State Codes and Statutes

Statutes > Connecticut > Title10 > Chap166 > Sec10-157

      Sec. 10-157. Superintendents: Relationship to local or regional board of education; verification of certification status; waiver of certification; written contract of employment; evaluation of superintendent by board of education. (a) Any local or regional board of education shall provide for the supervision of the schools under its control by a superintendent who shall serve as the chief executive officer of the board. The superintendent shall have executive authority over the school system and the responsibility for its supervision. Employment of a superintendent shall be by election of the board of education. Except as provided in subsection (b) of this section, no person shall assume the duties and responsibilities of the superintendent until the board receives written confirmation from the Commissioner of Education that the person to be employed is properly certified or has had such certification waived by the commissioner pursuant to subsection (c) of this section. The commissioner shall inform any such board, in writing, of the proper certification, waiver of certification or lack of certification or waiver of any such person not later than fourteen days after the name of such person is submitted to the commissioner pursuant to section 10-226. A majority vote of all members of the board shall be necessary to an election, and the board shall fix the salary of the superintendent and the term of office, which shall not exceed three years. Upon election and notification of employment or reemployment, the superintendent may request and the board shall provide a written contract of employment which includes, but not be limited to, the salary, employment benefits and term of office of such superintendent. Such superintendent shall, at least three weeks before the annual town or regional school district meeting, submit to the board a full written report of the proceedings of such board and of the condition of the several schools during the school year preceding, with plans and suggestions for their improvement. The board of education shall evaluate the performance of the superintendent annually in accordance with guidelines and criteria mutually determined and agreed to by such board and such superintendent.

      (b) A local or regional board of education may appoint as acting superintendent a person who is or is not properly certified for a specified period of time, not to exceed ninety days, with the approval of the Commissioner of Education. Such acting superintendent shall assume all duties of the superintendent for the time specified, provided such period of time may be extended with the approval of the commissioner, which he shall grant for good cause shown.

      (c) The commissioner may grant a waiver of certification to a person who the commissioner deems to be exceptionally qualified for the position of superintendent. In order for the commissioner to find a person exceptionally qualified, such person shall (1) be an acting superintendent pursuant to subsection (b) of this section, (2) have worked as a superintendent in another state for no fewer than fifteen years, and (3) be certified or have been certified as a superintendent by such other state.

      (1949 Rev., S. 1442; P.A. 78-218, S. 112; P.A. 81-196; P.A. 85-54, S. 1, 3; P.A. 07-241, S. 4.)

      History: P.A. 78-218 specified applicability to local and regional boards of education rather than town boards and deleted references to supervising agents; P.A. 81-196 clarified the rights and responsibilities of superintendents of schools and the employing board of education by specifying that superintendent is the chief executive officer of the board and has executive authority over the school system, that board must provide the superintendent with a written contract of employment or reemployment if the superintendent so requests and that board shall evaluate the superintendent annually in accordance with guidelines mutually agreed to by the board and the superintendent; P.A. 85-54 added requirement that no person assume duties and responsibilities of superintendent until hiring board receives confirmation from commissioner that person is properly certified, and added provision allowing certified or uncertified person as acting superintendent with commissioner's approval as Subsec. (b); P.A. 07-241 amended Subsec. (a) to make technical changes and add references to waiver of certification and added Subsec. (c) re waiver of certification, effective July 1, 2007.

      Superintendent appointed for fixed term does not hold over de jure. 127 C. 426. Cited. 129 C. 191. Cited. 152 C. 568. Cited. 228 C. 640.

      Superintendent of schools is not an employee to be hired by contract but a public officer to be elected. 10 CS 404.

      Subsec. (a):

      Cited. 30 CA 594.