PRINTER'S NO. 1918
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE BILL
No.
1381
Session of
2015
INTRODUCED BY R. BROWN, CALTAGIRONE, EMRICK, GIBBONS, GROVE,
J. HARRIS, MENTZER, MILLARD, ZIMMERMAN, D. COSTA AND RADER,
JUNE 24, 2015
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION, JUNE 24, 2015
AN ACT
Amending the act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), entitled "An
act relating to the public school system, including certain
provisions applicable as well to private and parochial
schools; amending, revising, consolidating and changing the
laws relating thereto," in school directors, providing for
county-wide board of school directors pilot program.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. The act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), known
as the Public School Code of 1949, is amended by adding a
section to read:
Section 328. County-Wide Board of School Directors Pilot
Program.--(a) The General Assembly finds and declares as
follows:
(1) The Commonwealth's system of public education is
presently comprised of five hundred (500) independently
operating school districts.
(2) School districts are governed by locally elected school
boards, which are responsible for establishing educational
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programs and local policies, maintaining school buildings and
developing and approving school district budgets, including the
imposition of a local property tax.
(3) It is important that school board members be informed in
making decisions for their school districts and be encouraged to
pursue creative solutions that both enhance educational
opportunities for their students and use taxpayer resources
efficiently and effectively.
(4) Collaboration among school board members representing
neighboring school districts should increase in order to
leverage ideas and resources.
(5) It is the intent of this section to foster increased
collaborative decision-making among school boards by creating a
pilot program that will consolidate school boards to the county-
wide level.
(b) Within thirty (30) days of the effective date of this
section, the Secretary of Education shall designate a county of
the fourth class in which shall be established a county-wide
board of school directors that shall have the power and duty to
govern each school district which is located in whole or in part
within the county. In designating a county of the fourth class
under this subsection, the secretary shall consider the local
tax effort of the school districts within the county to be
designated, including whether the equalized millage rate of each
school district is greater than the Statewide average equalized
millage rate.
(c) Within one (1) year of the effective date of this
section, notwithstanding any other provision of law or
regulation to the contrary, all powers and duties of the board
of school directors of each school district that is located in
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whole or in part within the county designated under subsection
(b) shall be vested in a county-wide board of school directors
to be established pursuant to subsection (d).
(d) (1) Subject to paragraphs (2) and (3), the county-wide
board of school directors established under this section shall
consist of two (2) members representing each school district
which is located in whole or in part within the county
designated under subsection (b). Each qualified voter residing
in a school district to be governed by the county-wide board of
school directors shall be entitled to cast votes for two (2)
individuals who reside in said school district pursuant to
guidelines which the Department of State, in consultation with
the board of elections for the county designated under
subsection (b), shall establish for this purpose within ninety
(90) days of the effective date of this section.
(2) If the election of two (2) school directors representing
each school district which is located in whole or in part within
the county designated under subsection (b) would result in the
election of an even number of school directors, each qualified
voter residing in a school district to be governed by the
county-wide board of school directors also shall be entitled to
cast a vote for an additional at large school director, who
shall reside within a school district to be governed by the
county-wide board of school directors, pursuant to guidelines
which the Department of State, in consultation with the board of
elections for the county designated under subsection (b), shall
establish for this purpose within ninety (90) days of the
effective date of this section.
(3) Where any of the school districts to be governed by the
county-wide board of school directors is located in part within
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a county other than the county designated under subsection (b),
the boards of elections for all counties in which such school
districts are located in whole or in part shall cooperate with
the Department of State in the establishment of the guidelines
required under this subsection.
(e) The members of the county-wide board of school directors
established under this section shall have the power and duty to
cast votes with respect to the affairs of all school districts
that are governed by the county-wide board of school directors,
notwithstanding each member's school district of residence.
(f) The office of county-wide school director shall be
considered a full-time, paid position. Members of the county-
wide board of school directors shall receive compensation in the
form and amount that shall be determined by the Secretary of
Education and shall be paid jointly by the school districts
governed by the county-wide board of school directors. Each
school district shall pay for the compensation of the two (2)
school directors representing said school district as well as an
equal share of the compensation of any at large school director
elected under subsection (d)(2) and shall provide administrative
support, office space and any other assistance necessary to
carry out the duties of this section. Office space for any at
large school director elected under subsection (d)(2) shall be
provided by the school district in which the at large school
director resides.
(g) Individuals serving as county-wide school directors
under this section shall not have the right to elect membership
in the Public School Employees' Retirement System established
under 24 Pa.C.S. Pt. IV (relating to retirement for school
employees) or the Pennsylvania State Employees' Retirement
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System established under 71 Pa.C.S. Pt. XXV (relating to
retirement for State employees and officers), nor shall service
as a county-wide school director under this section be eligible
for credit in the Public School Employees' Retirement System or
the Pennsylvania State Employees' Retirement System.
(h) This section shall expire ten (10) years after the
effective date of this section. Elections to the board of school
directors of each individual school district governed by the
county-wide board of school directors established under this
section shall occur during the calendar year immediately prior
to expiration of this section pursuant to procedures set forth
in this act and in the act of June 3, 1937 (P.L.1333, No.320),
known as the "Pennsylvania Election Code."
Section 2. This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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