2016 Arkansas Code
Title 6 - Education
Subtitle 2 - Elementary and Secondary Education Generally
Chapter 13 - School Districts
Subchapter 6 - -- School District Boards of Directors Generally
§ 6-13-634. School district board of directors -- Size

(a) A school district shall have a board of directors with five (5) members or seven (7) members, or nine (9) members in the case of a school district having an average daily attendance of twenty-four thousand (24,000) or more.

(b) (1) Subsection (a) of this section does not apply to those school districts that have a board of directors of seven (7) members, or in the case of a school district having an average daily attendance of twenty-four thousand (24,000) or more, nine (9) members, if that school district is operating under a court order or a consolidation agreement that provides for a board of directors.

(2) Except as otherwise provided by law, a school district that elects its directors from single-member zones is subject to the requirements of this section.

(c) (1) A school district board of directors shall not have an even number of directors.

(2) No less than ninety (90) days before the next annual school election, a school district seeking to increase or decrease the number of its directors shall file a petition with the State Board of Education to establish the requisite odd number of directors.

(3) The school district shall publish notice of the filing of the petition within ten (10) days thereafter for one (1) insertion in a newspaper having a general circulation in the school district.

(4) Upon a showing that the increase or decrease will be for the benefit of the school district petitioning for it, the State Board of Education may enter an order to increase or decrease the number of directors for the school district to a number of directors provided under subsection (a) of this section.

(5) The order directing an increase or decrease shall be entered not more than sixty (60) days after the publication of the notice under subdivision (c)(3) of this section.

(6) If the number of members of a board of directors is decreased under this section, the board of directors in office on August 12 before the next regular school election shall draw lots to determine which board positions will be eliminated.

(d) Any change in the number of directors serving on a school district board of directors under this section is effective upon the directors' taking office following the next regular annual school election.