PRINTER'S NO. 74
No. 72 Session of 1975
INTRODUCED BY MESSRS. BURNS, GALLAGHER, WRIGHT, WEIDNER, WILSON,
M. E. MILLER,JR. AND FISCHER, JANUARY 27, 1975
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION, JANUARY 27, 1975
AN ACT
1 Amending the act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), entitled "An
2 act relating to the public school system, including certain
3 provisions applicable as well to private and parochial
4 schools; amending, revising, consolidating and changing the
5 laws relating thereto," reducing the term of school directors
6 in school districts of the second, third and fourth class
7 from six to four years.
8 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
9 hereby enacts as follows:
10 Section 1. Subsections (a) and (b) of section 303, act of
11 March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), known as the "Public School Code
12 of 1949," amended August 8, 1963 (P.L.564, No.299), is amended
13 to read:
14 Section 303. Number and Election in Districts of the Second,
15 Third and Fourth Classes; Terms of Office.--(a) In each school
16 district of the second class, and on and after July 1, 1966, or
17 if there is advance establishment July 1, 1964, or July 1, 1965,
18 as the case may be, in each school district of the second, third
19 and fourth class, there shall be a board of nine (9) school
20 directors, who, except as otherwise provided in this act, shall
1 be elected at large for terms of six (6) years. The terms of
2 three of the members shall expire on the first Monday of
3 December of each odd numbered year, as now provided by law. [At
4 each municipal election, three school directors, except as
5 otherwise provided in this act, shall be elected at large for
6 terms of six (6) years.] At the municipal election in 1977, two
7 (2) school directors shall be elected for terms of four (4)
8 years, and one (1) for a term of two (2) years. At the municipal
9 election in 1979 and every four (4) years thereafter, four (4)
10 directors shall be elected for terms of four (4) years. At the
11 municipal election in 1981 and every four (4) years thereafter,
12 five (5) directors shall be elected for terms of four (4) years.
13 Such school directors shall be elected at large except as
14 otherwise provided in this act. Their terms of office shall
15 begin on the first Monday of December following their election.
16 (b) The interim operating committee or after the date of
17 establishment the board of school directors of a newly
18 established school district, may, if it so chooses, develop a
19 plan to divide the school district into either three or nine
20 regions. The boundaries of the regions shall be fixed and
21 established in such manner that the population of each region
22 shall be as nearly equal as possible and shall be compatible
23 with the boundaries of election districts. Such plan for the
24 division of the school district shall be submitted for approval
25 to the court of [quarter sessions.] common pleas. If approved by
26 such court, the clerk thereof shall certify the regional
27 boundaries contained therein to the county board of elections.
28 In the event of any division, redivision, alteration, change or
29 consolidation of election districts which renders regional
30 boundaries incompatible with the boundaries of election
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1 districts, a new plan shall be developed and submitted for court
2 approval in like manner. Any proposed change in an approved
3 plan, including abolition of regional representation, shall be
4 submitted for approval to the court of [quarter sessions] common
5 pleas by the board of school directors. Where a three region
6 plan is approved, three school directors who reside in each
7 region shall be elected or appointed as hereinafter provided by
8 and from each region and at all times each region shall be
9 represented by three directors elected or appointed as
10 hereinafter provided from that region. Where a nine region plan
11 is approved, one school director who resides in each region
12 shall be elected or appointed as hereinafter provided by and
13 from each region and at all times each region shall be
14 represented by a director elected or appointed as hereinafter
15 provided from that region. In the municipal election in 1977, a
16 school director in one of the regions in which the term of an
17 incumbent school director is due to expire shall be elected to a
18 term of two years and school directors shall be elected to terms
19 of four years in the respective regions represented by each of
20 the other incumbent school directors whose terms are due to
21 expire. In every nine region district, and in every three region
22 district except those in which all the directors whose terms
23 expire in 1977 represent a single region, the board of school
24 directors shall, prior to the first day in which petitions for
25 the 1977 primary election may be circulated, determine by
26 drawing lots which region shall elect a school director for a
27 term of two years.
28 * * *
29 Section 2. Sections 303.1, 304 and 305 of the act are
30 repealed.
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1 Section 3. This act shall take effect immediately.
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