Present law authorizes school boards to appoint directors of schools. This bill authorizes a county or municipality operating a school system to establish the office of elected superintendent of schools by a majority vote of the membership of the county or municipal legislative body. This bill provides for preserving contractual obligations owed to a director of schools in a jurisdiction that established the office of elected superintendent. This bill requires the state board of education to establish minimum requirements for a license of qualification for a superintendent, which must include, at a minimum, the following: (1) The applicant must hold a teacher's professional license with endorsement as principal or supervisor of instruction; (2) The applicant must hold a master's degree; and (3) The applicant must have at least five years' experience to include both teaching and administrative experience. Generally, an elected superintendent will have the same rights, duties, and powers as an appointed director of schools. An elected superintendent of schools must be elected in the general election in August and serve a term of four years.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 49-2-203(a)(13)(A), 49-2-203, 49-2-301(a), 49-2-301