The State Board of Education and State Superintendent of Education must establish within the State Department of Education a special unit at the division level called the Public Accountability Division. This special unit must be eliminated on July 1, 1991. The unit head shall hold a position comparable to a deputy superintendent and must be under the direct supervision of and shall report to the State Superintendent of Education.

The deputy superintendent must provide all reports to the Governor, Education Oversight Committee, Business-Education Partnership for Excellence in Education, Business-Education Subcommittee, and State Board of Education, and respond to any inquiries for information.

The Business-Education Subcommittee shall serve as a screening committee for the selection of the unit head. The screening committee shall recommend for consideration three applicants. Final selection of the unit head must be made by the State Superintendent of Education after consulting with the Governor. All other positions must be filled following current state personnel and State Department of Education employment procedures.

The new unit is responsible for planning, monitoring, and reviewing programs developed under the Education Improvement Act and shall provide information, recommendations, and an annual assessment of the Education Improvement Act to the Governor, Education Oversight Committee, and Business-Education Subcommittee.

The operating procedures for the new unit are the same as the operating procedures for the three established divisions in the State Department of Education. The Business-Education Subcommittee shall review and approve all products produced by the new unit and make recommendations to the State Board of Education for final approval.

HISTORY: 1984 Act No. 512, Part II, Section 9, Division II, Subdivision E, SubPart 3, Section 2, 1987 Act No. 81 Section 1; 1989 Act No. 191, Section 2; 1989 Act No. 194, Section 25; 1998 Act No. 400, Section 15.