The Polk County Board of Education will soon be made up of ten members representing four districts as the result of action taken by the county commissioners Thursday, December 17.
Election Supervisor Nathan Hinton presented an amendment to the county’s Private Act that said this was the best option for making the change, which mirrors the new makeup of the county commission.
The changes were required by law as the result of the 2020 Census.
The school board will now consist of ten members, three from district one, two from district two, three from district three and two from district four.
Approximately half the members will be elected every two years. To accomplish this, the act says that in the August 2022 election one school board member will be elected to a four-year term from districts one, two and three. In district four, one member will be elected to a four-year term and one to a two-year term.
Hinton said that in the district four contests, qualifying candidates would have to designate if they were running for the two- or four-year term and the races would be separate on the ballot.
In the August 2024 election, two board members each will be elected from districts one and three, and one each from districts two and four.
No current board member will have their term cut short.
Commissioners voted to accept the amendment.