Education Code section 5203

If the charter of any city provides for or has within two years prior to January 1, 1955, provided for a board of education of five members of a unified school district, and such charter has been or is hereafter amended so that it fails to provide for a board of education, a new board of education composed of five members is created under this section immediately upon the effective date of such amendment; the positions thereto shall be filled by appointment of the county superintendent of schools. The terms of the members first so appointed shall expire the first Friday in December of an odd-numbered year next following the effective date of such charter amendment, and an election shall be held for the members of such board at the time fixed by law for the regular election of members of governing boards of school districts, and the members so elected shall assume office on the first Friday in December following. If the effective date of such charter amendment is such that a legal election for board members cannot be held as aforesaid prior to the first day of December of an odd-numbered year next following such charter amendment, then the county superintendent of schools shall again appoint the members of such board who shall assume office on the first Friday in December as aforesaid. The terms of the board members who take office on the first Friday in December as aforesaid and thereafter shall be as follows:

(a)

If such members were elected, the three receiving the largest number of votes shall serve for four-year terms, and the remaining two members shall serve for two-year terms; and all subsequent members shall serve for four-year terms.

(b)

If such members were appointed, the county superintendent of schools, upon making the appointments, shall designate three members to serve for four-year terms, and two members to serve for two-year terms.
Except as herein otherwise provided, the members of the board shall be elected at the last time fixed by law for the election of members of governing boards of school districts prior to the commencement of a new term of office. If a general municipal election is to be held within 60 days prior to the time when an election for board members would be held as aforesaid, the board of education may, by resolution filed with the governing body of such city at least 60 days prior to such municipal election, call the school district election to coincide with the municipal election and request the governing body of such city to consolidate such elections in that portion of the school district which lies within such city, and the governing body of such city shall order such elections to be consolidated and to be held as are consolidated elections under the provisions of the Elections Code relating to consolidated elections, in which event the school district shall simultaneously with the holding of such consolidated election conduct an election in any portion of the district not included within such municipality. In the event of the holding of such consolidated election, the school district shall reimburse the city for its proportionate share of the costs of conducting such consolidated election in an amount to be agreed upon between the governing bodies of such school district and such city.

Source: Section 5203, https://leginfo.­legislature.­ca.­gov/faces/codes_displaySection.­xhtml?lawCode=EDC§ionNum=5203.­ (accessed May 12, 2025).

Last Updated

May 12, 2025

§ 5203’s source at ca​.gov