203 Procedure: Appointments to Temporarily Fill Board Vacancy

I. Qualified Candidates for Appointment: Qualified candidates for appointment are persons who are eligible voters; who are at least 21 years of age at the time they would be seated by appointment; who have resided in the School District for at least 30 days at the time of application; and who otherwise are allowed to hold the office. Persons applying for appointment to the School Board will be required to complete an application and, if identified as a finalist, may be required to submit to a criminal background check to ensure that the candidate is qualified and not otherwise precluded from serving on the School Board.

II. Applications for Temporary Appointment to Vacant Position: When a vacancy is known to exist or is certain to occur, the School Board Chair or Acting School Board Chair will authorize the vacancy to be posted on the School District website. The vacancy should be posted in a timely fashion to help ensure that all seats on the School Board are filled. An application will be posted on the website along with the notice of the vacancy. The application will be developed by the Board Chair or Acting Board Chair and the Superintendent. Any person who is qualified to hold a seat on the School Board may submit an application to the Superintendent or his/her designee. Applications must be received by the Superintendent or his/her designee within ten (10) business days of the vacancy being posted on the School District website. Applications not received within the ten (10) business day timeline will not be considered or reviewed. Applications are not applications for employment and the following applicant data will be considered public data: (1) name of the applicant; (2) city of residence; (3) education and training; (4) employment history; (5) volunteer work; (6) awards and honors; (7) prior government service; and (8) veteran’s status.

III. Review and Ranking of Applications: A copy of the application of all qualified candidates that are received by the application deadline will be provided to each sitting member of the School Board within three (3) business days after the application deadline. Upon receipt of the applications, each School Board member will individually select their top candidate(s), not to exceed three (3) candidate(s). Each School Board member will rank their candidates from 3 to 1, with 3 being their most preferred candidate and 1 being their least preferred candidate. School Board members will not deliberate or discuss their rankings with other members of the School Board outside of a public meeting. Within three (3) business days of receiving applications, each School Board member will provide, in writing (email is acceptable), to the Superintendent or their designee the ranking of their top three (3) candidate(s).

The Superintendent or their designee and the general counsel or one other member of the Superintendent’s cabinet will record the name of each candidate and rank the candidates in order of the highest point total. The top three (3) ranked candidates will be considered finalists. In the event of a tie that prevents identification of only three (3) finalists, the tie will be resolved by re-ranking the tied candidates.

IV. If an additional vacancy occurs on the School Board within one (1) year from the date of the application deadline established in this paragraph, the School Board may use the applications and rankings to identify an additional candidate to fill the vacancy.

V. Address to Board and Selection: The top three (3) ranked qualified candidates identified by the process in Section III, or all of the qualified candidates if three (3) or less qualified candidates have applied, will be notified of their selection and will be given an opportunity to address the full School Board at a board work session. Each candidate for appointment who addresses the School Board will have five (5) minutes to address the School Board on why they should be appointed. After all candidates have addressed the School Board, the School Board may deliberate on their selection for appointment and will attempt to identify the School Board’s final candidate by consensus. If the School Board cannot reach consensus, the final candidate will be selected by written ballot. If a written ballot is required, the candidate who receives a majority of the votes will be appointed. In the event of a tie, the School Board will conduct a second vote by written ballot, selecting only from the top two candidates from the first round of voting. The final candidate receiving the majority of votes will be formally appointed by resolution of School Board at a special meeting or regular business meeting of the School Board. A School Board member must abstain from deliberations and voting to fill a seat that they are vacating.

VI. Term of Appointment: The appointed candidate will begin service as a School Board member at the first regular or special meeting that takes place 30 or more calendar days following formal appointment by resolution, and will serve until the vacancy is filled by a special or general election.

Created/Revised
Created:  3/20/2018