2010 Tennessee Code
Title 49 - Education
Chapter 2 - Local Administration
Part 2 - Boards of Education
49-2-202 - Members and meetings.

49-2-202. Members and meetings.

(a)  (1)  Members of the board shall be residents and voters of the county in which they are elected and shall be citizens of recognized integrity, intelligence and ability to administer the duties of the office.

     (2)  No member of the county legislative body nor any other county official shall be eligible for election as a member of the county board of education.

     (3)  No person shall be eligible to serve on the board unless the person is a bona fide resident of the county and has a practical education; provided, that beginning on October 1, 1990, except in counties having a population of:

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according to the 1980 federal census or any subsequent federal census, no person shall qualify as a candidate for a position on a county board of education until the person has filed with the county election commission proof that the candidate graduated from high school or received a GED, evidenced by a diploma or other documentation satisfactory to the commission. Any person serving on a school board as of October 1, 1990, shall be allowed to continue to serve and to seek reelection or reappointment to one (1) additional term even though the person may not have graduated from high school or received a GED.

     (4)  If any member ceases to reside in the county, the office of the member shall become vacant.

     (5)  All board members shall be properly trained during their service on the board of education. The minimum requirements for this training shall be established by the state board of education and shall include an annual session for all board members. The commissioner of education may remove from office any local board member who fails to attend the annual training as prescribed by the state board of education.

(b)  All members of the local board of education shall take oath to discharge faithfully the duties of the office.

(c)  It is the duty of the board of education to:

     (1)  Hold regular meetings at least quarterly for the purpose of transacting public school business; provided, that the chair may call special meetings whenever in the chair's judgment the interest of the public schools requires it, or when requested to do so by a majority of the board. The chair or the chair's designee shall give reasonable notice of the time and location of all meetings to the president of the local education association or the president's designee; and

     (2)  Elect one (1) of its members as chair annually.

(d)  The compensation of members of the county board shall be fixed by the county legislative body for their services when attending regular and special meetings and discharging the duties imposed by this title; provided, that the county trustee shall pay no voucher issued to members unless the voucher has been approved by the county mayor; and provided, further, that no member of any board shall receive less than four dollars ($4.00) per day for the member's services.

(e)  (1)  When a vacancy occurs, the unexpired term shall be filled at the next regular meeting of the county legislative body or at a special meeting of the county legislative body.

     (2)  Vacancies shall be declared to exist, on account of death, resignation or removal from the county.

(f)  Notwithstanding any law to the contrary, the board of education for each LEA that operates one (1) or more high schools may annually select, prior to commencement of the new school year, no less than four (4) high school students to serve as advisory, nonvoting members of the board. One half (½) of the students so selected shall be enrolled in the college preparatory track and one half (½) of the students so selected shall be enrolled in the technology track. The students shall serve without compensation but may, at the discretion of the board, be reimbursed for reasonable and necessary expenses incurred while engaged in board business.

(g)  A majority of all of the members constituting the board, and not merely a majority of the quorum, shall be required to transact all business coming before the board in regular or special meetings.

[Acts 1925, ch. 115, § 6; Shan. Supp., §§ 1487a27-1487a29, 1487a39; Code 1932, §§ 2318-2320, 2328; Acts 1961, ch. 60, § 1; 1965, ch. 96, § 1; 1974, ch. 654, §§ 11, 12; 1982, ch. 792, § 1; T.C.A. (orig. ed.), §§ 49-209 49-211, 49-213; Acts 1988, ch. 638, § 1; 1989, ch. 362, §§ 1, 2; 1990, ch. 948, § 25; 1992, ch. 535, § 33; 1992, ch. 767, § 1; 1996, ch. 638, § 1; 1998, ch. 717, § 1; 2003, ch. 90, § 2.]