The Board of Education, District, and local school are neutral in the selection of a parent school support association/organization.   No endorsement is given or should be implied. Use of District or school logos is not allowed without permission of the District.

All petition and election procedure activities associated with this process shall not occur on District property during school hours (including 60 minutes before or after school hours) or at District functions, or use District equipment, supplies, or any other District resources. This applies to the current and applicant association/organization.

A new/alternative parent school support association/organization may seek recognition by the Board of Education according to the procedures outlined below. Please refer to Exhibit—1 illustrating the timing of the procedure.

1. Step 1 – Notice of Intent/Application: An applicant association/organization submits a notice of intent to the Office of the Superintendent, including proposed bylaws and policies of the association/organization, and 25 individual signatures (electronic signatures are not allowed) of a parent/legal guardian with a student enrolled at the local school, as listed in the official registration files, indicating support of the notice of intent and application.
   1. Proposed bylaws and policies must include, but are not limited to:
      1. A sustainable governance structure, including officers and school representatives.
      2. Membership provisions:
         1. annual opt-in;
         2. employee participation; and
         3. secondary student component.
      3. Nondiscrimination policies;
      4. Fiscal accountability practices and procedures requiring an annual review and independent audit. Verification of an independent audit report must be submitted to the Board of Education or designee; and
      5. A process for membership approval of an annual budget, including dues, if any.
   2. The District will only accept a notice of intent and application prior to October 1 in the current school year.
   3. The notice of intent and application are reviewed and verified by the Superintendent or designee. This review may take up to 30 calendar days.
   4. The District will notify the applicant association/organization, the current parent school support association/organization, and the Board of Education whether the notice of intent and application is approved and verified.
   5. Once approved and verified, the District will provide the applicant and current associations/organizations a list of parents/legal guardians with a student enrolled at the local school (i.e., directory information as allowed under FERPA).
   6. The District will provide a list of employees interested in receiving communications and information from the associations/organizations. Employees must express this interest in writing to the Superintendent or designee.
   7. The issuance of the above lists commences the time period for the five-year cycle.
2. Step 2 – Petition for Election: Once the applicant association/organization receives notice of approval and verification, the applicant association/organization is provided 30 calendar days to file a petition for election.  Both organizations may campaign during the petition period.
   1. The petition for election requires signatures (electronic signatures are not allowed) of at least 25% of the parents/legal guardians at the local school, as listed in the official registration files, in support of an election to determine the recognized parent school support association/organization.
   2. During the petition period of 30 calendar days, the applicant association/organization and current association/organization may not collect petition signatures or campaign on school/District property during school hours (including 60 minutes before or after school hours), or at school/District related activities or functions, or use District equipment, supplies, or any other District resource to collect petition signatures or campaign.
      1. The local school will facilitate distribution of one (1) electronic flyer each from the applicant organization and the current organization during the petition period.
      2. The District will facilitate and set an agenda for one (1) community meeting where each association/organization will have an opportunity to present information to the parents/legal guardians in the school.
   3. Once a petition for election is submitted to the Office of the Superintendent, the Superintendent or designee is allowed up to 30 calendar days for verification of the petition for election.
      1. If the petition for election is verified by the Superintendent, the Superintendent or designee will set an election date and provide notice of the election period.
      2. If the petition for election is not verified, a subsequent notice of intent and application may not be submitted for that school for at least (5) five years.
3. Step 3 – Election: Upon verification and notice of an approved petition for election, the Superintendent or designee will designate an election period for 15 calendar days.
   1. The applicant organization and current organization may not actively campaign on District property during school hours (including 60 minutes before or after school hours) or at District functions, or use District equipment, supplies, or any other District resource to campaign.
   2. Election Rules and Procedures:
      1. The Superintendent or designee will schedule an election date. Voting will be conducted by secret ballot.
      2. The District Administration will mail out an official ballot with instructions on how to cast a vote to eligible voters at the address of district record. Parents are responsible to update their address of record prior to ballots being mailed.
         1. An eligible voter is a parent/legal guardian as listed in the official registration files at the local school or an adult employee of the school. If a parent/legal guardian is also an employee at the local school he/she is entitled to one vote.
      3. Only ballots received or postmarked by the election deadline that adhere to the ballot instructions will be verified and counted.
      4. The parent school support association/organization with a majority of the votes cast will become the recognized parent school support association/organization for the next school year commencing on July 1.
      5. The Board of Education will ratify the election at a Board meeting.
4. Step 4 – Final Approval:
   1. The prevailing association/organization has sixty (60) calendar days to provide verification of the following information:
      1. proof of application for tax-exempt status, EIN number, and a charitable solicitation agreement or an agreement with the District for financial oversight to comply with the exemptions under the Charitable Solicitation Act.
   2. Upon verification of the above information, the Board of Education will recognize the parent school support association/organization beginning July 1.
   3. If the applicant parent school support association/organization cannot meet the above requirements, the Board of Education will not provide recognition.
5. Miscellaneous:
   1. If a parent school support association/organization dissolves prior to July 1 in a current school year, a former parent school support association/organization may be recognized at the discretion of the Board.
   2. Any situations or disputes that arise regarding the validity of a document, parent/legal guardian signature, election procedures, or any other circumstances that arise from these procedures, the Superintendent or designee will make the final decision following Board policies and procedures.
   3. A request for the review of a decision made by the Superintendent or designee must be made within five (5) calendar days.