Virginia Code 22.1-53: How composed; appointment and terms of members; vacancies; tie breaker.
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.
Terms Used In Virginia Code 22.1-53
- City: means an independent incorporated community which became a city as provided by law before noon on July 1, 1971, or which has within defined boundaries a population of 5,000 or more and which has become a city as provided by law. See Virginia Code 1-208
- Equitable: Pertaining to civil suits in "equity" rather than in "law." In English legal history, the courts of "law" could order the payment of damages and could afford no other remedy. See damages. A separate court of "equity" could order someone to do something or to cease to do something. See, e.g., injunction. In American jurisprudence, the federal courts have both legal and equitable power, but the distinction is still an important one. For example, a trial by jury is normally available in "law" cases but not in "equity" cases. Source: U.S. Courts
- Jurisdiction: (1) The legal authority of a court to hear and decide a case. Concurrent jurisdiction exists when two courts have simultaneous responsibility for the same case. (2) The geographic area over which the court has authority to decide cases.
- Person: includes any individual, corporation, partnership, association, cooperative, limited liability company, trust, joint venture, government, political subdivision, or any other legal or commercial entity and any successor, representative, agent, agency, or instrumentality thereof. See Virginia Code 1-230
- School board: means the school board that governs a school division. See Virginia Code 22.1-1
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.