reglab/housing_qa huggingface dataset:
16 V.S.A. § 572
2021 Vermont Statutes|Title 16 - Education|Chapter 11 - Union Schools and School Districts and Joint Schools|§ 572. Joint boards for joint, contract, or consolidated schools

§ 572. Joint boards for joint, contract, or consolidated schools|(a) The control of joint, contract, or consolidated schools, set up by two or more school districts, shall be vested in a joint school board from the forming school districts, and the members of the joint school board shall be chosen in the manner provided for in, and for the purpose of, this section. A joint, contract, or consolidated school board shall be referred to as a joint board.(b) The joint board shall have full authority to act on all matters pertaining to the finance, location, construction, maintenance, and operation of schools set up as joint, contract, or consolidated schools, including the selection and hiring of teachers.(c) The joint board shall consist of members chosen annually from the duly elected school boards of the school districts, each school district board electing a member or members to the joint board from among its own members.(d) Unless the school districts that are parties to the contract have agreed upon a different method of allocating board members that is consistent with law, the allocation of the board members shall be as provided in this subsection. The school district with the largest number of pupils attending the joint, contract, or consolidated school shall have three members on the joint board. Each other school district shall have at least one member on the joint board, and its total membership shall be determined by dividing the number of pupils from the school district with the largest enrollment by three, rounding off the quotient to the nearest whole number, which shall be called the "factor" and by then dividing the pupil enrollment of each of the other school districts by the "factor," rounding off this quotient to the nearest whole number, this number being the number of school directors on the joint board from each of the other school districts. Pupil enrollment for the purpose of determining the number of members on the joint board to which each school district is entitled shall be taken from the school registers on January 1 of the calendar year in which the school year starts. The joint board shall annually select from among its members a chair and a clerk and shall also select a treasurer from among the treasurers of the contracting districts. (Amended 1961, No. 79; 1991, No. 173 (Adj. Sess.); 2011, No. 129 (Adj. Sess.), § 8, eff. May 11, 2012; 2019, No. 131 (Adj. Sess.), § 65.)
16 V.S.A. § 701
2021 Vermont Statutes|Title 16 - Education|Chapter 11 - Union Schools and School Districts and Joint Schools|§ 701. Policy

§ 701. Policy|It is declared to be the policy of the State to provide equal educational opportunities for all children in Vermont by authorizing two or more school districts, including an existing union school district, to establish a union school district for the purpose of owning, constructing, maintaining, or operating schools and to constitute the district so formed a municipal corporation with all of the rights and responsibilities that a town school district has in providing education for its youths. (Added 1967, No. 277 (Adj. Sess.), § 3; amended 2007, No. 154 (Adj. Sess.), § 19.)
16 V.S.A. § 701a
2021 Vermont Statutes|Title 16 - Education|Chapter 11 - Union Schools and School Districts and Joint Schools|§ 701a. Application of other laws

§ 701a. Application of other laws|(a) The provisions of this subchapter are intended to be in addition to the general provisions of law pertaining to schools and not a limitation upon them, and in the event there is no provision in this subchapter to cover a situation and the situation is covered by the general school law, then the provisions of the general school law apply.(b) The provisions of general law relating to the administration and maintenance of schools; to school meetings and voting at the meetings; to grand lists; to the raising and expending of school money; to money apportioned by the State Board; to sharing in other State or federal aid; to the election, appointments, powers, duties, and liabilities of school officers; to secondary and elementary instruction; to transportation, board, and attendance of students; to textbooks and appliances; and to all other matters pertaining to schools in a town school district, unless inconsistent with this act or otherwise provided for in this subchapter, shall apply to schools maintained, similar school officers, and all matters pertaining to schools of the union school district. (Added 1967, No. 277 (Adj. Sess.), § 4; amended 2013, No. 92 (Adj. Sess.), § 82, eff. Feb. 14, 2014.)
16 V.S.A. § 701b
2021 Vermont Statutes|Title 16 - Education|Chapter 11 - Union Schools and School Districts and Joint Schools|§ 701b. Application of chapter

§ 701b. Application of chapter|(a) Whenever referred to in this subchapter, the term "school district" shall include a "town school district," "incorporated school district," "union school district," or "city school district," and this subchapter shall accordingly apply to the organization and operation of a union school district of which any school district is a member or prospective member. The provisions of this subchapter shall apply and take precedence in the event of any conflict between those provisions and the provisions of the charter of a municipality that is a member or prospective member of a union district. Upon the organization of a union district under this subchapter, any charter of a member municipality is considered to be amended accordingly without further action.(b) If a union school district votes to participate in a planning committee pursuant to section 706 of this title, its member districts shall not participate on the study committee. If the participating union school district votes to join another union school district that is successfully formed, any conflicting terms of its articles of agreement are repealed in favor of the terms of the articles of agreement of the newly formed union school district. If the proposed union school district is to be a unified union school district, however, only town districts and incorporated districts may participate in the joint study and vote on its formation. A successful vote to form a unified union school district dissolves any preexisting union school district within its borders, and any assets or liabilities held by that union school district shall be transferred to the new unified union district. (Added 1967, No. 277 (Adj. Sess.), § 5; amended 2007, No. 154 (Adj. Sess.), § 20.)
16 V.S.A. § 701c
2021 Vermont Statutes|Title 16 - Education|Chapter 11 - Union Schools and School Districts and Joint Schools|§ 701c. Definition

