reglab/statecodes huggingface dataset:
2023 Vermont Statutes › Title 16 - Education › Chapter 5 - Secretary of Education › § 242. Duties of superintendents

§ 242. Duties of superintendents
The superintendent shall be the chief executive officer for the supervisory union board and for each school board within the supervisory union, and shall:
(1) Carry out the policies adopted by the school boards relating to the educational or business affairs of the school district or supervisory union, and develop procedures to do so.
(2) Prepare, for adoption by a local school board, plans to achieve the educational goals and objectives established by the school district.
(3)(A) Nominate a candidate for employment by the school district or supervisory union if the vacant position requires a licensed employee; provided, if the appropriate board declines to hire a candidate, then the superintendent shall nominate a new candidate;
(B) select nonlicensed employees to be employed by the district or supervisory union; and
(C) dismiss licensed and nonlicensed employees of a school district or the supervisory union as necessary, subject to all procedural and other protections provided by contract, collective bargaining agreement, or provision of State and federal law.
(4)(A) Provide data and information required by the Secretary and by using a format approved by the Secretary to:
(i) Report budgetary data for the subsequent school year and fiscal year.
(ii) Report all financial operations within the supervisory union to the Secretary and State Board for the preceding school year on or before August 15 of each year.
(iii) Report all financial operations for each member school district to the Secretary and State Board for the preceding school year on or before August 15 of each year.
(B) Prepare for each district an itemized report detailing the portion of the proposed supervisory union budget for which the district would be assessed for the subsequent school year identifying the component costs by category and explaining the method by which the district’s share for each cost was calculated; and provide the report to each district at least 14 days before a budget, including the supervisory union assessment, is voted on by the electorate of the district.
(5) Work with the school boards of the member districts to develop and implement policies regarding minimum and optimal average class sizes for regular and career technical education classes. The policies may be supervisory union-wide, may be course- or grade-specific, and may reflect differences among school districts due to geography or other factors.
(6) Arrange for the provision of the professional training required in subsection 561(b) of this title.
(7) Provide for the general supervision of the public schools in the supervisory union or district. (Added 2003, No. 36, § 1; amended 2009, No. 153 (Adj. Sess.), § 10, eff. June 3, 2010; 2009, No. 153 (Adj. Sess.), § 15; 2013, No. 56, § 12, eff. May 30, 2013; 2013, No. 92 (Adj. Sess.), § 32, eff. Feb. 14, 2014; 2018, No. 11 (Sp. Sess.), § E.500.2.)
2023 Vermont Statutes › Title 16 - Education › Chapter 5 - Secretary of Education › § 242a. Internal financial controls

§ 242a. Internal financial controls
(a) The superintendent or his or her designee shall annually, on or before December 31, complete and provide to the supervisory union board and to all member district boards a copy of the document regarding internal financial controls made available by the Auditor of Accounts pursuant to 32 V.S.A. § 163(11).
(b) The supervisory union board shall review the document provided by the superintendent within two months of receiving it. (Added 2011, No. 155 (Adj. Sess.), § 29.)
2023 Vermont Statutes › Title 16 - Education › Chapter 5 - Secretary of Education › § 244. Duties of principals

§ 244. Duties of principals
(a) The principal shall perform all duties specifically assigned by law or by the superintendent of the school district including the administration of policies adopted by the school board. The principal shall be answerable to the superintendent in the performance of his or her duties.
(b) Without the approval of the State Board, secondary school principals shall not be charged with supervisory responsibility outside the secondary school. (Amended 1983, No. 119 (Adj. Sess.), § 1; 1987, No. 228 (Adj. Sess.), § 4; 2013, No. 92 (Adj. Sess.), § 33, eff. Feb. 14, 2014.)
2023 Vermont Statutes › Title 16 - Education › Chapter 5 - Secretary of Education › § 245. Principals; technical center directors; mentoring

§ 245. Principals; technical center directors; mentoring
(a) When a school district hires a principal or a career technical center director who has not been employed previously in that capacity, the superintendent serving the district, in consultation with the Vermont Principals’ Association, shall work to ensure that the new principal or technical center director receives mentoring supports during at least the first two years of employment. Mentoring supports shall be consistent with best practices, research-based approaches, or other successful models, and shall be identified jointly by the Vermont Principals’ Association and the Vermont Superintendents Association.
(b) When a school district hires a principal or career technical center director identified in subsection (a) of this section, the district shall allocate sufficient funds annually in the first two years of employment toward the cost of providing the mentoring supports from one or more of the following sources:
(1) funds allocated by the district for professional development;
(2) grant monies obtained for the purpose of providing mentoring supports;
(3) State funds appropriated for the purpose of providing mentoring supports; or
(4) other sources.
(c) This section shall not be interpreted to prohibit or discourage a superintendent from working to ensure that any administrator other than those identified in subsection (a) of this section receives mentoring supports. (Added 2011, No. 20, § 1, eff. May 11, 2011.)
2023 Vermont Statutes › Title 16 - Education › Chapter 5 - Secretary of Education › § 251. Policy

