SCHOOL LAW. AN ACT to establish a thorough and efficient system of free public schools, and to provide for the maintenance, support and management thereof. Approved October nineteenth, one thousand nine hundred and three. BE IT ENACTED by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey: ARTICLE I. STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION. of Education. Chap. 231. State Board P. L. 1911, 1. (2.) The general supervision and control of public instruction shall be vested in a State Board of Education, which shall consist of eight members, not more than four of whom shall be members of the same political party, and not more than one of whom shall be residents of any one county. Said members shall be Qualificatons male citizens who have resided within the State for not less than five years immediately preceding the date of their appointment. They shall be appointed by the Appointment. Governor by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, for the following terms, to commence on the for members. first day of July, nineteen hundred and eleven: one for Term. one year, one for two years, one for three years, one for four years, one for five years, one for six years, one for seven years and one for eight years. Annually thereafter one member shall be appointed by the Governor for a term of eight years. Vacancies shall be filled for Vacancy. the unexpired term. A suitable room in the State House Office. at Trenton shall be provided for the use of the board. Meetings. Control of certain State schools. P. L. 1903. Special session. Powers enumerated. Make rules for carrying school laws into effect. Ibid. Appoint county superintendents. Rules for institutes. Decide appeals. Rules for examinations. Inspector of Inspector of accounts. Said board shall meet in the State House in Trenton at such times as their rules may prescribe in each and every month, and at such other times and places within the State as in its judgment may be necessary. Its meetings, as well as those of every board of education in the State, shall be public and shall commence not later than eight P. M. 2. (2.) The State Board of Education shall have the control and management of the State Normal Schools, the New Jersey School for the Deaf, the Farnum Preparatory School, and the Manual Training and Industrial School for Colored Youth. 3. (3). The State Board of Education shall have power: I. To frame and modify by-laws for its own government; to elect its president and other officers, and to prescribe and enforce rules and regulations necessary to carry into effect the school laws of this State. II. To appoint County Superintendents of Schools, and for cause to remove them. III. To prescribe rules and regulations for holding teachers' institutes. IV. To decide appeals from the decisions of the Commissioner of Education. V. To make and enforce rules and regulations for the examination of teachers, and the granting of certificates or licenses to teach. VI. Appoint an Inspector of Buildings at a salary not to exceed two thousand dollars per annum, who shall devote his time during the entire twelve months in the year to visiting the schools in the State and to making a thorough report with regard to each. VII. Appoint an Inspector of Accounts at a salary not to exceed two thousand dollars per annum, who shall devote his time during the entire twelve months in the year to the examination of the accounts of the several school districts. bookkeeping. VIII. Prescribe a uniform and simple system of System of bookkeeping for use in all school districts, and compel all school districts to use the same. supervising IX. Appoint, upon application, a Supervising Prin- Appoint cipal over the schools in two or more districts when- principals. ever in its opinion it is advisable so to do, and apportion the expense equitably among the districts. approval schools. X. Withhold or withdraw its approval of any second- Withhold ary school whenever in its opinion its academic work, of secondary location or enrollment and per capita cost of maintenance shall not warrant its establishment or continuance. tuition. XI. Fix rates to be paid by a district for the tuition Fix rates of of children sent from it to the schools of other districts, when the districts cannot agree among themselves as to the proper rate, and require any district having the necessary accommodations to receive pupils from other districts at rates agreed upon or which it may fix in the event of disagreement. Compel attendance of witnesses. XII. Compel the production at such time and place within the State as it may designate of any and all books, papers and vouchers in any way relating to schools or to the receipt or disbursement of school moneys; compel the attendance before it or before any of its committees or before the Commissioner of Education or one of his assistants or before the Inspector of Accounts or the Inspector of Buildings at such time and place as it may designate of any member of a board of education, or of any person in the employ of a board of education, and suspend from office any person re- Penalty. fusing to attend or to submit such books, papers and vouchers as he may have been directed to produce. XIII. Issue subpoenas signed by its president and Issue secretary compelling the attendance of witnesses and the production of books and papers in any part of the State before it or before any of its committees or before the Commissioner of Education or one of his assistants or before the Inspector of Accounts or the Inspector of Buildings. subpœnas. Compensation. P. L. 1903. Special session. Annual report. Ibid. 4. (4.) The members of the State Board of Education shall receive no compensation for their services, but the State Treasurer shall, upon the warrant of the State Comptroller, pay their necessary expenses. 5. (5.) The State Board of Education shall report annually to the Legislature in regard to all matters committed to its care. ARTICLE II. Appointment. P. L. 1911, Term. Salary. Powers of. Secretary of Assistant commissioners. Supervisor of secondary education. COMMISSIONER OF EDUCATION. 6. (4.) A Commissioner of Education shall be appointed by the Governor, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, for a term of five years, commencing July first, one thousand nine hundred and eleven, and until his successor shall be appointed, at an annual salary of ten thousand dollars per annum, payable in equal monthly installments. Such commissioner shall be selected without regard to whether his place of residence is within or without the State of New Jersey. 7. (5.) The Commissioner of Education shall, with the advice and consent of the State Board of Education: I. Designate one of the clerks in the Department of Public Instruction to act as secretary of the State Board of Education and to perform such services as it may require. II. Appoint four assistant commissioners of education, each at an annual salary of four thousand five hundred dollars, and designate one of them to act in his place during his absence. III. Designate one of such assistants to act as Supervisor of Secondary Education and define his duties, cause him to devote his entire time during school hours to personal inspection and to conduct tests of at least one-half hour each in at least three classes on each visit to a high school or to a high school department. |