§ 701c. Definition|Reference in any statute to "union high school district," or "union high school" includes a union school district, union elementary school district, or union elementary school. (Added 1967, No. 277 (Adj. Sess.), § 38.)
16 V.S.A. § 706
2021 Vermont Statutes|Title 16 - Education|Chapter 11 - Union Schools and School Districts and Joint Schools|§ 706. Proposal to form study committee

§ 706. Proposal to form study committee|When the boards of two or more school districts believe that a study committee should be established to study the advisability of forming a union school district, or if five percent of the voters eligible to vote at the last annual or special school district meeting petition the board of their respective school districts to do so, each of the boards shall meet with the superintendent of each participating district. With the advice of the superintendent, the boards shall establish a budget and shall fix the number of persons to serve on the study committee that prepares the report required by this subchapter. The boards' proposal shall ensure that each participating district share in the committee's budget and be represented on the committee in that proportion that the equalized pupils (as defined in section 4001 of this title) of the district bear to the total equalized pupils of all school districts intending to participate in the committee's study. Nothing in this section shall be construed to prohibit informal exploration between and among school districts prior to the formation of a study committee. (Added 1967, No. 277 (Adj. Sess.), § 6; amended 1997, No. 71 (Adj. Sess.), § 109, eff. March 11, 1998; 2005, No. 182 (Adj. Sess.), § 24; 2007, No. 154 (Adj. Sess.), § 21.)
16 V.S.A. § 706a
2021 Vermont Statutes|Title 16 - Education|Chapter 11 - Union Schools and School Districts and Joint Schools|§ 706a. Approval of study budget; appointment of study committee

§ 706a. Approval of study budget; appointment of study committee|(a) If the proposed budget established in section 706 of this chapter exceeds $25,000.00, then:  (1) The voters of each participating district shall be warned to meet at an annual or special school district meeting to vote on a question in substantially the following form: "Shall the school district of ................................ appropriate funds necessary to support the district's financial share of a study to determine the advisability of forming a union school district with some or all of the following school districts: ................................ ? It is estimated that the district's share, if all the above-listed districts vote to participate, will be $......................................... The total proposed budget, to be shared by all participating districts, is $..........." It is not necessary for the voters of each participating district to vote on the same date to establish a union school district study committee. (2) If the vote is in the affirmative in two or more districts, the boards of the participating districts shall appoint a study committee consisting of the number of persons previously fixed. At least one school director from each participating district shall be on the committee. A district board may appoint residents to the committee who are not school directors. (3) The sums expended for study purposes under this section shall be considered a part of the approved cost of any project in which the district participates pursuant to sections 3447 through 3449 of this title.   (b) If the proposed budget established in section 706 of this chapter does not exceed $25,000.00, then the boards of the participating districts shall appoint a study committee consisting of the number of persons previously fixed. At least one school director from each participating district shall be on the committee. A district board may appoint residents who are not school directors to the committee. The sums expended for study purposes under this section shall be considered a part of the approved cost of any project in which the district participates pursuant to sections 3447 through 3449 of this title. (Added 1967, No. 277 (Adj. Sess.), § 7; amended 2007, No. 154 (Adj. Sess.), § 22.)
16 V.S.A. § 706c
2021 Vermont Statutes|Title 16 - Education|Chapter 11 - Union Schools and School Districts and Joint Schools|§ 706c. Consideration by local school district boards and approval by State Board of Education

