§ 551. Application of laws to school districts Unless otherwise specifically provided in statute with respect to a class of school district or in a municipal charter, the laws of this title, the laws pertaining to municipal corporations, and the rules of the State Board shall apply to all school districts. (Added 1969, No. 298 […]
§ 552. Validation of school districts and bonds voted for school construction No action shall be brought directly or indirectly attacking, questioning, or in any manner contesting the legality of the formation, or the existence as a body corporate and politic of any union school district created pursuant to chapter 11 of this title after […]
§ 553. Qualification of voters at school district meetings A person is qualified to vote at a school district meeting if by meeting day he or she would be eligible to vote at a town meeting held on that day. (Added 1969, No. 298 (Adj. Sess.), § 30; amended 2013, No. 92 (Adj. Sess.), § […]
§ 554. School board meetings; majority vote, quorum, Robert’s Rules, public participation (a) A majority of the members of the board shall constitute a quorum. Notwithstanding 1 V.S.A. § 172, the concurrence of a majority of members present at a school board meeting shall be necessary and sufficient for board action. (b) A school board […]
§ 555. No liability for unauthorized or deficit spending (a) It is the intent of the General Assembly that school boards should spend within the amount authorized by the electorate pursuant to this title and should not incur a deficit. However, the General Assembly recognizes that in the course of a school district budget year […]
§ 556. Liability for damage to textbook or learning materials The parent or guardian of a student shall be liable to a school district for damage occasioned by loss, destruction, injury, or detention by the student of a textbook or other learning materials, to be recovered in an action on this statute in the name […]
§ 557. Gratuity or compensation prohibited (a) A member of the State Board, a supervisory union board, or a school board, the Secretary, and any person employed by one of the boards or by the Agency shall not solicit or receive directly or indirectly any gift or compensation for recommending or voting on any finding, […]
§ 558. Eligibility for election to a school board; employment of school board members (a) A legal voter in a school district shall be eligible for election to a school board; however, a member of a school board may not be regularly employed by the school district or by a school district within the same […]
§ 559. Public bids (a) Cost threshold. When the cost exceeds $40,000.00, a school board or supervisory union board shall publicly advertise or invite three or more bids from persons deemed capable of providing items or services if costs are in excess of $40,000.00 for any of the following: (1) the construction, purchase, lease, or […]
§ 560. Condemnation for school purposes A school board, or the board of trustees of a public school, may acquire land for school purposes by condemnation. Condemnation shall be accomplished by the procedures and be governed by the limitations established in 24 V.S.A. chapter 77, except that the school board, school district officers, or board […]
§ 561. Election of school board members; oath; chair; clerk (a) School board members shall be sworn before entering upon the duties of their office. At the meeting next following the election of a school board member, the school board shall elect one of its number to serve as the chair and one other of […]
§ 562. Powers of electorate At a school district meeting, the electorate: (1) Shall conduct meetings in accordance with Robert’s Rules of Order, unless other rules of order are specifically adopted at a meeting. (2) Shall elect a moderator at the annual meeting who shall preside at the district meetings, regulate the business thereof, decide […]
§ 563. Powers of school boards; form of vote The school board of a school district, in addition to other duties and authority specifically assigned by law: (1) Shall determine the educational policies of the school district. Board policies shall be of general application to the district and shall be in writing, codified, and made […]
§ 563a. Prevention, identification, and reporting of child sexual abuse and sexual violence Each school board of a school district and governing body of an approved or recognized independent school shall ensure that adults employed in the schools within its jurisdiction receive orientation, information, or instruction on the prevention, identification, and reporting of child sexual […]
§ 566. Authority to borrow Notwithstanding the provisions of subdivision 562(9) of this title, if a budget for the support of schools for the ensuing year has not been approved on or before June 30 of any year, the school board may borrow funds necessary to enable it to operate the schools on a budget […]
§ 567. Surplus If an audit reveals that a school district has surplus funds, the school board shall carry the funds into the next year as revenue unless authorized by the voters, at an annual or special meeting warned for the purpose, to: (1) deposit the funds into a reserve fund established pursuant to 24 […]
§ 568. School branding (a) Definitions. As used in this section: (1) “School” means a public school or an independent school approved under section 166 of this title. (2) “School board” means the board of directors or other governing body of an educational institution when referring to an independent school. (3) “School branding” means any […]
§ 569. Purple Star Campus designation (a) As used in this section, “military-connected student” means a student who is a dependent of a current or former member of: (1) the U.S. military serving in the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, Space Force, or Coast Guard on active duty; (2) the Vermont National Guard; (3) […]
