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Timestamp: 2013-05-25 08:11:15
Document Index: 726537915

Matched Legal Cases: ['§ 7', '§ 7', '§ 7', '§ 7', '§ 7', '§ 7', '§ 7', '§ 7', '§ 7', '§ 7', '§ 7', '§ 7', '§ 7', '§ 7', '§ 7']

Home / School Laws of Oklahoma	School Laws of Oklahoma Chapter 1 - Oklahoma School CodeArticle VI: Annexation and Consolidation
Section 187. Boundaries - Petition or Resolution to Change Election. (70 O.S. § 7-101)
a. of an entire school district, or
b. if a majority of the members of a board of education of a school district losing the territory concur with the petitioners, or resolution, only the legal voters of the area so affected shall be eligible to vote at such election, or
c. if the affected area is part of a school district with thirty thousand (30,000) or more average daily membership, if the boundaries of the affected area is not contiguous with the boundaries of the rest of the district, and if the boundary of the noncontiguous affected area is a least two (2) miles from the nearest boundary of the rest of the district, only the legal voters of the area so affected shall be eligible to vote at such election. Provided, if there is an incorporated city located wholly within the separate noncontiguous affected area, the annexation election being held shall not effect the area within the boundaries of the incorporated area unless a majority of the school district electors within the boundaries of the incorporated area also file a petition requesting annexation as required in subsection B of this section.
District court did not have authority to designate different school district boundary line based on equitable considerations. Spencer Development Co. v. ISD No. I-89, 741 P.2d 477 (Okla. 1987)
Presentation of petition requesting annexation is not sufficient to require annexation. Election must be called and held to properly effect annexation. August 24, 1988 (AG Op. No. 88-37)
School Laws of Oklahoma | Chapter 1 - Oklahoma School Code | Article VI: Annexation and Consolidation | Return to Top of Page
Section 188. Mandatory Annexation or Consolidation Procedures. (70 O.S. § 7-101.1)
A. The State Board of Education shall be authorized to promulgate rules and regulations regarding the procedures necessary to accomplish mandatory annexation or consolidation, as provided by and within the requirements of the provisions of Sections 2, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, and 13 of this act, and as otherwise providing by law.
B. In any case where mandatory annexation of a school or school district is recommended by the State Department of Education, the Department shall notify, in writing, the board of education of the school district involved. Upon receipt of the notification, the school district board shall have fifteen (15) days to request an opportunity to appear before the State Board of Education. If the school district board fails to request an opportunity to appear, the State Board shall proceed without further notice or delay, to conclude the matter. If an opportunity to appear is requested by the school district board, the State Board shall decide the issues after hearing from representatives of the school or school district and the State Department and shall make a final determination on the recommendation of the Department.
Section 189. Annexation or Disorganization - Assumption of Bonded Indebtedness. (70 O.S. § 7-103)
A. The component parts (or part) of the district annexed, whether the annexation is or was voluntary or mandatory under the provisions of this or any prior act, shall assume their full proportion of all legal bonded indebtedness of the district or districts to which they are or were annexed, and the district or districts to which they are or were annexed shall likewise assume a full proportion of all legal bonded indebtedness of the district annexed, or ratable proportion in ratio to the assessed valuation to the part annexed.
