LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND TAXATION 89 



Although the superintendents are direct employees of the state board, 

 they are nominated by the joint boards of the respective supervisory 

 unions. The superintendents nominate teachers for election by local 

 school boards which fix their salaries and term of employment, but 

 either the superintendent or local board is empowered to remove a 

 teacher for cause. Local school boards are authorized by law (and 

 required by regulations of the state board) to recpiire attendance of 

 the superintendent at all meetings of the board, which must meet as 

 often as once every two months. The superintendent presents to the 

 local board the problems which he has observed and may make 

 recommendations for action, but he does not participate m the vote 

 of the board members. Inasmuch as the superintendent is the director 

 and supervisor of instruction and has close contact with the schools 

 and with the state department, his presence at board meetings is ex- 

 ceedingly valuable to the district. Moreover, the superintendent bene- 

 fits to the extent that he is informed of the action taken by board 

 members on district matters. Furthermore, the state department, 

 through the superintendent, is better informed of local policies. 



State aid for the purpose of equalizing educational opportunities 

 and tax burdens is limited to elementary schools. Conditions are such 

 that many children are deprived of a high school education for finan- 

 cial reasons. The statutes provide that a child is renuired to attend 

 school until he has reached the age of 16 unless he has previouslv 

 completed the studies prescribed for the elementary schools, in which 

 case he may leave school at the age of 14. However, any district not 

 maintaining a high school is liable for the tuition of each child at- 

 tending a high school or academy in some other district, but not in 

 excess of the average cost per child of instruction of that school, or 

 of all public high schools of the state (plus the costs of textbooks and 

 supplies), whichever is greater. There is no provision for transpor- 

 tation to secondary schools at public expense, and consequently only 

 a small proportion of the districts annually appropriate money for 

 high school transportation. In one instance families pay fifty cents 

 per day for such transportation. Undoubtedly there are other cases 

 more severe or with no facilities at all. 



To equalize educational opportunities in the elementary schools, 

 several statutes are applicable. ^"^ Every school must maintain pre- 

 scribed educational standards ^^ and every district is required to levy 

 a tax of $3.50 for each $1,000 of assessed valuation for the support of 

 its schools. Any excess above the necessary amount, as determined 

 by the state department, is required to be paid over to the state trea- 

 surer who credits the amount to the state department of education. 

 Upon recommendation of the state department the state legislature 

 appropriates money for state aid to school districts in which a tax of 

 one-half of one percent of the equalized valuation of the district is in- 



" Revised Laws, 1941, Chapter 140. 



^^ Revised Laws, 1941, Chapter 135, Section 24, defines a standard school as ". . . one 

 maintained for at least thirty-six weeks in each year, in a suitable and sanitary building, equipped 

 with approved furniture, books, maps and other necessary appliances, taught by an approved teach- 

 er, directed and supervised by an approved superintendent, with suitable provision for the care of 

 the health and physical welfare of all pupils." 



