§ 2215 — General powers and duties of district superintendent

§ 2215. General powers and duties of district superintendent. A\ndistrict superintendent of schools shall have power and it shall be his\nduty: 1. To inquire from time to time into and ascertain whether the\nboundaries of the school districts within his supervisory district are\ndefinitely and plainly described in the records of the office of the\nproper town clerk; to cause to be made and filed in the education\ndepartment a record of such boundaries; and in case the record of the\nboundaries of any school district shall be found indefinite or\ndefective, or if the same shall be in dispute, then to cause the same to\nbe amended or an amended record of the boundaries to be made and filed\nin the office of the proper town clerk and in the education department.\nAll necessary expenses incurred in making and filing such records and in\nestablishing such amended records shall be a charge on the district or\ndistricts affected, to be audited and allowed by the trustees thereof,\non the certificate of the district superintendent.\n 2. To assemble all the teachers of his district by towns or otherwise,\nfor the purpose of conference on the course of study, for reports of and\nadvice and counsel in relation to discipline, school management and\nother school work, and for promoting the general good of all the schools\nof the district. Teachers shall be entitled to compensation for days\nactually in attendance upon such conference.\n 3. To hold meetings of trustees and other school officers and to\nadvise with and counsel them in relation to their powers and duties and\nparticularly in relation to the repair, construction, heating,\nventilating and lighting of schoolhouses and improving and adorning the\nschool grounds. To especially advise trustees relative to the employment\nof teachers, the adoption of textbooks and the purchase of library\nbooks, school apparatus, furniture and supplies.\n 6. At the direction of the commissioner, to direct the trustees of any\ndistrict to abate any nuisance in or on the school grounds.\n 7. To approve the amount of or the corporate sureties on official\nundertakings of treasurers and collectors of school districts, where\nsuch approval is required pursuant to law.\n 8. At the direction of the commissioner, to condemn a schoolhouse as\nprovided in section four hundred twelve of this chapter.\n 9. To examine and license teachers pursuant to the provisions of this\nchapter. He shall also conduct such other examinations as the\ncommissioner of education shall direct.\n 10. To examine any charge affecting the moral character of any teacher\nresiding or employed within his district, and to revoke such teachers'\ncertificate as provided by section three thousand eighteen of this\nchapter.\n 11. To take affidavits and administer oaths in all matters pertaining\nto the public school system, but without charge or fee.\n 12. To take and report to the commissioner of education under the\ndirection of such commissioner testimony in a case on appeal. In such a\ncase or in any matter or proceeding to be heard or determined by the\ndistrict superintendent, he may issue a subpoena to compel the\nattendance of a witness. A subpoena issued under this section shall be\nregulated by the civil practice law and rules.\n 13. To exercise in his discretion any of the powers and perform any of\nthe duties of another district superintendent on the written request of\nsuch other superintendent, and he must exercise such powers and perform\nsuch duties when directed to do so by the commissioner of education.\n 14. To make such investigations and to make such reports to the\ncommissioner of education upon any matter or act as said commissioner\nshall from time to time request. He shall make an annual report on the\nfirst day of August in such form and giving such information as the\ncommissioner of education shall require.\n 15. To participate in the permanent computerized statewide school\ndistrict address match and income verification system as provided in\nsection one hundred seventy-one of the tax law, and cooperative\nagreement pursuant thereto and as directed by the commissioner.\n 16. To report to the commissioner under the direction of such\ncommissioner on cost-effective practices as defined in section two\nhundred fifteen-c of this chapter in school districts within his or her\nsupervisory district.\n 17. To determine the adequacy and appropriateness of the facilities\nspace available to house special education programs in the geographic\narea served by the board of cooperative educational services, consistent\nwith the least restrictive environment requirement and to ensure the\nstability and continuity of program placements for students with\ndisabilities, including procedures that ensure that special education\nprograms and services located in appropriate facilities will not be\nrelocated without adequate consideration of the needs of participating\nstudents with disabilities.\n