Board of Education

Board Members (left to right): Randy Phillips (chair), Amber Franceschi (vice chair), Billy Montgomery, Amy Hart, and Cliff Prewitt.

The Mercer County Board of Education meets on the third Tuesday of each month. Meetings begin at 5:30 pm and are held in the meeting room at Central Office, 530 Perryville Street unless noted otherwise. As part of their monthly meetings, the Board of Education recognizes students and staff for outstanding accomplishments, as well as businesses and community leaders for their contributions and support of the students in the school district.

POWERS AND DUTIES OF THE BOARD OF EDUCATION 01.11

General Powers and Duties of the Board

ESTABLISHMENT OF SCHOOLS
The Board has general control and management of the public schools in its district. The Board may establish schools and provide for courses and other services it deems necessary for the promotion of education and the general health and welfare of pupils, consistent with the administrative regulations of the Kentucky Board of Education.

REQUEST FOR WAIVERS AND EXEMPTIONS
The Board may authorize the Superintendent to request, on behalf of the District, a waiver of state regulations and/or reporting requirements established by a Kentucky Revised Statute requiring paperwork to be submitted to the Kentucky Board of Education or the Department of Education as permitted by statute.
When approved as a district of innovation by the Kentucky Board of Education, the District may be granted waivers and exemptions from selected Kentucky Administrative Regulations, Kentucky Revised Statutes, and, for a school of innovation, certain Board policies. A school may decide whether it voluntarily chooses to be designated as a school of innovation and, thus, be included in the District's application and plan. However, the Board may require a school identified as persistently low-achieving under KRS 160.346 to participate in the District's plan of innovation.

SCHOOL FUNDS AND PROPERTY
The Board has control and management of all school funds and public school property and may use its funds and property to promote public education.

ADMINISTRATION
The Board shall exercise generally all powers prescribed by law in the administration of the public school system, appoint the Superintendent of schools, create and abolish positions, establish job classifications, and fix the compensation of employees.

MANAGEMENT
The Board may set goals for the District and shall make and adopt and may amend or repeal policies for its meetings and proceedings for the management of the schools and school property of the district, for the transaction of its business, and for the qualifications and duties of employees and the conduct of pupils.

SUBPOENA
The Board may, in any investigation or proceeding before it, concerning a matter that may be a proper subject of inquiry by it, summon witnesses by subpoena, enforce their attendance, and require that they testify under properly administered oath.

INSURANCE

The Board may set aside funds to provide for liability and indemnity insurance against the negligence of the drivers or operators of school buses, other motor vehicles, and mobile equipment owned or operated by the Board. The Board may expend funds necessary for liability insurance premiums and for the defense of any civil action brought against an individual Board member in an official or individual capacity, or both, on account of an act made in the scope and course of the performance of legal duties as a Board member. The Board shall make available liability insurance coverage for the protection of all members of school councils from liability arising in the course of pursuing their duties as members of the councils.