§ 251. Policy
It is the policy of the State of Vermont to use criminal record checks to deter abuse and exploitation of school children and to do so in a manner that protects, as much as is practicable, the privacy of those subject to such checks. (Added 1997, No. 163 (Adj. Sess.), § 1.)
2023 Vermont Statutes › Title 16 - Education › Chapter 5 - Secretary of Education › § 252. Definitions

§ 252. Definitions
As used in this subchapter:
(1) “Criminal record” means the record of:
(A) convictions in Vermont, including whether any of the convictions is an offense listed in 13 V.S.A. § 5401(10) (sex offender definition for registration purposes); and
(B) convictions in other jurisdictions recorded in other state repositories or by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
(2) “School board” means the board of school directors of a school district or its equivalent in any independent school.
(3) “School district” means, unless the context otherwise clearly requires, a school district or a supervisory union.
(4) “Unsupervised” means not in the presence of a responsible adult in the employ of or under the direction of the independent school or school district.
(5) “User agreement” means an agreement between the Vermont Crime Information Center and a party requesting and receiving criminal record information that requires the party to comply with all federal and State laws, rules, regulations, and policies regulating the release of criminal record information and the protection of individual privacy. (Added 1997, No. 163 (Adj. Sess.), § 1; amended 2005, No. 54, § 17; 2009, No. 1, § 6b; 2009, No. 108 (Adj. Sess.), § 2.)
2023 Vermont Statutes › Title 16 - Education › Chapter 5 - Secretary of Education › § 253. Confidentiality of records

§ 253. Confidentiality of records
(a) Criminal records and criminal record information received under this subchapter are designated confidential unless, under State or federal law or regulation, the record or information may be disclosed to specifically designated persons.
(b) The Secretary, a superintendent, or a headmaster may disclose criminal records and criminal record information received under this subchapter to a qualified entity upon request, provided that the qualified entity has signed a user agreement and received authorization from the subject of the record request. As used in this section, “qualified entity” means an individual, organization, or governmental body doing business in Vermont that has one or more individuals performing services for it within the State and that provides care or services to children, persons who are elders, or persons with disabilities as defined in 34 U.S.C. § 40104.
(c) In accordance with 21 V.S.A. § 306, a board member, superintendent, or headmaster shall not enter into on behalf of a supervisory union, school district, or recognized or approved independent school a confidential employment separation agreement that inhibits the disclosure to prospective employers and responsible licensing entities of factual information about a prospective employee’s background that would lead a reasonable person to conclude that the prospective employee has engaged in conduct jeopardizing the safety of a minor. Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary under 33 V.S.A. chapter 49, a board member, superintendent, or headmaster and employees of a supervisory union, school district, or recognized or approved independent school shall provide factually correct information concerning a former employee’s employment record with the supervisory union, school district, or recognized or approved independent school to a prospective employer of that individual if requested by the prospective employer. Nothing in this subsection shall permit the disclosure of information that is prohibited from disclosure by subsection (b) of this section. Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, a person shall not be subject to civil or criminal liability for disclosing information that is required by this section to be disclosed if the person was acting in good faith. This immunity from liability shall not apply when the information supplied by a person is knowingly false or rendered with a malicious purpose. (Added 1997, No. 163 (Adj. Sess.), § 1; amended 2013, No. 56, § 7c, eff. May 30, 2013; 2018, No. 5 (Sp. Sess.), § 2, eff. June 19, 2018; 2021, No. 20, § 55.)
2023 Vermont Statutes › Title 16 - Education › Chapter 5 - Secretary of Education › § 256. Continued validity of criminal record check; maintenance of records

§ 256. Continued validity of criminal record check; maintenance of records
(a)(1) Anyone required to request a criminal record check under this subchapter about a person who previously has undergone a check, regardless of whether the check was for student teaching, licensure, or employment purposes, shall comply with that requirement by acquiring the results of the previous criminal record check unless:
(A) the person refuses to authorize release of the information;
(B) the record no longer exists;
(C) since the record check, there has been a period of one year or more during which the person has not worked for a Vermont school district or a recognized or an approved independent school; or
(D) as otherwise required by this chapter.
(2) Anyone required to request a criminal record check under this subchapter about a person who has previously undergone a check may request a name and date of birth or fingerprint-supported recheck of the criminal record at any time during the course of the record subject’s employment in the capacity for which the original check was required. Rechecking criminal records may be accomplished through a subscription service.
(b) A superintendent or headmaster who receives criminal record or registry information under this subchapter shall maintain the record or information pursuant to the user agreement for maintenance of records. At the end of the time required by the user agreement for maintenance of the information, the superintendent or headmaster shall destroy the information in accordance with the user agreement unless the person authorizes maintenance of the record. If authorized by the person, the superintendent or headmaster shall:
(1) if the information is a notice of no criminal record, securely maintain the information indefinitely; or
(2) if the information is a criminal record or notice of the existence of a criminal record, send it to the Secretary for secure maintenance in a central records repository.
(c) Upon authorization by the person, the Secretary shall release information maintained in the central records repository to a requesting superintendent or, in the case of a requesting headmaster, to the person. The Secretary shall maintain the notice or record in the repository at least until the person ceases working for a Vermont school district or independent school for a period of one year or more or until the person requests that the record be destroyed.
(d) The State Board may adopt rules regarding maintenance of records. (Added 1997, No. 163 (Adj. Sess.), § 1; amended 2009, No. 1, § 6, eff. Dec. 31, 2010; 2013, No. 56, § 7, eff. May 30, 2013; 2013, No. 92 (Adj. Sess.), § 36, eff. Feb. 14, 2014.)
2023 Vermont Statutes › Title 16 - Education › Chapter 5 - Secretary of Education › § 257. Fees for fingerprinting; fingerprint fee special fund

