§ 16-60-2 — § 16-60-2. Appointment of board members.

§ 16-60-2. Appointment of board members.

(a) The governor shall establish the council on elementary and secondary education by appointing eight (8) members of the board of education established pursuant to chapter 97 of this title to serve as members of the council until the expiration of their term and appointment of their successor as a member of the board of education. The chair of the board of education shall serve on the council in a voting, ex-officio capacity. Five (5) voting members of the council shall constitute a quorum and the vote of the majority of those present and voting shall be required for action. The governor shall appoint the chair of the council on an annual basis from among the eight (8) council members.

(b) In addition to the eight (8) members appointed by the governor, the Rhode Island teacher of the year shall serve on the council on elementary and secondary education pursuant to § 16-97-1(c) and (d).

(c) No person shall be eligible for appointment to the board after the effective date of this act [March 24, 2006] unless he or she is a resident of this state, with the exception of the individual serving in the ex officio seat as Rhode Island teacher of the year.

(d) There is hereby established a student advisory council to the council on elementary and secondary education, consisting of one elected high school student representative from each public secondary school in the state of Rhode Island.

(1) Each public secondary school shall hold elections for its representative to the student advisory council no earlier than the first (1st) day of March and no later than the end of the second (2nd) full week of April. Each school shall elect only one representative. Elected members shall be notified of their election on or before the Friday of the third (3rd) week of April of the year of their election. No person shall be eligible to be elected to the student advisory council unless at the time of his or her election he or she is enrolled as a student in a secondary school between the grades of nine (9) and eleven (11) within the state of Rhode Island. No person shall be allowed to vote if they are not currently enrolled in a Rhode Island public secondary school between the grades of nine (9) and eleven (11). If at any time during his or her term of office a member of the student advisory council ceases to be so enrolled, his or her membership shall be terminated and his or her position shall be deemed vacant. This vacancy shall be filled by the public secondary school within thirty (30) school days of the opening of the vacancy.

(2) The student advisory council will serve from the first (1st) day of May of the year it is elected until the last day of April of the following year. A student may serve no more than three (3) terms.

(3) Said student advisory council shall meet from time to time and shall consider such matters as it deems appropriate.

(4) Prior to the first (1st) day of June of each annual session the student advisory council shall adopt a set of bylaws.

(5) Members of the council shall not be compensated for service in attending meetings except that they shall be reimbursed for necessary expenses incurred in traveling to and from meetings.

(6) The members of said student advisory council shall, by majority vote prior to the first (1st) day of June in each year, elect from their members a chairperson who shall serve for a term of one year beginning on the first (1st) day of June. Said chairperson shall serve as an ex officio and nonvoting member of the council for a term of one year, unless the student advisory council removes said chairperson from his or her position in a manner described within the bylaws of that council.

Legislative History

P.L. 1981, ch. 32, § 3; P.L. 1986, ch. 227, § 2; P.L. 1988, ch. 533, § 1; P.L. 2001, ch. 86, § 55; P.L. 2006, ch. 8, § 2; P.L. 2006, ch. 28, § 2; P.L. 2012, ch. 291, § 1; P.L. 2012, ch. 341, § 1; P.L. 2014, ch. 145, art. 20, § 7; P.L. 2023, ch. 373, § 1, effective June 27, 2023; P.L. 2023, ch. 374, § 1, effective June 27, 2023.