SECTION 1E. Board of elementary and secondary education; composition; disqualification; tenure; vacancies; chairman; expenses; meetings; student advisory and regional councils

There shall be in the department a board of elementary and secondary education, in this chapter called the board, which shall consist of the chairman of the student advisory council established under this section, the secretary of education, in this chapter called the secretary, or her designee, and 9 members appointed by the governor. The 9 members appointed by the governor shall consist of 1 representative of a labor organization selected by the governor from a list of 3 nominees provided by the Massachusetts State Labor Council, AFL–CIO; 1 representative of business or industry selected by the governor with a demonstrated commitment to education; 1 representative of parents of school children selected by the governor from a list of 3 nominees provided by the Massachusetts Parent Teachers Association; and 6 additional members. No appointive member of said board shall be employed by or receive regular compensation from the department of education, or from any school system, public or independent, in the commonwealth, or serve as a member of any school committee. Not more than two members of said board shall be employed on a full-time basis by any agency of the commonwealth. Of the 9 members appointed by the governor, 1 shall be appointed for a term that is coterminous with that of the governor. Each of the remaining 8 members shall be appointed for a term of 5 years. Vacancies shall be filled consistent with the requirements of section 10 of chapter 30. No person shall be appointed to serve more than two full terms, provided, however, that only service on or after July 1, 1996 shall be counted for this purpose. Prior service on said board for a term of less than three years, resulting from an initial appointment or an appointment for the remainder of an unexpired term, shall not be counted as a full term. If a member is absent from any four regularly scheduled monthly meetings, exclusive of July and August, in any calendar year, his office as a member of said board shall be deemed vacant. The chairman of the board shall forthwith notify the governor that such vacancy exists. A person affiliated with an independent institution of higher education shall be eligible for membership on said board. No member of said board shall be found to be in violation of section six of chapter two hundred and sixty-eight A for conduct which involves his participation, as a member of said board, in a particular matter before said board which may affect the financial interest of an independent institution of higher education with which he is affiliated; provided, however, that said member, his immediate family or partner has no personal and direct financial interest in said particular matter; and provided, further, that such affiliation is disclosed to said board and recorded in the minutes of the board.

The members of the board shall be reimbursed for their necessary expenses incurred in the performance of their duties.

The chairperson of the board shall be appointed by the governor. Members of the board who are employed on a full-time basis by the commonwealth shall be ineligible to serve as chairperson.

The board shall meet not fewer than ten times annually at the call of the chairman.

There is hereby established a student advisory council to the board of education, consisting of four elected representatives from each student regional council established under the provisions of this section, one of whom shall be a student in a vocational secondary school. The members of said student advisory council shall by majority vote prior to the first day of June in each year elect from their number a chairman who shall serve for a term of one year.

Said student advisory council shall meet from time to time and shall consider such matters as it deems appropriate for its chairman to place before the board.

There are hereby established not less than five nor more than fifteen student regional councils, whose membership shall be limited to elected student representatives from the secondary schools of the commonwealth who have been residents of the commonwealth for at least six months prior to their election. Said student regional councils shall consist of not less than twenty nor more than forty-five student representatives.

No person shall be eligible to be elected to a student regional council unless at the time of his election he is enrolled as a student in a secondary school within the commonwealth. If at any time during his term of office a member of a student regional council ceases to be so enrolled, his membership shall be terminated and his position shall be terminated and his position shall be deemed vacant. A vacancy on the student advisory council prior to the expiration of a term shall be filled for the remainder of the term in the same manner as elections to full terms. A vacancy on a student regional council shall be filled by a majority vote of the entire membership of said regional council. The terms of the elected members of the student advisory council and of the student regional council shall be not more than three years, but no member shall be prevented from running for election for three successive terms. Members of student regional councils shall serve without compensation except that they shall be reimbursed for necessary expenses incurred in travelling to and from meetings.

Each student regional council shall meet from time to time with the student advisory council to advise said council regarding business that it deems appropriate to be considered by said advisory council.