B. Provided, that if the area affected is or has been annexed under the provisions of this article to a school district (hereinafter referred to as the “first” district) having a bonded indebtedness at the time of said annexation, and if at the time of said annexation said area affected is or was not liable for any bonded indebtedness, and if within four (4) calendar months or less after said annexation all or any portion of the territory of the area affected is or has been detached from the first district to become a part of some other school district (hereinafter referred to as the “second” district) then:
1. If the detachment of said territory occurs in any fiscal year after the effective date of this subsection, and before the certification of the budgets and levies of the first district for said fiscal year to the State Auditor and Inspector, neither the said detached territory nor the second district shall have any liability for the payment of any part of the bonded indebtedness of the first district which existed when the area affected was annexed to the first district; or
2. If the detachment of said territory occurs in any fiscal year after the effective date of this subsection, and after the certification of the budgets and levies for said fiscal year of the first district to the State Auditor and Inspector, the said detached territory shall continue to bear its share of the bonded indebtedness of the first district as prescribed by subsection A of this section for the remainder of said fiscal year, but the second district shall not be liable for any part of the bonded indebtedness of the first district which existed at the time of the annexation of the area affected to the first district; and after the beginning of the next succeeding fiscal year neither the said detached territory nor the second district shall have any liability for any of the bonded indebtedness of the first district which existed at the time the area affected was annexed to the first district.
Section 190. Division of Property - Debts and Obligations. (70 O.S. § 7-104)
A. In case the area affected comprises an entire school district, and all of such area is annexed to only one other district, the district to which it is annexed shall become the owner of all the property and other assets of the disorganized district and shall be liable for the current debts and other obligations of such disorganized district, and said district shall also acquire title to and provide for permanent custody of all individual scholastic and other permanent records relating to each pupil who was previously enrolled in the annexed district.
B. In case the area affected comprises an entire school district, and is annexed to two or more districts, then the current debts or obligations and property and other assets of the disorganized district shall be divided by agreement between the boards of education of the annexing districts, and the board of education of either of the annexing districts may purchase any such property or assets to effect a just division. If the boards of education are unable to agree, the matter shall be decided by the State Board of Education, and its decision shall be final.
C. In case the area affected is not an entire school district, the district to which the annexation is made shall not acquire any of the property or assets of the district from which the area affected is detached, except that any school building or buildings located in the affected area shall become the property of the district to which the affected area is annexed and all obligations pertaining thereto shall become the responsibility of the annexing district.
D. If any mandatory or voluntary annexation made under the provisions of this article shall occur after the election on school district levies for the ensuing fiscal year and before the tax levies of the ensuing year have been made and certified, the operating and building levies authorized for the annexing district shall be the levies for all the said district after such annexation. All mandatory or voluntary annexations made and ordered subsequent to the certification of the budgets and levies to the State Auditor and Inspector shall be forthwith effective regardless of any variation in such levies; and the budgetary assets of the annexed district or districts theretofore so certified as unexpended and unencumbered shall be merged by supplementary procedure with the budgetary assets of the annexing district.
E. In case the area affected is annexed to two or more districts or the area affected is not an entire school district, the individual scholastic and other permanent records relating to each pupil enrolled at the time of annexation shall be transferred to the respective districts where said pupils are transferred. All other individual scholastic and other permanent records relating to pupils in said areas or entire districts affected shall be filed with the county clerk of the county where supervision of the annexed school district is located.
Board of education of dissolved district is without authority to transfer property of district after its annexation to another district. September 24, 1979 (AG Op. No. 79-236)
The current obligations of the annexed district shall be divided by agreement between the boards of education of the annexing districts. And if the boards of education are unable to agree, the matter shall be decided by the State Board of Education, which decision shall be final. June 21, 1976 (AG Op. No. 76-224)
Section 191. Consolidation - Studies - Petition - Election. (70 O.S. § 7-105)
A. Two or more school districts may, whether adjacent or not adjacent, be consolidated into a single school district in accordance with standards, rules and procedures to be determined by the State Board of Education. When the consolidation of two or more school districts is proposed, the State Board of Education shall conduct such studies of the populations, wealth, terrain, trade areas and other factors as may be necessary to determine the location of boundaries and the size of a proposed district which will most nearly ensure an efficient and economical administrative unit. The State Board of Education shall furnish the boards of education of the school districts which might be involved information and advice as to where the boundaries and what the size of the proposed new district should be. Nothing herein shall be construed to prevent the inclusion within a school district of territory lying within the boundaries of two or more counties.
