CHAPTER 291

An Act to amend and reenact § 22-97 of the Code of Virginia, relating
to powers and duties of city school boards and to validate agree-
ments between cities and counties for school consolidation.

[fH 351]
Approved March 16, 1954
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

be That § 22-97 of the Code of Virginia be amended and reenacted as
ollows:
sul § 22-97. The city school board shall have the following powers and
uties:
(1) Rules and regulations.—To explain, enforce, and observe the
school laws, and to make rules for the government of the schools, and
for regulating the conduct of pupils going to and returning therefrom.

(2) Method of teaching and government employed.—To determine
the studies to be pursued, the methods of teaching, the government to be
employed in the schools, and the length of the school term.

(3) Employment and control of teachers.—To employ teachers on
recommendation of the division superintendent and to dismiss them when
delinquent, inefficient or in anywise unworthy of the position; provided,
that no school board shall employ or pay any teacher from the public
funds unless the teacher shall hold a certificate in full force, according
to the provisions of §§ 22-203 to 22-206. It shall also be unlawful for
the school board of any city, or any town constituting a separate school
district, to employ or pay any teacher or other school employee related
by consanguinity or affinity as provided in § 22-206. The exceptions and
other provisions of that section shall apply to this section.

(4) Suspension or expulsion of pupils.—To suspend or expel pupils
when the prosperity and efficiency of the school make it necessary.

(5) Free textbooks.—To decide what children, wishing to enter the
schools of the city, are entitled by reason of poverty of their parents or
guardians to receive textbooks free of charge, and to provide for supply-
ing them accordingly.

(6) Establishment of high and normal schools.—To establish high
and normal schools and such other schools as may, in its judgment, be
necessary to the completeness and efficiency of the school system.

(7) Census.—To see that the census of children required by § 22-228
is taken within the proper time and in the proper manner.

(8) Meetings of board.—To hold regular meetings and to prescribe
when and how special meetings may be called.

(9) Meetings of people-—To call meetings of the people of the city
for consultation in regard to the school interests thereof, at which meet-
ings the chairman or some other member of the board shall preside if
present.

(10) Schoolhouses and property.—To provide suitable schoolhouses,
with proper furniture and appliances, and to care for, manage, and con-
trol the school property of the city. For these purposes it may lease,
purchase, or build such houses according to the exigencies of the city
and the means at its disposal. No schoolhouse shall be contracted for or
erected until the plans therefor shall have been submitted to and approved
in writing by the division superintendent of schools, and no public school
shall be allowed in any building which is not in such condition and provided
with such conveniences as are required by a due regard for decency
and health; and when a schoolhouse appears to the division superinten-
dent of schools to be unfit for occupancy, it shall be his duty to condemn
the same, and immediately to give notice thereof, in writing, to the chair-
man of the school board, and thenceforth no public school shall be held
therein, nor shall any part of the State or city fund be applied to support
any school in such house until the division superintendent shall certify,
in writing, to the city school board that he is satisfied with the condition
of such building, and with the appliances pertaining thereto.

(11) Visiting schools.—To visit the public free schools within the
city, from time to time, and to take care that they are conducted according
to law, and with the utmost efficiency.

(12) Management and control of school funds——-To manage and
control the school funds of the city, to provide for the pay of teachers and
of the clerk of the board, for the cost of providing schoolhouses and the
appurtenances thereto and the repairs thereof, for school furniture and
appliances, for necessary textbooks for indigent children attending the
public free schools, and for any other expenses attending the administra-
tion of the public free school system, so far as the same is under the control
or at the charge of the school officers.

(13) Approval and payment of claims.—To examine all claims against
the school board, and when approved, to order or authorize the payment
thereof. A record of such approval, order or authorization shall be made
in the proceedings of the board. Payment of each claim shall be ordered
or authorized by a warrant drawn on the treasurer or other officer of the
city charged by law with the responsibility for the receipt, custody and
disbursement of the funds of such city. The warrant shall be signed by
the chairman or vice chairman of the board and countersigned by the clerk
or deputy clerk thereof, payable to the person or persons, firm or corpora-
tion entitled to receive such payment. There shall be stated on the face
of the warrant the purpose or service for which such payment is drawn
and also that such warrant is drawn pursuant to an order entered or
authority granted by the board on the .....00....cccccssse Day Ofc The
warrant may be converted into a negotiable check when the name of the
bank upon which the funds stated in the warrant are drawn or by which
the check is to be paid is designated upon its face and is signed by the
treasurer, deputy treasurer or other officer of the city charged by law
with the responsibility for the receipt, custody and disbursement of the
funds of the city.

The board may, in its discretion, appoint an agent and a deputy agent
to act for the agent in his absence or inability to perform this duty by
resolution spread upon the record of its proceedings to examine and
approve such claims and, when approved by him or his deputy to order
or authorize the payment thereof. A record of such approval, order or
authorization shall be made and kept with the records of the board.
Payment of each such claim so examined and approved by such agent or
his deputy shall be ordered or authorized by a warrant drawn on the
treasurer or other officer of the city charged by law with the responsibility
for the receipt, custody, and disbursement of the funds of the city. The
warrant shall be signed by such agent or his deputy and countersigned
by the clerk or deputy clerk of the board, payable to the person or persons,
firm or corporation entitled to receive such payments; provided, however,
that when the agent appointed by the board is the division superintendent
of schools and the division superintendent and clerk is one and the same
person, all such warrants shall be countersigned by the chairman or vice
chairman of the board; provided further that when the deputy agent and
deputy clerk is one and the same person the warrant shall be counter-
signed by either the clerk or the agent of the board. There shall be stated
on the face of the warrant the purpose or service for which such payment
is made and also that such warrant is drawn pursuant to authority dele-
gated to such agent or his deputy by the board on the........................... day of
seceesecsessensvvssessseeeee . The warrant may be converted into a negotiable check in
the same manner as is prescribed herein for warrants ordered or author-
ized to be drawn by the school board. The board shall require such agent
and his deputy to furnish the city a corporate surety bond conditioned
upon the faithful performance and discharge of the duties herein assigned
to each such official. The board shall fix the amount of such bond or
bonds and the premium therefor shall be paid out of the school funds of
such city.

(14) Report of expenditures and estimate of necessary funds.—It
shall be the duty of the school board of every city, once in each year, and
oftener if deemed necessary, to submit to the council, in writing, a classified
report of all expenditures and a classified estimate of what funds will be
needed for the proper maintenance and growth of the public schools of
the city, and to request the council to make provisions by appropriation or
levy, for the same.
(15) Other duties prescribed by State Board.—To perform such other
duties as shall be prescribed by the State Board or are imposed by other
parts of this title. | °

(16) Acquisition of land.—City school boards shall, in general, have
the same power in relation to the condemnation or purchase of land and
to the vesting of title thereof, and also in relation to the title to and
management of property of any kind applicable to school purposes, whether
heretofore or hereafter set apart therefor, and however set apart, whether
by gift, grant, devise, or any other conveyance and from whatever source,
as county school boards have in the counties, and in addition thereto, they
shall have the further right and power to condemn not in excess of fifteen
acres of land for any one school when necessary for school purposes,
except that when dwellings or yards are invaded no more than five acres
may be condemned for any one school.

(17) To provide for the consolidation of schools whenever such pro-
cedure will contribute to the efficiency of the school system.

2. Any agreement heretofore made between a city and a county pro-
viding for consolidation of schools is hereby validated.