§ 257. Fees for fingerprinting; fingerprint fee special fund
State, county, and municipal law enforcement agencies may charge a fee of up to $35.00 for providing applicants or other individuals with a set of classifiable fingerprints as required by this subchapter. No fee shall be charged to retake fingerprints determined by the Vermont Crime Information Center not to be classifiable. Fees collected by the State of Vermont under this section shall be credited to the Fingerprint Fee Special Fund established and managed pursuant to 32 V.S.A. chapter 7, subchapter 5, and shall be available to the Department of Public Safety to offset the costs of providing these services. (Added 1997, No. 163 (Adj. Sess.), § 1; amended 2021, No. 147 (Adj. Sess.), § 37, eff. May 31, 2022.)
2023 Vermont Statutes › Title 16 - Education › Chapter 5 - Secretary of Education › § 258. Notice; license applications; job applications; employees

§ 258. Notice; license applications; job applications; employees
(a) Each application for an initial teaching license shall contain a statement that the applicant will be required to undergo a criminal record check, including an FBI fingerprint record check, and that receipt of the license may be dependent upon the results of the check.
(b) Each job application provided by a school district or independent school shall contain a statement that, if the superintendent or headmaster is prepared to recommend the person for a job, the applicant will be required to undergo a criminal record check, including an FBI fingerprint record check, and that employment may be dependent upon the results of the check. (Added 1997, No. 163 (Adj. Sess.), § 1.)
2023 Vermont Statutes › Title 16 - Education › Chapter 5 - Secretary of Education › § 259. Penalties; remedy

§ 259. Penalties; remedy
(a) A person who, without authorization, discloses criminal record check information received under this subchapter shall be fined not more than $2,000.00. Each unauthorized disclosure shall constitute a separate violation.
(b) A person who suffers damages as a result of willful unauthorized disclosure of criminal record check information received under this subchapter may recover those damages together with reasonable attorney’s fees in a civil action.
(c) In addition to any other penalties described in this section, the Secretary may initiate a review of the professional licensure of any person who willfully discloses criminal record check information received under this subchapter. (Added 1997, No. 163 (Adj. Sess.), § 1; amended 2013, No. 92 (Adj. Sess.), § 37, eff. Feb. 14, 2014.)
2023 Vermont Statutes › Title 16 - Education › Chapter 5 - Secretary of Education › § 260. School board policies

§ 260. School board policies
Each school board shall adopt a policy on supervision of volunteers and work study students. Policies shall require that superintendents, headmasters of recognized or approved independent schools, and their contractors check the names and birth dates of any work study students with the Vermont Internet Sex Offender Registry prior to allowing work study students unsupervised contact with schoolchildren. A person who is on the Registry shall not be eligible to be a work study student. (Added 1997, No. 163 (Adj. Sess.), § 1; amended 2009, No. 1, § 7b, eff. March 4, 2009; 2013, No. 92 (Adj. Sess.), § 38, eff. Feb. 14, 2014.)
2023 Vermont Statutes › Title 16 - Education › Chapter 7 - Supervisory Unions › § 261. Organization and adjustment of supervisory unions

§ 261. Organization and adjustment of supervisory unions
(a) The State Board shall review on its own initiative or when requested as per subsection (b) of this section and may regroup the supervisory unions of the State or create new supervisory unions in such manner as to afford increased efficiency or greater convenience and economy and to facilitate prekindergarten through grade 12 curriculum planning and coordination as changed conditions may seem to require.
(b)(1) Any school district that has so voted at its annual school district meeting, if said meeting has been properly warned regarding such a vote, may request that the State Board adjust the existing boundaries of the supervisory union of which it is a member district.
(2) Any group of school districts that have so voted at their respective annual school district meeting, regardless of whether the districts are members of the same supervisory union, may request that the State Board adjust existing supervisory union boundaries and move one or more nonrequesting districts to a different supervisory union if such adjustment would assist the requesting districts to realign their governance structures into a unified union school district pursuant to chapter 11 of this title.
(3) The State Board shall act on a request made pursuant to this subsection within 75 days of receipt of the request and may regroup the school districts in the area so as to ensure reasonable supervision of all of these public schools.
(c) The State Board may designate any school district, including a unified union district, as a supervisory district if it will provide for the education of all resident students in prekindergarten through grade 12 and is large enough to support the planning and administrative functions of a supervisory union.
(d) Upon application by a supervisory union board, the State Board may waive any requirements of chapter 5 or 7 of this title with respect to the supervisory union board structure, board composition, or board meetings, or the staffing pattern of the supervisory union, if it can be demonstrated that such a waiver will result in efficient and effective operations of the supervisory union; will not result in any disproportionate representation; and is otherwise in the public interest. (Amended 1987, No. 228 (Adj. Sess.), § 3; 1991, No. 181 (Adj. Sess.), § 3; 2015, No. 46, § 41, eff. June 2, 2015; 2017, No. 49, § 14, eff. May 23, 2017; 2019, No. 131 (Adj. Sess.), § 57.)
2023 Vermont Statutes › Title 16 - Education › Chapter 7 - Supervisory Unions › § 262. Meetings; election of officers

