Art. 2740a. SUPERVISION OF SCHOOLS IN COUNTIES OF MORE THAN 1100 SQUARE MILES.
Section 1. COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION.  The general management, supervision, and control of the public free schools of counties with an area of more than eleven hundred (1,100) square miles and a population of not less than forty-two thousand (42,000) nor more than fifty-two thousand (52,000) according to the last preceding Federal Census, shall be vested in a County Board of Education.  The County Board of Education shall be composed of five members to be elected at the regular school trustee election on the first Saturday in April of each year, one of whom shall be elected from each of the Commissioners' precincts and one from the county at large, by the qualified voters of the common school districts and of the independent school districts having five hundred (500) scholastics or less.  The member at large shall serve as president of the Board.  At the meeting following the first election the lengths of the terms of office shall be determined by lot and one elected each year thereafter for a term of five years.  Any vacancy occurring on said Board shall be filled by an election ordered by the County Judge.  Said election shall be governed by the general laws of this State for elections.
Sec. 2. MEETINGS.  Meetings:  The County Board of Education of such counties shall hold such meetings as are now provided by law and the rules generally adopted by deliberative bodies for their government shall be observed.
Sec. 3. PAYMENT.  Payment:  The members of the County Board of Education shall receive $5.00 per day for the time spent in attending meetings, to be paid in the same manner and from the same funds as is now provided by law;  provided that they not be allowed pay for more than 20 days in any one year.
Sec. 4. POWERS AND DUTIES.  Powers and Duties:  The County Board of Education shall appoint, subject to the provisions of this Act, as its executive officer, a County Superintendent of Education, who shall also be the secretary of the County Board of Education, and whose duties shall be the same as are now specified by law and as otherwise defined in this Act.  The County Board of Education shall designate the salary of the County Superintendent, subject to the provisions of this Act.  The County Board of Education shall appoint such assistants, supervisors, and clerical help for the County Superintendent as may be deemed necessary by this body, subject to the provisions of this Act.
Sec. 5. PROFESSIONAL SUPERVISION;  MEETINGS OF TEACHERS.  The County Board of Education may, upon the recommendation of the County Superintendent, provide for the employment of such professional supervision as may be deemed necessary, this to be in lieu of the teachers' institute as now provided by law.  The County Superintendent shall be exempt after the passage of this Act from such requirements as are now provided by law for the holding of teachers' institute;  and shall be empowered to provide for such meetings of the teachers of the county as may be deemed necessary and to require the attendance of all teachers upon such meetings.
Sec. 6. ANNUAL PER CAPITA APPORTIONMENT;  NOMINATION OF PRINCIPALS AND TEACHERS.  In making the annual per capita apportioment to the schools, the County Board of Education shall also make an annual allowance out of the State and county available funds for the salary and expenses of the County Superintendent and such assistants, supervisors, and clerical help as he may have, and such expenses shall be prorated to the schools subject to the supervision of said Board;  provided that in making this allowance for county administration, the per capita assessment against the scholastics of the districts subject to the supervision of the County Board of Education shall not exceed $1.50, provided further that the salary of the County Superintendent for the month of September shall not be paid until he presents a receipt from the State Superintendent of Public Instruction showing that he has made all reports required of him.
The County Superintendent shall nominate the principals and teachers for the various schools of the county, but this nomination shall be subject to confirmation by the District Trustees.  The District Trustee shall have the power to refuse to confirm the nomination of the County Superintendent, and when such confirmation is refused, the County Superintendent shall nominate another teacher for such school, provided however, that not more than three such teachers shall be nominated for any one place under the provisions of this Section.  In the event the District Trustees should refuse to confirm the nomination of the County Superintendent as provided herein, the selection of the principal or teachers shall be by joint action of the District Trustees and the County Superintendent, in which case a majority vote shall prevail.
Sec. 7. PURCHASES AND CONTRACTS.  The District Trustee shall make all purchases of equipment and supplies for the various school districts and shall contract for all buildings and improvements and repairs and all other expenditures, but where the consideration involved is more than $50.00 such contracts and purchases shall be approved by the County Superintendent.
Sec. 8. EQUALIZATION FUND.  The County Board of Education shall at its August meeting set aside such county available school funds as may have accrued from investments of the permanent school funds and land leases and shall supplement this with an amount not exceeding 5% of the State available school funds apportioned to the county, to be used as an equalization fund to be distributed by the County Board, under such rules and regulations as may be adopted by the County Board, provided that no district shall participate in this distribution that does not levy a local tax for school purposes of at least 75 cents on each one hundred dollars property valuation of such district.
Acts 1927, 40th Leg., 1st C.S., p. 246, ch. 89;  Acts 1939, 46th Leg., Spec.L., p. 693, Sec. 1.