A. The State Board of Education shall consist of seven (7) members. The State Superintendent of Public Instruction shall be a member and the chairperson of the Board. The remaining six members shall be appointed by the Governor by and with the advice and consent of the Senate. Except as otherwise provided for in subsection B of this section, upon assuming office each Governor shall appoint one member from each congressional district and one member from the state at large. Each appointment shall be made to take effect on April 2. The term of each appointed member shall be four (4) years. Appointed members shall serve until a successor is appointed. Appointed members shall serve at the pleasure of the Governor. Upon the occurrence of a vacancy the same shall be filled by the Governor, subject to confirmation by the Senate at the next session of the Legislature. The appointment to fill a vacancy shall be made for the unexpired term.

B. On the effective date of this act, all appointed positions of the current State Board of Education shall be deemed vacant and the terms of persons serving on the Board shall be deemed terminated. The Governor shall make initial appointments pursuant to the provisions of this subsection within thirty (30) days of the effective date of this act, with one member appointed from each congressional district and one member appointed from the state at large. The appointments shall be subject to confirmation by the Senate at the next session of the Legislature. The terms for members appointed pursuant to this subsection shall terminate on April 2, 2015. Thereafter, members shall be appointed as provided for in subsection A of this section.

C. No person shall be eligible to be appointed to serve on the State Board unless the person has been awarded a high school diploma or certificate of high school equivalency. Any member appointed to the State Board shall complete the workshop requirements of a new school board member pursuant to Section 5-110 of this title within thirteen (13) months following or preceding the appointment of the member. Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, the State Department of Education shall not charge any member of the State Board of Education a fee for any workshop provided by the Department for board members pursuant to Section 5-110 of this title and shall not pay a fee to any organization or institution of higher education on behalf of a member of the State Board of Education, or reimburse any member of the Board for a fee paid to any organization or institution of higher education, for attendance at a workshop or courses to satisfy the requirements of Section 5-110 of this title.

D. Members of the Board shall receive necessary traveling expenses while in the performance of their duties in accordance with the State Travel Reimbursement Act.

Added by Laws 1971, c. 281, § 3-101, eff. July 2, 1971. Amended by Laws 1985, c. 178, § 52, operative July 1, 1985; Laws 1989, 1st Ex.Sess., c. 2, § 40, emerg. eff. April 25, 1990; Laws 1992, c. 364, § 8, emerg. eff. June 4, 1992; Laws 1994, c. 210, § 1, emerg. eff. May 20, 1994; Laws 2002, c. 375, § 15, eff. Nov. 5, 2002; Laws 2011, c. 31, § 3; Laws 2011, c. 316, § 1.