The Board shall act as the general agent of the State of Alabama in carrying out the will of the people of the County in matters of public education.
The Board shall be responsible for carrying out mandatory laws pertaining to education and shall consider and accept or reject the provisions of the permissive laws. In all cases where the State laws do not provide or prohibit, the Board shall consider itself the agent responsible for establishing and appraising the educational activities under its jurisdiction.
In general, the Board shall be responsible for policy making, based upon the advice of the Superintendent, and for evaluation of the following areas:
1. To determine, on recommendation of the Superintendent, and subject to Constitutional requirements and Alabama Law, the educational policies of the School System.
2. To require of the administrative staff the necessary reports and information which are essential for the Board to make appropriate decisions involving the education of the students and the general welfare of the community.
3. To cause to be taken, under the direction of the Superintendent, a decennial census of children between the ages of six (6) and twenty-one (21) years.
4. To consider, upon the written recommendation of the Superintendent, the appointment of all employees and their salaries.
5. To suspend or dismiss employees, upon the written recommendation of the Superintendent, as provided by law.
6. To approve the purchase or sale of all school lands.
7. To approve all building contracts.
8. To approve all purchases over the amount specified in the state bid law unless such purchases are approved under the school budget.
9. To approve the annual budget.
10. To publish annually in the month of October in a County newspaper a full and complete statement of the receipts by source and disbursements by functions of the School System for the twelve months’ period ending September 30.
11. To publish annually in the month of October in a County newspaper a statement of the outstanding indebtedness of the School System on last September 30.
12. To make all reports required by the State Board of Education.
13. To appoint a custodian of public school funds.
14. To hold in trust all property, real, personal, and mixed, now held or hereafter acquired by the School System.
15. To serve as a judicial body to hear complaints and appeals of administrative decisions from employees, students, and/or patrons.
16. To see that every school building in the School System whose title is vested in the state, county, or School System is insured for its insurable value.
17. To set uniform dates for the opening of the schools of the School System.
18. To adopt the Annual School Calendar.
19. To work with the administrative staff to handle other duties required by law or situations.
SOURCE: Tuscaloosa County Board of Education, Tuscaloosa, Alabama
ADOPTED: April 6, 1992
LEGAL REF.: Ala. Const. Amend. 111; Ala. Const. Art. XIV, 256; The Code of Alabama, 16-8-7 to 43.