§ 161. State Board of Education; appointment of members; term; vacancy

The State Board shall consist of ten members. Two of the members shall be secondary students, one of whom shall be a full member and the other of whom shall be a junior member who may not vote. All members shall be appointed by the Governor with the advice and consent of the Senate. In the appointment of the nonstudent members, priority shall be given to the selection of persons with a demonstrated commitment to ensuring quality education for Vermont students. To the extent possible, the members shall represent geographically diverse areas of the State. The Secretary shall serve on the State Board as a nonvoting member.

(1) Upon the expiration of the respective terms of those members of the Board previously appointed, excluding the student members, the Governor shall, biennially in the month of February with the advice and consent of the Senate, appoint members thereto for terms of six years. The terms shall begin March 1 of the year in which the appointments are made. A member serving a term of six years shall not be eligible for reappointment for successive terms.

(2) In the event of any vacancy occurring in the membership of the Board, the Governor shall fill the vacancy with a qualified person whose appointment shall be for the unexpired portion of the term.

(3) Biennially, the Board shall choose a member of the Board to be its chair.

(4) Annually, using an application process that is open and accessible to all eligible students, the Governor shall appoint a Vermont secondary school student who will continue to be a secondary student for at least two years following taking office, to serve on the State Board for two years, beginning on July 1 of the year of appointment. The student member shall not vote during the first year and shall be a full and voting member during the second year of his or her term. (Added 1969, No. 298 (Adj. Sess.), § 12; amended 1975, No. 48, § 2, eff. date, at end of chair's term; 1997, No. 34, § 1; 1999, No. 74 (Adj. Sess.), § 1, eff. March 27, 2000; 2011, No. 98 (Adj. Sess.), § 2, eff. Jan. 1, 2013.)