§ 6-13-606 - School districts with more than five directors -- Decrease in number. - Arkansas Statutes

6-13-606. School districts with more than five directors -- Decrease in number.

(a) The board of directors of any school district in this state that now has authorized or which is authorized to have seven (7) or nine (9) directors may file a petition with the State Board of Education requesting a decrease in the number of directors for that school district to five (5) or seven (7).

(b) Notice of the filing of the petition shall be published within ten (10) days thereafter by one (1) insertion in some newspaper having a general circulation in the school district.

(c) Upon a showing that such decrease will not be detrimental to the school district petitioning for it, the state board is authorized to decrease the number of directors for the school district to five (5) or seven (7).

(d) The order directing such decrease shall be entered not more than sixty (60) days after the publication of notice.

(e) Pursuant to the order and as soon as possible thereafter, the members of the board of directors shall draw by lot for the number of positions determined.

(f) The remaining directors shall continue to serve their unexpired terms.

(g) All boards of directors shall be made up of five (5), seven (7), or nine (9) members as allowed by law.

(h) (1) No board of directors shall have an even number of directors whether or not the number of directors of a school district's board of directors was established by an agreement between or among the former school districts that comprise the school district incident to a consolidation or an annexation of the former school districts.

(2) No less than ninety (90) days prior to the next annual school election, any school district with an even number of directors shall file a petition with the state board to establish the requisite odd number of directors.

(3) If the number of board members needs to be reduced to create a required odd number of directors and the members cannot agree on the method of reduction, the board of directors in office on August 12, 2005 shall draw lots to determine which board positions will be eliminated.

(i) Any change in the number of directors serving on the local school board of directors required under this section shall be effective upon the directors taking office following the 2005 annual school election.

(j) (1) Except as otherwise provided by law, any school district that elects its board members from single-member zones shall be subject to the requirements of this section.

(2) For those school districts that are subject to this subsection, "next annual school election" as used in subdivision (h)(2) of this section means the 2005 annual school election.