§ 262. Meetings; election of officers
(a) Within 30 days from the date a supervisory union is established by the State Board, the Secretary shall call a meeting of the school directors of the school districts in the supervisory union. The number of directors shall be determined and directors shall be elected according to section 266 of this title. Within 30 days thereafter, the Secretary shall call a meeting, and the board shall elect a chair and other necessary officers to serve until the first regular annual election of officers.
(b) Regular annual elections of officers shall take place not later than 30 days after the latest annual school district election held by a member district in the supervisory union.
(c) The directors of the supervisory union board shall serve for a one-year term. Vacancies on the supervisory union board shall be filled by appointment by the school board of the school district that was represented by the vacating board member. The person so selected shall serve for the duration of the term vacated.
(d) Each supervisory union board shall establish policies and procedures designed to avoid the appearance of board member conflict of interest. (Amended 1969, No. 298 (Adj. Sess.), § 77; 1989, No. 188 (Adj. Sess.), § 5; 1991, No. 181 (Adj. Sess.), § 6; 2013, No. 92 (Adj. Sess.), § 40, eff. Feb. 14, 2014.)
2023 Vermont Statutes › Title 16 - Education › Chapter 7 - Supervisory Unions › § 263. Quorum

§ 263. Quorum
A majority of the school districts comprising a supervisory union shall be represented at a supervisory union meeting and a majority of all members of the supervisory union board shall be present in order to constitute a quorum for the transaction of business. A legal vote taken at such meeting shall be binding upon each school district in the supervisory union. (Amended 1991, No. 181 (Adj. Sess.), § 7.)
2023 Vermont Statutes › Title 16 - Education › Chapter 7 - Supervisory Unions › § 264. Majority vote of school directors

§ 264. Majority vote of school directors
(a) Elections and the transaction of all other business at such supervisory union meeting shall be determined by majority vote of all school directors present.
(b) A supervisory union may establish an executive committee consisting of the chair and no fewer than two additional directors. The supervisory union shall enumerate in writing the specific powers and duties delegated to the executive committee, which shall have authority to act on behalf of the supervisory union within its delegated powers. (Amended 1983, No. 119 (Adj. Sess.), § 1; 1991 (Adj. Sess.), § 8.)
2023 Vermont Statutes › Title 16 - Education › Chapter 7 - Supervisory Unions › § 266. School board having more than three members

§ 266. School board having more than three members
For the purpose of holding meetings and transacting the business of a supervisory union, the school board of any district assigned to a supervisory union, and having more than three members, shall elect from such board three members who shall represent and act for it in meetings of the supervisory union to which it is assigned. But the school board of any district that employs no teacher shall have only one vote in said supervisory union meeting.
2023 Vermont Statutes › Title 16 - Education › Chapter 7 - Supervisory Unions › § 267. Joint agreements among supervisory unions

§ 267. Joint agreements among supervisory unions
(a) Supervisory unions, or administrative units not within a supervisory union, in order to provide services cooperatively, may at any annual or special meeting of the supervisory unions, by a majority vote of the directors present and eligible to vote, enter into a joint agreement to provide joint programs, services, facilities, and professional and other staff that are necessary to carry out the desired programs and services.
(b) The supervisory union may provide any authorized or required services by contract with any person, partnership, corporation, or school district within or outside the supervisory union or with other supervisory unions. The supervisory union may also provide such services to any independent school in the supervisory union area on such terms as the supervisory union board deems proper. Contracts shall be approved by the board and signed by the chair or the chair’s designee. A contract may be for a term not to exceed four years renewable for successive four-year periods.
(c) The expense of carrying on these shared programs, services, and facilities shall be allocated according to a plan mutually agreed upon by the participating supervisory unions and the Secretary of Education, including agreement on revision and adequate auditing procedures to allocate costs.
(d) Facilities constructed to house such shared programs and services when constructed with funds from the State School Building Aid Bond Account and attached to an existing building become a part of a new construction program. The school district within which the special facilities are located shall own the facilities subject to the mutual agreement on reversion.
(e) A central treasury may be established among the participating unions. Such central treasury will receive and disburse funds of participating supervisory unions. Funds shall be disbursed only on orders signed by at least one authorized member from each of the participating supervisory unions. The participating supervisory unions may jointly own personal property under their contract. (Added 1967, No. 70; amended 1969, No. 298 (Adj. Sess.), § 78; 1991, No. 24, § 11; 2013, No. 92 (Adj. Sess.), § 41, eff. Feb. 14, 2014; 2021, No. 20, § 56.)
2023 Vermont Statutes › Title 16 - Education › Chapter 7 - Supervisory Unions › § 301. Apportionment of expenses

