A Senate bill being considered by lawmakers could ultimately allow counties to decide whether they want their local school superintendent to be elected by voters, and school board members appointed by a grand jury.
Senate Bill 81 and a corresponding resolution, sponsored by Sen. John Wilkinson, would allow for a statewide vote on a law change that would be needed to let county residents vote on the school system changes.
If county voters decided not to change their local laws, the existing structure of an elected school board that appoints a superintendent would remain.
“We hear a lot in education about one size fits all, and I think there are some counties where it would best if the people could elect their superintendents,” Wilkinson, R-Toccoa, said. ” There’s lots of diversity of our counties in Georgia. This is just giving another way to let the people decide how they want their schools governed.”
The legislation would go against the legislative positions of the Georgia School Boards Association, which is urging lawmakers not to remove the authority of local school boards to appoint local superintendents. GSBA is also supporting non-partisan elections of local school board members.
Wilkinson's bill is not associated with proposals to make the state school superintendent an appointed rather than elected position, he said. His bill has been assigned to the Senate's Education and Youth Committee.
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