B. Ten percent (10%) of the qualified school electors in any district may petition the board of education of such district to request such information, or a board of education of such district may on its own initiative ask for information and advice from the State Board of Education on the educational advantages and disadvantages of proposed consolidation to the children and residents of the area which might be affected. Upon the receipt of such a petition, the local board of education shall request the services of the State Board of Education and shall notify the boards of education in adjacent school districts that such a request has been made. The State Board of Education may on its own initiative make the study herein authorized of any area of the state and direct the board of education of such school districts as might be involved to set into operation in their districts the procedure for determining what, if any, consolidation should be carried on in the area under study.
C. Any rules or procedures which the State Board of Education may prescribe for consolidation of school districts shall include the opportunity for the qualified school electors in the school districts involved to express their wishes through a majority vote of the school electors in the entire territory involved.
D. Prior to an election for consolidation, the boards of education of the school districts involved may develop a plan which shall set forth the actions to be taken during and after consolidation. The plan of action shall include agreements relating to school site closing, disposition and utilization of property and equipment and such other agreements as may be necessary to facilitate the consolidation of the school districts. The plan of action shall also include provisions related to the technology center school district the newly formed district will be a part of which are consistent with the State Board of Career and Technology Education rules. The plan shall be placed on a separate ballot and voted on by the qualified school electors of each district at the time of the consolidation election. Both the plan and consolidation questions must be approved by a majority vote for the plan to take effect. The plan shall be binding on the board of education of the newly formed district for at least three (3) years; provided, any provisions related to the expenditure of appropriated money shall not be binding beyond the current fiscal year. The newly formed district may alter or disregard the plan only if there is a significant change in circumstances, including a significant drop in revenue to the district or in student enrollment.
E. Two or more school districts may be consolidated into a single school district on a conditional basis. If the voters approve conditional consolidation of the school districts at an election for such purpose in accordance with the procedures set forth in this section, the newly formed school district shall be considered consolidated and shall go through the same procedure and meet the same requirements as any consolidated school district. Under a conditional consolidation plan, any subsequent decision to consolidate the new school district or annex all or part of the new school district shall first be approved by a majority of the electors, voting at such election, or each of the original school districts. If one or more of the original school districts disapproves the subsequent consolidation or annexation plan, the plan shall be approved and thereafter, any further consolidation or annexation shall be subject to approval of the electors of all of the school districts as a whole. The original school district shall mean only the districts which independently voted to join the conditionally consolidated district.
F. An election for such purpose shall be held either upon:
1. A petition for consolidation or conditional consolidation, signed by forty percent (40%) of the school district electors of each school district included in the proposed consolidation, or conditional consolidation said percentage being applied to the highest number of voters voting in a regular school election in the district in the preceding five (5) years as determined by the secretary of the county election board, who shall certify the adequacy of the number of signatures on the petition; or
2. The concurrence of the boards of education of the school districts included in the proposed consolidation or conditional consolidation, as shown by a resolution adopted by each board. The election shall be called by the State Board of Education and conducted in accordance with the general election laws of this state. Any vote to consolidate two or more districts, shall require a majority vote of those voting in each school district involved. When such a majority vote is in favor of consolidation or conditional consolidation, the State Board of Education shall declare the participating school districts dissolved and the new school district established, and the newly formed district shall thereupon be governed by the provisions of the Oklahoma School Code.
G. The State Superintendent of Public Instruction or designee shall convene the members of the boards of the districts forming the new district, who shall be given the opportunity of selecting from among themselves the initial board of education for the new district, selecting the number of members and designating the initial terms of service of each as required to conform to law; provided, the members convened shall have the option of forming a seven-member board pursuant to the provisions of Section 5-107A of this title rather than a board of the size otherwise provided by law and shall have the option of temporarily increasing the number of board positions for the new district by two positions per consolidating district for the first two (2) years following consolidation. The temporary positions will be filled by appointment by the board. The temporary board positions shall be abolished two (2) years from the effective date of consolidation. Within ten (10) days following the declaration of establishment of the new district, the State Superintendent or designee shall declare the agreement or shall declare that such agreement has not been reached, in which case persons serving as members of the board of education of the participating district having the largest number of enumerated children as shown by the last regular enumeration shall serve as members of the board of education of the newly formed district for the terms for which they were elected and until their successors have been duly elected or appointed and have qualified.
