H 3718 General Bill, By Miller
 A BILL TO PROVIDE FOR THE MEMBERS OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE GEORGETOWN
 COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT TO BE ELECTED BEGINNING WITH THE 2004 GENERAL ELECTION,
 FROM THE SEVEN SINGLE MEMBER DISTRICTS FROM WHICH MEMBERS OF THE GEORGETOWN
 COUNTY COUNCIL ARE ELECTED, TO PROVIDE FOR FOUR-YEAR STAGGERED TERMS FOR THE
 MEMBERS, TO PROVIDE FOR THE BOARD MEMBERS TO ELECT ONE MEMBER TO SERVE AS
 CHAIRMAN FOR A TERM OF TWO YEARS, TO TERMINATE THE TERMS OF CURRENT TRUSTEES
 WHEN THEIR SUCCESSORS ELECTED PURSUANT TO THIS ACT TAKE OFFICE, AND TO REPEAL
 ACT 592 OF 1994, RELATING TO THE METHOD OF ELECTION OF THE TRUSTEES OF THE
 GEORGETOWN COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT.

   03/04/03  House  Introduced, read first time, placed on calendar
                     without reference HJ-73
   03/05/03  House  Read second time HJ-18
   03/06/03  House  Amended HJ-12
   03/06/03  House  Read third time and sent to Senate HJ-13
   03/06/03  Senate Introduced and read first time SJ-4
   03/06/03  Senate Referred to delegation from Georgetown SJ-4
   03/11/03  Senate Recalled from delegation Georgetown SJ-3
   03/18/03  Senate Tabled SJ-18

RECALLED

March 11, 2003

H. 3718

L. Printed 3/11/03--S.    [SEC 3/12/03 5:41 PM]

Read the first time March 06, 2003.

TO PROVIDE FOR THE MEMBERS OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE GEORGETOWN COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT TO BE ELECTED BEGINNING WITH THE 2004 GENERAL ELECTION, FROM THE SEVEN SINGLE MEMBER DISTRICTS FROM WHICH MEMBERS OF THE GEORGETOWN COUNTY COUNCIL ARE ELECTED, TO PROVIDE FOR FOUR-YEAR STAGGERED TERMS FOR THE MEMBERS, TO PROVIDE FOR THE BOARD MEMBERS TO ELECT ONE MEMBER TO SERVE AS CHAIRMAN FOR A TERM OF TWO YEARS, TO TERMINATE THE TERMS OF CURRENT TRUSTEES WHEN THEIR SUCCESSORS ELECTED PURSUANT TO THIS ACT TAKE OFFICE, AND TO REPEAL ACT 592 OF 1994, RELATING TO THE METHOD OF ELECTION OF THE TRUSTEES OF THE GEORGETOWN COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT.

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:

SECTION    1.    (A)    Notwithstanding any other provision of law, beginning with the 2004 general election, the members of the Board of Trustees of the Georgetown County School District which shall consist of seven members, must be elected from single member districts. One member must be elected from and be a resident of each of the election districts from which members of the Georgetown County Council are elected. Members shall serve for terms of four years and until their successors are elected and qualify.

(B)    The members of the board shall elect one of their number to serve as chairman for a term of two years and until a successor is elected. A vacancy in the office of chairman must be filled in the manner of original election for the remainder of the term.

SECTION    2.    The terms of the members of the Board of Trustees of the Georgetown County School District serving on this act's effective date are terminated when the members elected in the general election of 2004 take office. Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 1 of this act, those members elected in the 2004 general election to represent Districts 1, 3, and 5 shall serve initial terms of two years. Thereafter, all members must be elected for four-year terms.

SECTION    3.    Act 592 of 1994 is repealed.

SECTION    4.    The General Assembly by the provisions of this act has determined to revise the representational structure of the Georgetown County School District and provides the following guide as governance principles for the reconstituted board:

(1)    The school board is a unit, which speaks with one voice or none.

(2)    The school board serves the district's ownership, the people of Georgetown County.

(3)    The school board defines and delegates; it does not react or ratify.

(4)    The school board makes policy decisions.

(5)    The school board's policy determinations go from broad to narrow.

(6)    The school board's primary role is determining the district's goals.

(7)    The school board sets operating parameters for the district superintendent but it does not prescribe means.

(8)    The school board sets its own processes and policies to ensure effective board performance.

(9)    The school board empowers the district superintendent and requires accountability.

(10)    The school board measures the superintendent's performance against appropriate evaluation criteria, with student achievement as the first and most important criteria.

SECTION    5.    This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.