§ 301. Apportionment of expenses
Unless otherwise agreed upon, each school district shall pay a proportionate share of the salary and expenses of the superintendent and the expenses of the supervisory union based on the number of enrolled students in each member school district. “Enrolled students” shall be defined by the State Board by rule, including the treatment of tuition students, special education students, students enrolled in career technical centers, and other particular circumstances. (Amended 1961, No. 123; 1987, No. 228 (Adj. Sess.), § 17, eff. July 1, 1989; 1991, No. 181 (Adj. Sess.), § 11; 1991, No. 204 (Adj. Sess.), § 7; 2013, No. 92 (Adj. Sess.), § 43, eff. Feb. 14, 2014.)
2023 Vermont Statutes › Title 16 - Education › Chapter 7 - Supervisory Unions › § 321. Treasury; uses

§ 321. Treasury; uses
A supervisory union shall have a treasury for the purpose of transacting the financial affairs of the supervisory union and any joint operations among or within supervisory unions authorized under section 267 of this title. (Added 1966, No. 59 (Sp. Sess.), § 1(a); amended 1987, No. 228 (Adj. Sess.), § 9.)
2023 Vermont Statutes › Title 16 - Education › Chapter 7 - Supervisory Unions › § 322. Treasurer; salary; expenses; duties

§ 322. Treasurer; salary; expenses; duties
(a) A supervisory union board shall elect a supervisory union treasurer at least annually, fix the salary and expenses, and determine the amount of a bond for him or her.
(b) Nothing shall preclude a supervisory union treasurer from also being a treasurer or deputy treasurer for any school district within the supervisory union if so voted by the electors for the school treasurer. Before beginning duty, a deputy treasurer shall give a bond with corporate surety conditioned for the faithful performance of duties in the same amount and for the benefit of the same obligee as the bond required of the school treasurer.
(c) It shall be the duty of the supervisory union treasurer to sign all checks and drafts, and invest in a prudent manner all funds in the supervisory union treasury as directed by the supervisory union board. Upon request by the supervisory union board, the supervisory union treasurer shall prepare a balance sheet. The supervisory union treasurer shall reconcile monthly accounts with the supervisory union bookkeeper. (Added 1966, No. 59 (Sp. Sess.), § 1(b); amended 1967, No. 155, § 1, eff. April 15, 1967; 1987, No. 228 (Adj. Sess.), § 10; 2003, No. 107 (Adj. Sess.), § 3.)
2023 Vermont Statutes › Title 16 - Education › Chapter 7 - Supervisory Unions › § 323. Audit by public accountant

§ 323. Audit by public accountant
Annually, the supervisory union board shall employ one or more public accountants to audit the financial statements of the supervisory union and its member districts. The audits shall be conducted in accordance with generally accepted government auditing standards, including the issuance of a report of internal controls over financial reporting to be provided to recipients of the financial statements. Any annual report of the supervisory union to member districts shall include notice that the audits have been performed and the time and place where the full report of the public accountant will be available for inspection and for copying at cost. (Added 1966, No. 59 (Sp. Sess.), § 1(c); amended 1987, No. 15, § 2; 2009, No. 44, § 3, eff. May 21, 2009; 2011, No. 129 (Adj. Sess.), § 19, eff. July 1, 2013.)
2023 Vermont Statutes › Title 16 - Education › Chapter 7 - Supervisory Unions › § 324. Term of office; vacancy

§ 324. Term of office; vacancy
The term of office of a supervisory union treasurer shall be for one year from July 1 through June 30. If the office becomes vacant, the voting members of the supervisory union board shall elect a new supervisory union treasurer to take office on election for the unexpired term. (Added 1966, No. 59 (Sp. Sess.), § 1(d); amended 2013, No. 92 (Adj. Sess.), § 45, eff. Feb. 14, 2014.)
2023 Vermont Statutes › Title 16 - Education › Chapter 7 - Supervisory Unions › § 325. Removal from office

§ 325. Removal from office
A supervisory union treasurer may be removed from office for cause by a majority vote of the members of the supervisory union board present and eligible to vote at a meeting called for that purpose. (Added 1966, No. 59 (Sp. Sess.), § 1(e); amended 2013, No. 92 (Adj. Sess.), § 46, eff. Feb. 14, 2014.)
2023 Vermont Statutes › Title 16 - Education › Chapter 9 - School Districts › § 421. Town school districts

§ 421. Town school districts
(a) A town shall constitute a school district, except that when a town contains an incorporated school district, the town school district shall consist of that part of the town not embraced within the incorporated school district.
(b) It is the policy of the State to support two or more school districts within a supervisory union in establishing a unified union district in accordance with section 722 of this title, if such unified union district would then be large enough to qualify for designation by the State Board as a supervisory district. (Added 1969, No. 298 (Adj. Sess.), § 41; amended 1987, No. 228 (Adj. Sess.), § 13.)
2023 Vermont Statutes › Title 16 - Education › Chapter 9 - School Districts › § 422. Meetings

