PRINTER'S NO. 2931
No. 2297 Session of 1978
INTRODUCED BY PRATT AND MILLIRON, APRIL 5, 1978
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION, APRIL 5, 1978
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," changing provisions relating to
6 election of school directors by regions.
7 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
8 hereby enacts as follows:
9 Section 1. Subsection (b) of section 303, act of March 10,
10 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), known as the "Public School Code of 1949,"
11 amended August 8, 1963 (P.L.564, No.299), is amended to read:
12 Section 303. Number and Election in Districts of the Second,
13 Third and Fourth Classes; Terms of Office.--* * *
14 (b) [The interim operating committee or after the date of
15 establishment the board of school directors of a newly
16 established school district, may, if it so chooses, develop a
17 plan to divide the school district into either three or nine
18 regions. The boundaries of the regions shall be fixed and
19 established in such manner that the population of each region
20 shall be as nearly equal as possible and shall be compatible
1 with the boundaries of election districts. Such plan for the
2 division of the school district shall be submitted for approval
3 to the court of quarter sessions. If approved by such court, the
4 clerk thereof shall certify the regional boundaries contained
5 therein to the county board of elections. In the event of any
6 division, redivision, alteration, change or consolidation of
7 election districts which renders regional boundaries
8 incompatible with the boundaries of election districts, a new
9 plan shall be developed and submitted for court approval in like
10 manner. Any proposed change in an approved plan, including
11 abolition of regional representation, shall be submitted for
12 approval to the court of quarter sessions by the board of school
13 directors. Where a three region plan is approved, three school
14 directors who reside in each region shall be elected or
15 appointed as hereinafter provided by and from each region and at
16 all times each region shall be represented by three directors
17 elected or appointed as hereinafter provided from that region.
18 Where a nine region plan is approved, one school director who
19 resides in each region shall be elected or appointed as
20 hereinafter provided by and from each region and at all times
21 each region shall be represented by a director elected or
22 appointed as hereinafter provided from that region.]
23 (1) The interim operating committee or the board of school
24 directors may develop a plan to elect school directors from
25 regions or to elect some school directors at large and some from
26 regions. Such a plan may also be developed by the resident
27 electors of a school district as provided herein and shall have
28 the same effect as one developed by the board of school
29 directors.
30 (2) Electors equal to at least twenty-five (25) per centum
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1 of the highest vote cast for any school director in the last
2 municipal election may develop a plan to elect school directors
3 from regions or to elect some school directors from regions and
4 some from the school district at large. Plans proposed by
5 electors shall be subject to the same requirements as plans
6 proposed by the board of school directors.
7 (3) The boundaries of the regions shall be fixed and
8 established in such manner that the population of each region
9 shall be as nearly equal as possible and shall be compatible
10 with the boundaries of election districts. Such plan for the
11 division of the school district shall be submitted for approval
12 to the court of common pleas. If approved by such court, the
13 clerk thereof shall certify the regional boundaries contained
14 therein to the county board of elections. In the event of any
15 division, redivision, alteration, change or consolidation of
16 election districts which renders regional boundaries
17 incompatible with the boundaries of election districts, a new
18 plan shall be developed and submitted for court approval in like
19 manner. Any proposed change in an approved plan, including
20 abolition of regional representation, shall be submitted for
21 approval to the court of common pleas by the board of school
22 directors, or by a petition of the resident electors within the
23 district. Where a region plan is approved, school directors who
24 reside in each region shall be elected by and from each region.
25 At all times each region shall be represented by directors
26 elected or appointed from that region. Where a combination at
27 large and region plan is approved, all regions shall have an
28 equal number of school directors who reside in each region and
29 who shall be elected or appointed by and from each region. At
30 all times each region shall be represented by a director or
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1 directors elected or appointed from that region. All plans shall
2 provide that three school directors shall be elected at each
3 municipal election. In a combination at large and region plan,
4 the number of regions shall be three. In a region plan not
5 combining at large directors, the number of regions shall be
6 three or nine.
7 * * *
8 Section 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
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