School Board of the City of Virginia Beach
Bylaw 1-4

The responsibilities listed below are those of the School Board acting as a unit and not of the several members individually except insofar as each individual member has the duty of giving thought and attention to all matters for which the Board is responsible and of contributing to the considerations and discussions through which the Board arrives at conclusions and takes appropriate actions.

Although enumeration of all duties and responsibilities of the Board is impractical, the following are among the most important:

1. Appointing the division Superintendent.
2. Evaluate the Superintendent annually using criteria which include, but are not limited to: assessing teacher and administrator skills and knowledge; improving student academic progress; providing for school safety; and, enforcing student discipline.
3. Adopt for use by the Superintendent clearly defined criteria for a performance evaluation process for principals, assistant principals, and supervisors that includes, among other things, an assessment of such administrators' skills and knowledge; student academic progress and school gains in student learning; and, effectiveness in addressing school safety and enforcing student discipline.
4. Develop a procedure for use by the Superintendent and principals in evaluating instructional personnel that is appropriate to the tasks performed and addresses, among other things, student academic progress and the skills and knowledge of instructional personnel, including but not limited to, instructional methodology, classroom management, and subject matter knowledge.
5. Establishing general policies to be employed in the conduct of the public schools.
6. Providing oversight through the formulation and administration of rules and regulations governing Board procedures.
7. Seeing that the School laws are properly explained, observed, and enforced.
8. Securing, by visitation or otherwise, information about the conduct of the schools in the division and taking care that they are conducted efficiently and in accordance with the law. During such visitation, in accordance with Bylaw 1-23, Board members have no authority to direct the action of school employees or students, and any suggestions or concerns should initially be directed to the Superintendent or his designee.
9. Caring for, manage, and control the property of the school division and providing for the erection, furnishing, equipping, and operating of necessary school buildings.
10. Providing for the consolidation of schools or redistricting of school boundaries or adopting pupil assignment plans whenever such procedure will contribute to the efficiency of the school division.
11. Operating and maintaining the schools in the division, consistent with state statutes and regulations of the Board of Education.
12. Determining the length of the school term, the studies to be pursued, the governance and methods of teaching within the schools, consistent with statutes and Board of Education Regulations.
13. Controlling school finances by establishing priorities and aligning financial resources in accordance with the Board's strategic plan. This includes, but is not limited to, examining and approving the budget and capital outlays, awarding contracts, fixing salary schedules and wages, overseeing all business transactions, as well as regularly auditing all accounts.
14. On recommendation of the Superintendent, employing staff, apportioning their duties, and providing for handling all related personnel problems.
15. Maintaining and improving the school plant.
16. Presenting the needs of the schools to the governing body.
17. Representing the schools and the educational program before the public generally as opportunity occurs.
18. As set forth in School Board Policies and Division Regulations, acting as a "court of appeals" for employees and laymen citizens who have grievances and students who have disciplinary matters that have already been heard by the proper administrative official(s) without satisfactory resolution.
19. Appointing advisory committee members.