H. All liabilities, assets, powers and duties of the participating districts shall become the responsibility of the new school district, which district shall be the legal successor in every respect to the school districts participating in the consolidation or conditional consolidation in accordance with law.
Section 192. Buildings - Rented, Moved, or Sold. (70 O.S. § 7-106)
No building or appendages thereto of any school district that has been annexed to another school district or districts shall be rented, moved or sold by the board of education of the annexing district or districts without the approval of a majority of the school district electors in the annexed district voting on the proposition, if such building is being used at least once each ninety (90) days for public gatherings. Provided, that the board of education of the annexing district acquiring such buildings may require persons or groups using such building and appendages to pay the cost of maintenance, including insurance, of such building and appendages.
An annexing school district receives title to the real property of an annexed school district and is then empowered to convey the real property to any entity, if no longer needed and if done by public sale or bid. Such a conveyance must be for reasonable consideration. The only exception to the public sale/public bid/reasonable consideration requirements is found in the context of consolidation, not annexation. Pursuant to this exception, consolidated school districts may convey real property to a local political subdivision without consideration and without the necessity of a public sale or public bid. March 29, 1993 (AG Inf. Op. No. 92-604)
Legal title to property of annexed district vests in annexing district, subject to right of voters of annexed district to require board of education of annexing district to transfer title with reversionary clause for community use within one year. AG Op. October 24, 1968
Proceeds of insurance policy covering destruction of annexed district’s building used as community center belong to annexing district and cannot be used to erect another building for use as a community center exclusively. AG Op. February 12, 1964
Heirs of grantors of schoolhouse site with reversionary clause can sue to quiet title to property if school is not maintained on property. Craig v. Unknown Heirs, 358 P.2d 835 (Okla. 1961)
Proceeds of sale of building constructed with bond money, if not used to construct another building should be placed in sinking fund to retire debt that was incurred, and remainder should be deposited in general fund. AG Op. June 2, 1961
Electors of territory previously annexed by another annexation not entitled to vote on sale of building. AG Op. September 25, 1958
Board of education can refuse permission to use buildings if upkeep and insurance is not paid by group or organization requesting use of buildings. AG Op. November 13, 1953
Section 193. Disposition of Property. (70 O.S. § 7-107)
Once a school district has voted to dispense with grades one (1) through eight (8) or one (1) through twelve (12), it shall be illegal for the Board of Education of such district to sell, exchange, trade, junk, salvage, or otherwise dispose of any furniture, equipment, land, building, or other such assets belonging to the school district unless such sale, exchange, trade or disposal is made to, and only to, another public school district in the State of Oklahoma. It shall also be illegal for the board of education to expend the school district’s funds for any purpose after the end of the fiscal year in which grades one (1) through eight (8) or one (1) through twelve (12) have been dispensed with except in payment of legal transfer fees, bond and property insurance premiums, utilities, salary of the clerk of the board of education, audit expenses, and the expenses necessary for the preservation and maintenance of school property; provided, that a board or boards of education receiving the annexed district shall have one (1) year after annexation to sell or convey the title of land and buildings to a nonprofit corporation to be used for community purposes after the same has been approved by a majority of the electors of the annexed district, present and voting, at an election called for such purpose; provided, that when such use ceases, the title to said land and building shall be vested in the receiving district or districts which shall be evidenced by resolution of the annexed district.
