-702(b), 49-5-702, 49-5-703, 49-6-2101(e), 49-6-2101, 49-13-106(j)(5)(B), 49-13-106
Current Version: 49-2-203(a)(13)(A), 49-2-203, 49-2-301(a), 49-2-301, 49-2-202(a)(3)(C), 49-2-202, 49-2-301(b)(1)(J), 49-2-301(b)(1)(L), 49-2-303(a)(1), 49-2-303, 49-2-304(a), 49-2-304, 49-5-401(b), 49-5-401, 49-5-409, 49-5-503(5), 49-5-503, 49-5-510, 49-5-511(b)(3), 49-5-511, 49-5-702(b), 49-5-702, 49-5-703, 49-6-2101(e), 49-6-2101, 49-13-106(j)(5)(B), 49-13-106