Virginia Law

Article 6. School Boards in Other School Divisions.

The provisions of this article shall be applicable to each school division which is composed of less than one county or city or part or all of more than one county or city. The supervision of schools in each such school division shall be vested in a single school board.

Code 1950, § 22-100.1; 1954, c. 391; 1971, Ex. Sess., c. 161; 1980, c. 559.

A. The school board of each school division to which the provisions of this article are applicable shall be composed of no fewer than six nor more than nine members, the exact number to be determined by the governing body of the county or city if the school division is composed of less than one county or city or by agreement of the governing bodies of the counties and cities in the school division if composed of part or all of more than one county or city. Unless the governing bodies of the counties and cities in a school division composed of part or all of more than one county or city agree upon some other equitable and reasonable criteria, the number of members of the school board from each county and city or part thereof in the division shall be apportioned according to the population in the school division of each such county or city or part thereof, provided that each county or city shall have at least one member.

B. Within sixty days prior to the effective date for the formation of the division school board, the governing body of each county and city or part thereof in the school division shall appoint the required number of members of the division school board from such county or city as follows: if there be one member, he shall be appointed for a term of four years; if there be two members, one shall be appointed for a term of two years and one for a term of four years; if there be three members, one shall be appointed for a term of two years, one for a term of three years, and one for a term of four years; if there be four members, one shall be appointed for a term of one year, one for a term of two years, one for a term of three years, and one for a term of four years; if there be five members, one shall be appointed for a term of one year, one for a term of two years, one for a term of three years and two for terms of four years; if there be six members, one shall be appointed for a term of one year, one for a term of two years, two for terms of three years and two for terms of four years. Within sixty days prior to the first day of July in each and every year thereafter, there shall be appointed by such governing body for a term of four years beginning the first day of July next following their appointment, successors to the members of the division school board appointed by it whose terms expire on the thirtieth day of June in each such year. Any vacancy occurring in the membership of the division school board shall be filled for the unexpired term by the governing body appointing such member.

C. If each county or city in a division composed of part or all of more than one county or city has an equal number of members, the governing bodies concerned shall jointly select for a term of four years one person who shall be a member of the division school board only for the purpose of voting in case of an equal division of the regular members of the board on any question requiring the action of such board. Such person shall be known as the tie breaker. If the governing bodies are not able to agree as to the person who shall be the tie breaker, then upon application by any of the governing bodies involved to a circuit court having jurisdiction in such school division, the judge thereof shall name the tie breaker and his decision shall be final.

Code 1950, § 22-100.3; 1954, c. 391; 1956, c. 671; 1971, Ex. Sess., c. 161; 1980, c. 559.

Members of a school board in a school division to which the provisions of this article are applicable need not be appointed by districts, if deemed advisable by the governing body making the appointments.

Code 1950, § 22-100.4; 1954, c. 391; 1980, c. 559.

A school board of a school division to which the provisions of this article are applicable may pay each of its members an annual salary not to exceed the amount authorized by § 22.1-32, if any, for the county or city from which such member was appointed.

Code 1950, § 22-100.6; 1954, c. 391; 1971, Ex. Sess., c. 161; 1980, c. 559.

The title to all school property in the school division shall be vested in the division school board. The school board of every county or part thereof included in such school division and the city council or the school board, whichever holds title to the school property included in such school division, shall transfer title to the school property included in such school division to the division school board.

If, at the time a school division to which the provisions of this article are applicable is formed, the ownership of school property, real or personal, has not been determined or the title thereto is in question or there is a dispute as to the ownership or title, then such question of ownership or title may be determined before the formation of the school division either by a written agreement between the participating divisions with the approval of the respective governing bodies thereof or by any participating division petitioning a circuit court in the jurisdiction where the property or any part thereof lies to determine the title to the property, and such adjudication of ownership or title shall be conclusive thereafter.

Code 1950, § 22-100.7; 1954, c. 391; 1956, c. 671; 1971, Ex. Sess., c. 161; 1980, c. 559.

The effective date for the formation of any school division to which the provisions of this article are applicable and the school board thereof and the supervision and operation of the schools in the school division by such school board shall be as of the first day of July of a school year, and the school board or boards as then constituted in the school division shall cease to exist in such school division as of such effective date.

Code 1950, § 22-100.11; 1954, c. 391; 1956, c. 671; 1971, Ex. Sess., c. 161; 1980, c. 559.