Section 194. Federally-Owned Reservations - Annexation. (70 O.S. § 7-108)
Any federally owned reservation, or any portion thereof, within the State of Oklahoma shall with the consent of the United States, given by and through the commanding officer, superintendent, or other officer having charge of such reservation, be attached to an independent school district within the same transportation area for school purposes in which such reservation and independent school district are situated, upon the petition of the commanding officer, superintendent, or other officer having charge of such reservation, and with the consent of the board of education of such independent school district. The petition of such commanding officer, superintendent, or other officer in charge of any such federally owned reservation and the consent of such board of education shall be filed with the State Superintendent of Public Instruction and said Superintendent shall thereupon order such reservation to be attached to such independent school district.
Section 195. Oklahoma School Consolidation and Annexation Act. (70 O.S. § 7-201)
Sections 7-201 through 7-205 of this title shall be known and may be cited as the “Oklahoma School Voluntary Consolidation and Annexation Act”.
Section 196. Eligible School Districts. (70 O.S. § 7-202)
The provisions of the Oklahoma School Consolidation and Annexation Act shall apply only to school districts whose entire territory has been annexed to one or more existing school districts or which have been created by the consolidation of two or more existing school districts in accordance with the provisions of Section 7-101 et seq. of this title or to school districts which have entered into a mutual contract with a superintendent as authorized pursuant to Section 5-106A of this title.
Note: Amended by HB 2115, Sec. 1 of the 2011 Reg. Sess. Effective July 1, 2011.
Section 197. School Consolidation Assistance Fund. (70 O.S. § 7-203)
A. There is hereby created in the State Treasury a fund to be designated the “School Consolidation Assistance Fund”. The fund shall be a continuing fund, not subject to fiscal year limitations, and shall consist of any monies the Legislature may appropriate or transfer to the fund and any monies contributed for the fund from any other source, public or private.
B. All monies accruing to the credit of the fund are hereby appropriated and may be budgeted and expended by the State Board of Education for the purposes established by this section, the Legislature and in accordance with rules promulgated by the State Board of Education. The purposes shall be to provide:
1. Voluntarily or mandatorily consolidated school districts or districts who have received part or all of the territory and part or all of the students of a school district dissolved by voluntary or mandatory annexation, during the first year of consolidation or annexation with a single one-year allocation of funds needed for:
a. purchase of uniform textbooks in cases where the several districts were not using the same textbooks prior to consolidation or annexation,
b. employment of certified personnel required to teach courses of the district for which personnel from the districts consolidated or annexed are not certified and available,
c. employment assistance for personnel of the several districts who are not employed by the consolidated or annexing district. Employment assistance may include provision of a severance allowance for administrators, teachers and support personnel not to exceed eighty percent (80%) of the individual's salary or wages, exclusive of fringe benefits, for the school year preceding the consolidation or annexation. Personnel receiving such severance pay may accumulate one (1) year of creditable service for retirement purposes. Employment assistance may also include the payment of unemployment compensation benefits. The State Board of Education shall provide a severance allowance to employees dismissed from employment due to annexation or consolidation of a school district in the year of the annexation or consolidation and who were denied a severance allowance or unemployment compensation benefits and the voluntary consolidation funding of the annexing or consolidating district or districts has been paid on or after July 1, 2003, at the maximum allowable amount. Application for a severance allowance shall be made to the Finance Division of the State Department of Education by the dismissed employee no later than September 1 of the fiscal year immediately following the fiscal year in which the annexation or consolidation occurred,
d. furnishing and equipping classrooms and laboratories
e. purchase of additional transportation equipment, and
f. when deemed essential by the school district board of education to achieve consolidation or combination by annexation, renovation of existing school buildings and construction or other acquisition of school buildings; and
2. Assistance to school districts which have entered into a mutual contract with a superintendent as authorized pursuant to Section 5-106A of this title in paying the salary or wages of the superintendent. The assistance shall equal not more than fifty percent (50%) of the salary or wages of the superintendent for not more than three (3) consecutive years. In no case shall the total amount of assistance paid over the three-year period be more than One Hundred Fifty Thousand Dollars ($150,000.00) nor shall any school district be eligible to receive assistance pursuant to this paragraph for more than one three-year time period.
