(a) Notwithstanding any provision of local law and subject to the applicable provisions of this article, the Baltimore City Board of School Commissioners may:
(1) Examine, appoint, and remove teachers;
(2) Set teacher qualifications;
(3) Set teacher salaries; and
(4) Select textbooks for the public schools in Baltimore City, except that the textbooks may not contain anything of a sectarian or partisan character.
(b) (1) The Baltimore City Board of School Commissioners shall report annually to the State Board on the condition of the schools under its jurisdiction.
(2) The report shall include a statement of:
(i) Expenditures;
(ii) The number of children taught; and
(iii) Any other statistical information the State Board requires.