PRINTER'S NO. 35
No. 35 Session of 1977
INTRODUCED BY FISCHER, JANUARY 19, 1977
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION, JANUARY 19, 1977
AN ACT
1 Amending the act of July 8, 1968 (P.L.299, No.150), entitled "A
2 supplement to the act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14),
3 entitled 'An act relating to the public school system,
4 including certain provisions applicable as well to private
5 and parochial schools; amending, revising, consolidating and
6 changing the laws relating thereto,' providing for the
7 establishment of administrative units comprised of certain
8 school districts," providing for four-year terms for
9 directors beginning in 1979.
10 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
11 hereby enacts as follows:
12 Section 1. Subsections (a) and (b) of section 7 and
13 subsection (b) of section 8, act of July 8, 1968 (P.L.299,
14 No.150), entitled "A supplement to the act of March 10, 1949
15 (P.L.30, No.14), entitled 'An act relating to the public school
16 system, including certain provisions applicable as well to
17 private and parochial schools; amending, revising, consolidating
18 and changing the laws relating thereto,' providing for the
19 establishment of administrative units comprised of certain
20 school districts," are amended to read:
21 Section 7. Number and Election in Districts; Terms of
22 Office.--(a) On and after July 1, 1969, in each school district
1 established hereunder, there shall be a board of nine (9) school
2 directors, who, except as otherwise provided in this act, shall
3 be elected at large for terms of six (6) years. The terms of
4 three (3) of the members shall expire on the first Monday of
5 December of each odd numbered year, as now provided by law. [At
6 each municipal election, three (3) school directors, except as
7 otherwise provided in this act, shall be elected at large for
8 terms of six (6) years.] At the municipal election in 1979 and
9 at each municipal election thereafter, all such school directors
10 shall be elected for terms of four (4) years. At the municipal
11 election in 1979, two (2) directors shall be elected for terms
12 of four (4) years, and one (1) for a term of two (2) years. At
13 the municipal election in 1981 and every four (4) years
14 thereafter, four (4) directors shall be elected for terms of
15 four (4) years. At the municipal election in 1983 and every four
16 (4) years thereafter, five (5) directors shall be elected for
17 terms of four (4) years. Such school directors shall be elected
18 at large except as otherwise provided in this act. Their terms
19 of office shall begin on the first Monday of December following
20 their election.
21 (b) The interim operating committee or after the date of
22 establishment the board of school directors of a newly
23 established school district, may, if it so chooses, develop a
24 plan to divide the school district into either three (3) or nine
25 (9) regions. The boundaries of the regions shall be fixed and
26 established in such manner that the population of each region
27 shall be as nearly equal as possible and shall be compatible
28 with the boundaries of election districts. Such plan for the
29 division of the school district shall be submitted for approval
30 to the court of [quarter sessions.] common pleas. If approved by
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1 such court, the clerk thereof shall certify the regional
2 boundaries contained therein to the county board of elections.
3 In the event of any division, redivision, alteration, change or
4 consolidation of election districts which renders regional
5 boundaries incompatible with the boundaries of election
6 districts, a new plan shall be developed and submitted for court
7 approval in like manner. Any proposed change in an approved
8 plan, including abolition of regional representation, shall be
9 submitted for approval to the court of [quarter sessions] common
10 pleas by the board of school directors. Where a three (3) region
11 plan is approved, three (3) school directors who reside in each
12 region shall be elected or appointed as hereinafter provided by
13 and from each region and at all times each region shall be
14 represented by three (3) directors elected or appointed as
15 hereinafter provided from that region. Where a nine (9) region
16 plan is approved, one (1) school director who resides in each
17 region shall be elected or appointed as hereinafter provided by
18 and from each region and at all times each region shall be
19 represented by a director elected or appointed as hereinafter
20 provided from that region. At the municipal election in 1979, a
21 school director in one (1) of the regions in which the term of
22 an incumbent school director is due to expire shall be elected
23 to a term of two (2) years and school directors shall be elected
24 to terms of four (4) years in the respective regions represented
25 by each of the other incumbent school directors whose terms are
26 due to expire. In every nine (9) region district, and in every
27 three (3) region district except those in which all the
28 directors whose terms expire in 1979 represent a single region,
29 the board of school directors shall, prior to the first day in
30 which petitions for the 1979 primary election may be circulated,
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1 determine by drawing lots which region shall elect a school
2 director for a term of two (2) years.
3 * * *
4 Section 8. Incumbent School Directors and Interim Operating
5 Committee.--* * *
6 (b) On or before the fifteenth day of February immediately
7 preceding the date of establishment, such incumbent school
8 directors of the component school districts shall be called into
9 convention by the county superintendent of schools and shall
10 select by majority vote an interim operating committee composed
11 of nine (9) incumbent school directors. In selecting the interim
12 operating committee, the incumbent school directors shall take
13 into consideration the principle of proportionate representation
14 according to population. The decision of the convention in
15 selecting the interim operating committee shall be final. Three
16 (3) of the members of the interim operating committee shall be
17 selected for a term expiring on the first Monday of December,
18 1969, three (3) for a term expiring on the first Monday of
19 December, 1971, and three (3) for a term expiring on the first
20 Monday of December, 1973. In the event an incumbent director is
21 selected for a term on the interim operating committee which
22 would expire later than the term for which he was elected as a
23 school director, he shall serve only until the end of his term
24 for which he was elected as a school director. The school
25 directors elected at the municipal elections held in November,
26 1969, and thereafter, shall be elected for six (6) year terms
27 and shall take the place of the appointed members of the board
28 of school directors of the newly established school district as
29 their terms expire. At the municipal election in 1979 and at
30 each municipal election thereafter, all such school directors
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1 shall be elected for terms of four (4) years. At such municipal
2 election in 1979, two (2) directors shall be elected for terms
3 of four (4) years and one (1) for a term of two (2) years. At
4 the municipal election in 1981 and every four (4) years
5 thereafter, four (4) school directors shall be elected for terms
6 of four (4) years. At the municipal election in 1983 and every
7 four (4) years thereafter, five (5) directors shall be elected
8 for terms of four (4) years. Such school directors shall be
9 elected at large except as otherwise provided in this act. The
10 members of the interim operating committee shall become and
11 shall serve as the board of school directors of the school
12 district on and after the date of establishment.
13 * * *
14 Section 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
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