C. The State Board of Education shall only make allocations from the fund to school districts formed from the combination of two or more of the districts whose boards of education notify the State Board of Education on or before June 30 of their intent to annex or consolidate and are subsequently combined by such means by January 1 of the second year following the notification of intent. The boards of education which have entered into a mutual contract with a superintendent shall notify the Board on or before June 30 of the year preceding the school year the mutual contract will become effective.
D. Allocations will be made to school districts formed by voluntary or mandatory consolidation on the basis of combined average daily membership (ADM) of the school year preceding the first year of operation of the school district resulting from the consolidation; provided, not more than two hundred (200) ADM of any one school district shall be counted in determining the combined ADM of any district formed by consolidation. The ADM of any one school district shall not be considered more than once for allocations from the fund when the school district consolidates with two or more school districts. Allocations from the fund pursuant to this subsection shall be calculated by multiplying the combined ADM by Two Thousand Five Hundred Dollars ($2,500.00).
E. Allocations will be made to school districts which have received part or all of the territory and students of a school district by voluntary or mandatory annexation on the basis of ADM of the annexed school district for the school year preceding the first year of operation of the school district resulting from the annexation; provided, not more than two hundred (200) ADM of the annexed district shall be counted. Allocations from the fund pursuant to this subsection shall be calculated by multiplying the allowable ADM by Five Thousand Dollars ($5,000.00). In no case shall allocations payable pursuant to this subsection be greater than One Million Dollars ($1,000,000.00).
F. If monies in the School Consolidation Assistance Fund are insufficient to make allocations to all qualified combined districts, allocations shall be made based upon the determination of the State Board of Education with preference given to school district consolidation and annexation.
Note: Amended by HB 2115, Sec. 2 of the 2011 Reg. Sess. Effective July 1, 2011.
Section 197.1 Authorization to Transfer Funds. (70 O.S. § 7-203.1)
Beginning July 1, 2006, and each year thereafter, the State Board of Education shall determine the number of districts that notified the Board of their intent to annex or consolidate by June 30 of the previous fiscal year. If the Board determines the number of qualified combined districts to be two or less, the Board is authorized to transfer up to one-half of the funds transferred to the School Consolidation Assistance Fund for that fiscal year for allocation to the Financial Support of Public Schools for distribution to school districts in the State Aid Formula, provided in Section 18-200.1 of Title 70 of the Oklahoma Statutes. The State Board of Education is further authorized to transfer up to one-half of the funds not allocated to school districts for annexation or consolidation for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2006, for allocation to the Financial Support of Public Schools.
Section 198. Preference for Allocation of Funds. (70 O.S. § 7-204)
Consolidated districts and districts combined by annexation which are created pursuant to the Oklahoma School Consolidation and Annexation Act and districts that have entered into a mutual contract with a superintendent shall have for three (3) subsequent consecutive years after consolidation, annexation or the effective date of the mutual contract preference for allocations from funds appropriated to the State Board of Education for Community Education, Alternative and High Challenge Schools, School/Community Network for Arts-in-Education, Instructional Cooperative and Technical Education, Advanced Placement Incentives, and for all other allocations made by the Board on a competitive basis.
Note: Amended by HB 2115, Sec. 3 of the 2011 Reg. Sess. Effective July 1, 2011.
Section 199. Exceptions to Certification Requirements. (70 O.S. § 7-205)
Section 200. School Site Closing Moratorium - Consolidation Annexation. (70 O.S. § 7-206)
Elementary school districts which desire to consolidate with or annex the entire territory comprising the school district to an independent school district or districts in the transportation area of their choice pursuant to the Oklahoma School Consolidation and Annexation Act shall be authorized to enter into contracts with the independent school district or districts whom they consolidate with or annex to, which provide for up to a three-year moratorium on school site closings within the consolidated or annexed elementary district.