                                 CODE OF VIRGINIA

POWERS AND DUTIES (§ 22.1-79)

Each school board shall:

1. See that the school laws are properly explained, enforced, and observed;

2. Secure, by visitation or otherwise, as full information as possible about the
conduct of the public schools in the school division and take care that they are
conducted according to law and with the utmost efficiency;

3. Care for, manage, and control the property of the school division and provide
for the erecting, furnishing, equipping, and noninstructional operating of
necessary school buildings and appurtenances and the maintenance thereof by
purchase, lease, or other contracts;

4. Provide for the consolidation of schools or redistricting of school
boundaries or adopt pupil assignment plans whenever such procedure will
contribute to the efficiency of the school division;

5. Insofar as not inconsistent with state statutes and regulations of the Board,
operate and maintain the public schools in the school division and determine the
length of the school term, the studies to be pursued, the methods of teaching,
and the government to be employed in the schools;

6. In instances in which no grievance procedure has been adopted prior to
January 1, 1991, establish and administer by July 1, 1992, a grievance procedure
for all school board employees, except the division superintendent and those
employees covered under the provisions of Article 2 (&#xA7; 22.1-293 et seq.)
and Article 3 (&#xA7; 22.1-306 et seq.) of Chapter 15, who have completed such
probationary period as may be required by the school board, not to exceed 18
months. The grievance procedure shall afford a timely and fair method of the
resolution of disputes arising between the school board and such employees
regarding dismissal or other disciplinary actions, excluding suspensions, and
shall be consistent with the provisions of the Board&#8217;s procedures for
adjusting grievances. Except in the case of dismissal, suspension, or other
disciplinary action, the grievance procedure prescribed by the Board pursuant to
&#xA7; 22.1-308 shall apply to all full-time employees of a school board, except
supervisory employees;

7. Perform such other duties as shall be prescribed by the Board or as are
imposed by law;

8. Obtain public comment through a public hearing not less than seven days after
reasonable notice to the public in a newspaper of general circulation in the
school division prior to providing (i) for the consolidation of schools; (ii)
the transfer from the public school system of the administration of all
instructional services for any public school classroom or all noninstructional
services in the school division pursuant to a contract with any private entity
or organization; or (iii) in school divisions having 15,000 pupils or more in
average daily membership, for redistricting of school boundaries or adopting any
pupil assignment plan affecting the assignment of 15 percent or more of the
pupils in average daily membership in the affected school. Such public hearing
may be held at the same time and place as the meeting of the school board at
which the proposed action is taken if the public hearing is held before the
action is taken. If a public hearing has been held prior to the effective date
of this provision on a proposed consolidation, redistricting, or pupil
assignment plan that is to be implemented after the effective date of this
provision, an additional public hearing shall not be required;

9. (Expires July 1, 2028) At least annually, survey the school division to
identify critical shortages of (i) teachers and administrative personnel by
subject matter, (ii) specialized student support positions as that term is
described in subsection O of &#xA7; 22.1-253.13:2, and (iii) school bus drivers
and report such critical shortages to the Superintendent and to the Virginia
Retirement System; however, the school board may request the division
superintendent to conduct such survey and submit such report to the school
board, the Superintendent, and the Virginia Retirement System;

10. Ensure that the public schools within the school division are registered
with the Department of State Police to receive from the State Police electronic
notice of the registration, reregistration, or verification of registration
information of any person required to register with the Sex Offender and Crimes
Against Minors Registry pursuant to Chapter 9 (&#xA7; 9.1-900 et seq.) of Title
9.1 within that school division pursuant to &#xA7; 9.1-914;

11. Ensure that at any back to school night event in the local school division
to which the parents of enrolled students are invited, any such parent in
attendance receives prominent notification of and access, in paper or electronic
form, or both, to information about application and eligibility for free or
reduced price meals for students and a fillable free or reduced price meals
application that may be completed and submitted on site;

12. Ensure that the information sheet on the SNAP benefits program developed and
provided by the Department of Social Services pursuant to subsection E of &#xA7;
63.2-801 is sent home with each student enrolled in a public elementary or
secondary school in the local school division at the beginning of each school
year or, in the case of any student who enrolls after the beginning of the
school year, as soon as practicable after enrollment;

13. Ensure that a fillable free or reduced price meals application is sent home
with each student enrolled in a public elementary or secondary school in the
local school division at the beginning of each school year or, in the case of
any student who enrolls after the beginning of the school year, as soon as
practicable after enrollment;

14. Permit any student enrolled in a public elementary or secondary school in
the local school division who provides acceptable proof of identification as set
forth in subdivision 15, if requested, and signs up in accordance with sign-up
procedures for the respective school board meeting, to submit oral comments
during any public comment or citizen participation portion of such meeting
subject to the same reasonable time, place, and manner restrictions imposed by
such school board on the expression of any other citizen participant in such
meetings; and

15. Accept as proof of student identification for the purpose of providing oral
public comment as permitted pursuant to subdivision 14 any current student
identification card or other school document such as a report card or a personal
school email address.

HISTORY: Code 1950, §§ 22-72, 22-97; 1954, cc. 289, 291; 1956, Ex. Sess., c.
60; 1959, Ex. Sess., c. 79, § 1; 1966, c. 691; 1968, c. 501; 1970, c. 71; 1971,
Ex. Sess., c. 161; 1972, c. 511; 1975, cc. 308, 328; 1980, c. 559; 1985, c. 8;
1987, c. 402; 1991, cc. 553, 668; 1994, c. 596; 1996, cc. 485, 790, 798; 1997,
c. 382; 2004, c. 563; 2006, cc. 857, 914; 2009, c. 459; 2013, cc. 588, 650;
2020, cc. 379, 437, 829; 2023, cc. 125, 350, 506, 507, 690, 707, 708; 2024, cc.
435, 689.