§ 706c. Consideration by local school district boards and approval by State Board of Education|(a) If a study committee prepares a report under section 706b of this chapter, the committee shall transmit the report to the school boards of each school district that participated in the study committee and any other school districts that the report identifies as necessary or advisable to the establishment of the proposed union school district for the review and comment of each school board.(b) The study committee shall transmit the report to the Secretary who shall submit the report with his or her recommendations to the State Board. After providing notice to the study committee and after giving the committee an opportunity to be heard, the State Board shall consider the report and the Secretary's recommendations and decide whether the formation of such union school district will be in the best interests of the State, the students, and the school districts proposed to be members of the union. The State Board may request that the Secretary and the study committee make further investigation and may consider any other information deemed by it to be pertinent. If, after due consideration and any further meetings it deems necessary, the State Board finds that the formation of the proposed union school district is in the best interests of the State, the students, and the school districts, it shall approve the report submitted by the committee, together with any amendments, as a final report of the study committee, and shall give notice of its action to the committee. The chair of the study committee shall file a copy of the final report with the town clerk of each proposed member district at least 20 days prior to the vote to establish the union. (Added 1967, No. 277 (Adj. Sess.), § 9; amended 2007, No. 154 (Adj. Sess.), § 24; 2011, No. 156 (Adj. Sess.), § 18; 2013, No. 92 (Adj. Sess.), § 84, eff. Feb. 14, 2014.)
16 V.S.A. § 706d
2021 Vermont Statutes|Title 16 - Education|Chapter 11 - Union Schools and School Districts and Joint Schools|§ 706d. Vote to establish union school districts

§ 706d. Vote to establish union school districts|Each school district that is designated in the final report as necessary to the proposed union school district shall vote, and any school district designated in the final report as advisable to be included may vote on the establishment of the proposed union school district. The vote shall be held on the date specified in the final report. The vote shall be warned in each proposed member school district by the school board of that district, and the vote shall be by Australian ballot at separate school district meetings held on the same day and during the same hours. The polls shall remain open at least eight hours. Early or absentee voting as provided by 17 V.S.A. §§ 2531 to 2550 shall be permitted. The meetings shall be warned as a special meeting of each school district voting on the proposal. The school board of a school district designated as "advisable" in the proposed union school district may choose not to hold a meeting to vote on the question of establishing the union school district; provided, however, it shall warn and conduct the meeting on application of ten percent of the voters in the school district. (Added 1967, No. 277 (Adj. Sess.), § 10; amended 1987, No. 228 (Adj. Sess.), § 19; 2001, No. 6, § 12(c), eff. April 10, 2001; 2007, No. 154 (Adj. Sess.), § 25.)
16 V.S.A. § 706e
2021 Vermont Statutes|Title 16 - Education|Chapter 11 - Union Schools and School Districts and Joint Schools|§ 706e. Election of directors

§ 706e. Election of directors|(a) Each school district, at the meetings warned to vote on establishment of the union, shall also elect directors by Australian ballot to represent the district on the union school board in the event the union is approved by the voters. Directors so elected shall serve from the date of the organization meeting for terms as provided in the final report.(b) Nominations for the office of union school director representing any district shall be made by filing with the clerk of that school district proposed as a member of the union, a statement of nomination signed by at least 30 voters in that district or one percent of the legal voters in the district, whichever is less and accepted in writing by the nominee. A statement shall be filed not less than 30 nor more than 40 days prior to the date of the vote. Each person so nominated shall have his or her name placed on the ballot. Each district shall elect as many directors as it is then entitled to have represent it on the union school board. The candidates for directors receiving the largest numbers of votes shall be elected to the union school board. In the event of a tie that, if unbroken, will result in more directors being elected than a district is entitled to, the town board of school directors shall, by majority vote, cast one vote for one of the candidates tied and so create a plurality for that candidate. Nothing contained in this subchapter shall be construed to prohibit the election of school directors by at-large voting.(c) Nominations for the office of a union school director at-large shall be for a person who is a resident of a school district that is proposed as necessary to the establishment of the union. The nomination shall be made by filing with the clerk of any of the school districts proposed as necessary to the establishment of the union not less than 30 nor more than 40 days prior to the date of the vote, a statement of nomination signed by at least 60 voters from one or more districts proposed as necessary to the establishment of the union. Upon receipt of a petition for an at-large union school director, a clerk shall place the name of the person on the ballot and shall notify each clerk of every other school district proposed as a member of the union that the person is to have his or her name placed on each ballot in each district. Each district shall vote on candidates for member at-large. The candidates receiving the largest number of votes shall be elected to the union school board. (Added 1967, No. 277 (Adj. Sess.), § 11; amended 1971, No. 11; 1975, No. 48, § 7, eff. April 15, 1975; 1999, No. 64 (Adj. Sess.), § 1, eff. Feb. 3, 2000; 2003, No. 36, § 6.)
16 V.S.A. § 706f
2021 Vermont Statutes|Title 16 - Education|Chapter 11 - Union Schools and School Districts and Joint Schools|§ 706f. Contents of warning on vote to establish the union