§ 422. Meetings
(a) The annual town meeting shall be the annual town school district meeting. However, at any annual or special school district meeting, the electorate may authorize the annual school district meeting to be held on another date so long as the meeting is held after February 1 and before June 15.
(b) A warning to change the date for the annual school district meeting shall contain an article in substantially the following form: “Shall the town school district of .................... hold its annual meeting on .................... ?”
(c) Town school district meetings shall be warned by the school board and shall contain appropriate articles notifying the electorate of the election of its officers and the business to be transacted.
(d) A town consisting of one town school district may transact at any regular or special town meeting any and all business lawful to be done at any lawfully warned regular or special town school district meeting. (Added 1969, No. 298 (Adj. Sess.), § 42; amended 1975, No. 48, § 16, eff. April 15, 1975; 1977, No. 128 (Adj. Sess.), § 1.)
2023 Vermont Statutes › Title 16 - Education › Chapter 9 - School Districts › § 423. Directors, number, election; term

§ 423. Directors, number, election; term
(a) Each town school district shall have a school board consisting of three directors, one of whom shall be elected by ballot at each annual meeting of the town school district for a term of three years, beginning the day of election or until a successor is elected and qualified, unless a town school district is a member of a unified union district.
(b) The electorate may vote at an annual or special town school district meeting to elect not more than two additional directors for terms of either one or two years. When the terms are to be for two years, the warning for the meeting shall so specify. If two additional directors are elected, they shall have terms of the same length, but if the terms are to be for two years, when the additional directors are first elected, one shall be elected for one year and the other director for two years. Terms of these additional directors shall end on annual meeting days. If the additional directors are elected at a special meeting, the term of those elected for one year shall expire on the next annual meeting day and those elected for two years shall expire on the second annual meeting day following their election.
(c) The electorate shall continue to elect additional school directors until it votes at a meeting duly warned for the purpose to rescind its previous action under subsection (b) of this section; but the additional directors then in office shall continue in office until the end of the term to which they were elected.
(d) A town school district that holds its annual meeting on a day other than annual town meeting day may vote to elect its officers and its representative directors to union school districts on town meeting day. Their terms of office shall commence on the annual school district meeting day unless the district votes to have the terms of office commence on town meeting day. (Added 1969, No. 298 (Adj. Sess.), § 43; amended 1983, No. 154 (Adj. Sess.), eff. April 13, 1984.)
2023 Vermont Statutes › Title 16 - Education › Chapter 9 - School Districts › § 424. Vacancies

§ 424. Vacancies
(a) Except as otherwise provided for a school district operating under a charter, within 30 days of the creation of the vacancy, the school board shall, by majority vote of those present and voting, appoint a qualified person to fill a vacancy in the town school board or a vacancy in the position of town school district treasurer in towns in which the town school district treasurer is elected separately from the town treasurer until an election at a special or annual meeting is held. A record thereof shall be made in the office of the town clerk.
(b) If there are vacancies in a majority of the members of the town school board at the same time, the vacancies shall be filled by a special school district meeting called for that purpose. The remaining board member or members are authorized to draw orders for payment of continuing obligations and necessary expenses until a majority of the vacancies is filled.
(c) If there are no town school board members in office, the Secretary of State shall call a special election to fill any vacancies and for that interim shall appoint and authorize the town school district clerk or other qualified person to draw orders for payment of continuing obligations and necessary expenses until a majority of the vacancies is filled. (Added 1969, No. 298 (Adj. Sess.), § 44; amended 1975, No. 171 (Adj. Sess.), § 1; 2005, No. 32, § 1; 2007, No. 150 (Adj. Sess.), § 1.)
2023 Vermont Statutes › Title 16 - Education › Chapter 9 - School Districts › § 425. Other town school district officers

§ 425. Other town school district officers
Unless otherwise voted, the town clerk shall by virtue of the office perform the same duties for the town school district in addition to other duties assigned by this title. (Added 1969, No. 298 (Adj. Sess.), § 45; amended 1979, No. 23, § 2; 2011, No. 129 (Adj. Sess.), § 20, eff. July 1, 2013.)
2023 Vermont Statutes › Title 16 - Education › Chapter 9 - School Districts › § 426. Duties of the town school district treasurer

§ 426. Duties of the town school district treasurer
(a) The town treasurer shall be treasurer of the town school district unless, by vote of the town school district, a town school district treasurer is elected. He or she shall keep in a separate bank account all the money appropriated or given for the use of the school district. Within 20 days after the date the school taxes become due and payable or within such other period of time as may be agreed upon in writing by both the selectboard and the board of school directors, he or she shall deposit in the school account payments of the school tax levy received. However, if notification of the amount to be transferred by the Secretary of Education to the school district has not been received within 20 days of the date taxes are due and payable, the transfer shall be effected within 20 days of notification by the Secretary.
(b) Within 120 days after the date on which taxes become delinquent, but in no event later than the end of the school year, the treasurer shall deposit the balance of the sum of the gross school tax levy in the school account.
(c) The treasurer shall pay out of such money orders drawn by or upon the authority of the board of school directors. If he or she does not pay any such order on demand, the holder thereof may recover the amount from the town school district with interest from the time of such demand. Monies so received by the town school district may be invested and reinvested by the treasurer with the approval of the board of school directors.
(d) The town school district treasurer shall keep financial records of cash receipts and disbursements and shall make those records available to the board of school directors or the supervisory union board when requested to do so. (Added 1969, No. 298 (Adj. Sess.), § 46; amended 1979, No. 23, § 1; 1981, No. 239 (Adj. Sess.), § 4; 1987, No. 127 (Adj. Sess.); 1987, No. 228 (Adj. Sess.), § 11; 1989, No. 4; 1991, No. 103, § 3; 2005, No. 54, § 2; 2013, No. 92 (Adj. Sess.), § 47, eff. Feb. 14, 2014.)
2023 Vermont Statutes › Title 16 - Education › Chapter 9 - School Districts › § 427. Grand list

