SCHOOL COMMITTEE POWERS AND RESPONSIBILITIES

The school committee in each city and town and each regional school district shall have the power to select and to terminate the superintendent, shall review and approve budgets for public education in the district and shall establish educational goals and policies for the schools in the district consistent with the requirements of law and statewide goals and standards established by the board of education. [Amended by St. 1993, c.71, s.35.]

In general, the school committee serves as a policy-making body for the schools. Its responsibilities include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Setting up a school calendar.
• Reviewing and approving the budget.
• Recommending buildings to be provided for school purposes and providing for the maintenance, repair, and the use of school buildings and grounds.
• Hiring the superintendent.
• Adopting collective bargaining agreements relative to working conditions.
• Electing a secretary, finance officer and two alternate finance officer.
• Determining policies regarding age of school entrance and requirements for graduation.
• Providing for and promoting a healthy and safe environment for pupils and school personnel.
• Providing for the transportation of pupils in accordance with state laws and local policy.
• Providing for community understanding of how the school committee operates.
• Organizing annually on the first Monday in January and shall elect one of its members as Vice Chairman, who shall preside at all meetings of the committee at which the Chairperson is not present..

File: BBA

[Reviewed: November 2001]

[Revised: October 2003]