§ 706f. Contents of warning on vote to establish the union|The warning for each school district meeting shall contain two articles in substantially the following form: WARNING    The voters of the town (city, union, etc.) school district of       are hereby notified and warned to meet at     on the     day of       ,       , to vote by Australian ballot between the hours of       , at which time the polls will  open, and, at which time the polls will close, upon the following articles of  business:        Article I     Shall the town (city, union, etc.) school district of       which the State Board of Education has found (necessary or advisable) to include in the proposed union school district, join with the school districts of       and     , which the State Board of Education has found necessary to include in the  proposed union school district, and the school districts of and, which the State Board of Education has found advisable to include in the proposed union school district, for the purpose of forming a union school district, as provided in Title 16, Vermont Statutes Annotated, upon the following conditions and agreements:  (a) Grades. The union school     district shall operate and manage a school offering instruction in grades ________ through ________.    (b) Board of School Directors. (State formula by which representation of each member district on the union school board is to be determined.)  (c) [Repealed.]                   (d) Assumption of debts and ownership of school property. The union school district shall assume the indebtedness of member districts, acquire the school  properties of member districts, and pay for them, all as specified in the final report. (If no indebtedness is to be assumed, or school property acquired, by the union district, this paragraph (d) may be omitted.)       (e) Final Report. The provisions of the final report approved by the State Board of Education on the       day of       ,       , which is on file in the  town clerk's office, shall govern the union district.   Article II    To elect from the following nominees:       ,       , (name, etc.), (number of directors which the district is entitled to) school director(s) to serve     on the proposed union school district board from the date of the organization meeting for terms as provided in the final report.  (Added 1967, No. 277 (Adj. Sess.), § 12; amended 2003, No. 130 (Adj. Sess.), § 15; 2007, No. 154 (Adj. Sess.), § 26; 2009, No. 44, § 10, eff. May 21, 2009.)
16 V.S.A. § 706g
2021 Vermont Statutes|Title 16 - Education|Chapter 11 - Union Schools and School Districts and Joint Schools|§ 706g. Designation of districts as union school district, recording by Secretary of State

§ 706g. Designation of districts as union school district, recording by Secretary of State|Within 45 days after the vote or 15 days after an unsuccessful vote to reconsider or rescind the original vote under 17 V.S.A. § 2661, whichever is later, the clerk of each district voting on the proposal to establish a union school district shall certify the results of the vote to the Secretary of Education. If a majority of the voters voting in each district that is designated in the final report as necessary to the establishment of the proposed union vote to establish the proposed union district, those districts, together with any district designated in the final report as advisable to be included in the proposed union, that voted by a majority of those voting to establish the proposed union district shall constitute a union school district. The Secretary of Education shall designate all such districts as a union school district and shall so certify to the Secretary of State, who shall record such certification. Upon this record, the union school district shall become a body politic and corporate with the powers incident to a municipal corporation, shall be known by the name or number given in the certificate, by that name or number may sue and be sued, and may hold and convey real and personal estate for the use of the district. The record shall be notice to all parties of the establishment of the union school district with all the powers incident to such a district as provided in this subchapter. A certified copy of the record in the Office of the Secretary of State shall be filed by him or her in the office of the clerk of each school district to be included within the union school district within 15 days from the date the Secretary of Education certified the existence of the union district to him or her. This filing shall be prima facie evidence of full compliance with the requirements for the creation of a union school district as set forth in this subchapter. (Added 1967, No. 277 (Adj. Sess.), § 13; amended 2013, No. 56, § 1, eff. May 30, 2013; 2019, No. 131 (Adj. Sess.), § 66.)
16 V.S.A. § 706h
2021 Vermont Statutes|Title 16 - Education|Chapter 11 - Union Schools and School Districts and Joint Schools|§ 706h. Superintendent for union district

§ 706h. Superintendent for union district|For administrative and supervisory services, the State Board of Education shall assign a union school district to a supervisory union as established according to the provisions of this title. (Added 1967, No. 277 (Adj. Sess.); amended 1969, No. 298 (Adj. Sess.), § 1.)
16 V.S.A. § 706i
2021 Vermont Statutes|Title 16 - Education|Chapter 11 - Union Schools and School Districts and Joint Schools|§ 706i. Organization meeting; notice

§ 706i. Organization meeting; notice|Within 60 days after the copies of the certificate have been filed in the office of the clerk of each school district to be included as members of the union school district, the voters in the union district shall hold an organization meeting within the district. Notice of the day, hour, and place of the meeting shall be posted in at least one public place in each member school district of the union school district and published once in a newspaper circulating in the union district. Publication and posting shall be made not more than 40 days nor less than 30 days before the date of the meeting. The warning for such meeting shall be drawn by the Secretary or by such person or persons who are voters in the union school district as the Secretary may designate for the purpose. The cost of giving notice shall be borne by the union school district. (Added 1967, No. 277 (Adj. Sess.), § 15; amended 1971, No. 4, eff. March 19, 1971; 2013, No. 92 (Adj. Sess.), § 86, eff. Feb. 14, 2014.)