§ 427. Grand list
The grand list of a town or incorporated school district shall consist of one percent of the listed value of the real and personal estate taxable in the town or incorporated school district. (Added 1969, No. 298 (Adj. Sess.), § 47; amended 1971, No. 261 (Adj. Sess.), § 1 eff. March 14, 1972; 1993, No. 148 (Adj. Sess.), § 1, eff. May 16, 1994; 2005, No. 182 (Adj. Sess.), § 1; 2019, No. 131 (Adj. Sess.), § 59.)
2023 Vermont Statutes › Title 16 - Education › Chapter 9 - School Districts › § 428. Budget to be voted

§ 428. Budget to be voted
(a) At each annual town school district meeting, the electorate shall vote such sums of money as it deems necessary for the support of schools. If such sums are not approved or acted upon at the annual meeting, the electorate shall vote such questions at a duly warned special school district meeting. A district may vote money necessary for the support of its schools to the end of the full school year next ensuing.
(b) If the electorate of a school district votes for its budget by Australian ballot, it shall do so using ballot language jointly developed by the Secretary of Education and the Secretary of State and adopted by the State Board, by rule. (Added 1969, No. 298 (Adj. Sess.), § 48; amended 1985, No. 196 (Adj. Sess.), § 21; 1997, No. 60, § 26, eff. July 1, 1998; 1997, No. 71 (Adj. Sess.), §§ 1, 83, eff. March 11, 1998, § 71, eff. Jan. 1, 1999; 1999, No. 1, § 60c, eff. March 31, 1999; 1999, No. 152 (Adj. Sess.), § 166b; 2003, No. 36, § 3; 2003, No. 68, § 1; 2013, No. 92 (Adj. Sess.), § 48, eff. Feb. 14, 2014; 2019, No. 131 (Adj. Sess.), § 60.)
2023 Vermont Statutes › Title 16 - Education › Chapter 9 - School Districts › § 429. Loans

§ 429. Loans
Notwithstanding subsection 4029(b) of this title, a school board may draw orders for loans without interest to the town’s general fund, and the town selectboard may draw orders for loans without interest to the school district fund, the loans to be secured by a note signed by both the selectboard and the school board that stipulates mutually agreeable terms and conditions. A note shall be payable not more than 90 days after its issuance and shall be payable on demand anytime within the 90-day term. The school board shall report all loans to the Agency pursuant to subsection 4029(f) of this title. For purposes of this section, “town” and “selectboard” shall have the same meaning as they have in 1 V.S.A. § 139. (Added 1969, No. 298 (Adj. Sess.), § 49; amended 2011, No. 129 (Adj. Sess.), § 3, eff. May 11, 2012.)
2023 Vermont Statutes › Title 16 - Education › Chapter 9 - School Districts › § 471. Application of other laws

§ 471. Application of other laws
(a) The provisions of this title relating to the administration and maintenance of public schools; to school meetings and voting; to grand lists; to the raising and expending of school monies; to monies apportioned by the State Board; to sharing in other State aid; to the election, appointment, powers, duties, and liabilities of school officers; to elementary and higher instruction; to transportation, board, and attendance of students; to truancy and truant officers; to furnishing of textbooks and appliances; and to all other matters pertaining to schools in a town district, unless otherwise provided, and if not inconsistent with the rights granted by their charters, shall apply to schools maintained, similar school officers, and all matters pertaining to schools in incorporated school districts.
(b) An incorporated school district, if it is so voted at an annual or special meeting duly warned for that purpose, may elect to be governed by any one or more provisions of this title in lieu of any inconsistent provisions of special legislation relating to such district. Provisions of this title adopted by a district shall continue to apply unless the vote is rescinded at an annual or special meeting duly warned for that purpose. (Amended 2013, No. 92 (Adj. Sess.), § 49, eff. Feb. 14, 2014; 2019, No. 131 (Adj. Sess.), § 61.)
2023 Vermont Statutes › Title 16 - Education › Chapter 9 - School Districts › § 472. Meetings; warnings

§ 472. Meetings; warnings
(a) A district may, if it so votes at its annual meeting on the first Tuesday in March, fix a different date for holding its annual meetings, provided the date is not earlier than March 15 nor later than June 30. A notice of the proposed change shall be inserted in the warning of the annual meeting upon the written request of five percent of the voters of the district. Special meetings shall be warned on the application of five percent of the voters of the district.
(b) Meetings shall be warned by the clerk or, in case of his or her inability to act, by the prudential committee, by posting a notice specifying the time, place, and business of the meeting in two public places in the district at least seven days before the date of the meeting, and warnings shall be recorded before being posted.
(c) When a person whose duty it is to warn a school meeting neglects to do so for ten days, after application made as provided in this section, he or she shall forfeit to the district $20.00 for each ten days’ neglect, to be recovered in an action on this statute. (Amended 1975, No. 161 (Adj. Sess.); 2013, No. 92 (Adj. Sess.), § 50, eff. Feb. 14, 2014; 2019, No. 131 (Adj. Sess.), § 62.)
2023 Vermont Statutes › Title 16 - Education › Chapter 9 - School Districts › § 475. Statistical information

§ 475. Statistical information
Annually, on or before August 15, the prudential committee shall return to the Secretary answers to the statistical inquiries that he or she may address to them. (Amended 1975, No. 48, § 4, eff. April 15, 1975; 2013, No. 92 (Adj. Sess.), § 51, eff. Feb. 14, 2014.)
2023 Vermont Statutes › Title 16 - Education › Chapter 9 - School Districts › § 477. Merger of town and incorporated school districts

§ 477. Merger of town and incorporated school districts
(a) An incorporated school district, by a majority vote of the legal voters present and voting at any meeting legally warned, may surrender its charter as a corporation for the maintenance of public schools or such part of its charter as pertains to the maintenance of public schools. Such surrender shall take effect not later than July 1 following the vote so taken, and such school corporation shall cease to exist, and it shall become thereby a part of the town school district. In the event of any such merger notwithstanding the provisions of section 423 of this title, the directors of the incorporated school district holding office at the time of the merger shall become members of the board of school directors of the town school district and shall continue in that office until the expiration of the terms for which they were elected by the incorporated school district.
(b) By a majority vote of the legal voters present and voting at any meeting legally warned, a town district may become a part of an incorporated district, provided the incorporated district, at a meeting legally warned, votes to accept such merger. Such merger shall take effect July 1 following the vote so taken. When such a merger has occurred, the incorporated district shall be considered a town district in all respects pertaining to the maintenance and administration of its public schools.
(c) In case of a union of an incorporated district and a town district under either subsection (a) or (b) of this section, each district shall settle its own business affairs and pay all its indebtedness, except for repairs and new buildings, shall deposit its records with the town clerk, and shall no longer exist except for the settlement of its own pecuniary affairs. In effecting such settlement, a district may remain in existence for not more than five years for the purpose only of voting, assessing, and collecting a special tax annually to pay such indebtedness. (Amended 1964, No. 7 (Sp. Sess.), eff. March 4, 1964.)
2023 Vermont Statutes › Title 16 - Education › Chapter 9 - School Districts › § 478. Prudential committee; vacancies

§ 478. Prudential committee; vacancies
Unless the incorporated district has a provision in its charter to the contrary, when a vacancy occurs on a prudential committee, the remaining members shall appoint a person to fill the vacancy until the next annual or special meeting. The members shall choose the new member by majority vote of those present and voting. (Added 2003, No. 112 (Adj. Sess.), § 1.)
2023 Vermont Statutes › Title 16 - Education › Chapter 9 - School Districts › § 491. Election; notice to clerk

§ 491. Election; notice to clerk
At each annual meeting, an incorporated school district shall elect from among the legal voters of such district a moderator, collector, and treasurer and may elect a clerk. All school officers shall enter upon their duties on July 1, following their election or appointment. If a clerk is elected or appointed, then the clerk shall notify the town clerk within ten days of the election or appointment. (Amended 2011, No. 129 (Adj. Sess.), § 21, eff. July 1, 2013.)
2023 Vermont Statutes › Title 16 - Education › Chapter 9 - School Districts › § 492. Powers, duties, and liabilities; bonds

§ 492. Powers, duties, and liabilities; bonds
(a) The powers, duties, and liabilities of the collector, treasurer, prudential committee, and clerk shall be like those of a town collector, treasurer, board of school directors, and the school board clerk, respectively.
(b) Before entering upon their duties, the collector and treasurer shall give a bond to the district conditioned for the faithful performance of their duties, in such sum as may be required. In lieu of taking a personal bond from a collector or treasurer, or both, a school district may choose to provide suitable crime insurance covering the collector or treasurer, or both. If a school district has not provided suitable crime insurance in lieu of a bond and a collector or treasurer for ten days neglects to give a bond as required, that office shall be vacant. (Amended 2011, No. 129 (Adj. Sess.), § 22, eff. July 1, 2013; 2013, No. 92 (Adj. Sess.), § 52, eff. Feb. 14, 2014; 2021, No. 166 (Adj. Sess.), § 11, eff. June 1, 2022.)
2023 Vermont Statutes › Title 16 - Education › Chapter 9 - School Districts › § 493. Moderator

§ 493. Moderator
The moderator shall preside at such district meetings; and, in his or her absence, a moderator pro tempore shall be chosen to preside. (Amended 2013, No. 92 (Adj. Sess.), § 53, eff. Feb. 14, 2014.)