BDF-R-2 – Special Education Advisory Committee (By-Laws)

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ARTICLE I - Name of Advisory Committee The name of this advisory committee shall be the Special Education Advisory Committee ("SEAC"). ARTICLE II - Objectives The objective of the advisory committee is to assist the District in implementing the Exceptional Children's Education Act ("ECEA"), found at C.R.S. § 22-20-101 et seq. and the Individuals with Disabilities in Education Act ("IDEA"), found at 20 U.S.C. § 1400 et seq. In achieving this purpose, the advisory committee will provide advice and assistance by: 1.Collaborating with District staff to facilitate discussions relating to compliance with laws concerning students with disabilities in the District; 2.Creating relationships and strengthening partnerships with parents of students with disabilities, the District, and community agencies by providing a forum that promotes engagement, education, advocacy, networking, and collective problem solving on behalf of students with disabilities consistent with the requirements of the ECEA and the IDEA. The advisory committee sets the following goals:
  1. To function as an advisory committee to the Assistant Superintendent of Special Populations and the Directors of Special Education.
  2. To become knowledgeable of programs, personnel and services in the District, which are designed to meet the needs of students with disabilities by;
    1. Reviewing districtwide comprehensive efforts to program for students with disabilities; and
    2. Meeting with any individual or group that may want to propose additions to or changes in District programming;
  3. To be knowledgeable of state laws, rules, regulations and guidelines affecting schools, students, programs and services in relation to students with disabilities;
  4. To improve communication with all stakeholders, serve as liaison with the community and disseminate information about special education services in the District;
  5. To contribute suggestions concerning long‑range planning, establishment of District goals and objectives, and evaluating programs regarding special education in the District; and
  6. To participate in needs assessments, to make recommendations to the Assistant Superintendent of Special Populations and the Directors of Special Education concerning policies and practices related to special education, and to make recommendations for program improvement.
  7. To further the District's commitment to diversity and equity, including diversity based on race, color, ancestry, creed, sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, religion, sexual orientation, national origin, marital status, age, disability, need for special education services, ability, and neurodiversity by creating an inclusive community united in supporting students with disabilities. To fulfill this objective, SEAC will endeavor to:
    1. Assess beliefs and practices to ensure inclusiveness and guard against discrimination;
    2. Practice inclusivity through membership, leadership, programs, partnerships, and communications;
    3. Eliminate practices that promote inequity or inequality; and
    4. Provide language support services for families and caregivers as needed to support accessibility to SEAC communications and meetings.

The committee will have no power to enter into contracts of any nature on behalf of the District or to spend District funds except in cases of committee expenses approved by the Assistant Superintendent of Special Populations. In the absence of written consent, no committee member will be required to provide any money, property, or service other than services described herein to the committee. The committee will have no power to bind any member or the District to any debt, liability or obligation in the absence of an express written authorization from the party to be bound.

The committee will have no powers beyond those expressly set forth herein.

ARTICLE III - Members Section 1 - Composition of Advisory Committee The needs and resources of the District require that membership be obtained from a broad range of interested persons and that there be a maximum effort to involve residents and parents of students who participate in special education programs. To satisfy this requirement, the minimum standards for representation on the committee will be:
  1. Not less than 50 percent of total membership will be parents of students with disabilities in the District. They will represent students across various disability categories.
  2. There will be professional representation with no more than 25 percent of the total membership made up of Special Education teachers, administrators, and other District staff who work with students with disabilities, , and general education representatives.
  3. No more than 25 percent of total membership will include other interested persons associated with the District, representatives from non‑public school agencies responsible for the education of students with disabilities such as private and parochial schools, leadership from the local community such as civic, business, labor, ethnic or religious groups, and representatives from other public health and welfare agencies that provide services to students with disabilities.
All committee members will enjoy the full rights and obligations of membership. Section 2 - Selection of Members Members will be officially approved by the Assistant Superintendent of Special Populations based upon the advisory committee's recommendation of names having been presented to the committee and receiving a favorable majority vote of committee members present. Members must demonstrate interest and concern for the welfare of children to be served by the District's education programs. Section 3 - Term of Office All committee members will serve two‑year terms and may be reappointed with the approval of the committee and the Assistant Superintendent of Special Populations. Upon termination of membership, each committee member is encouraged to submit to the committee a name or names of a prospective member for replacement who will correspond to the same category of membership presently held. A name presented and receiving a favorable majority vote of members present will be forwarded to the Assistant Superintendent of Special Populations for approval. Section 4 - Voting Rights Each member will be entitled to one vote and may cast that vote on each matter submitted to a vote of the committee. Proxy voting and absentee ballots will not be allowed. The Directors of Special Education will be ex officio members and will have no voting privileges. Section 5 - Termination of Membership A member will no longer hold membership when such member ceases to be a resident of the District or otherwise terminates the relationship with SEAC. Membership will be re‑evaluated for any member who is absent from all regular and special meetings for a period of three months without excuse. The committee by affirmative vote of two‑thirds of the members present is required to suspend or expel a member. Section 6 - Resignation Any member may resign by filing a written resignation with the committee chairperson. Section 8 - Vacancy A vacancy on the committee will be filled for the remainder of the unexpired term by submitting a name(s) to the committee. Upon receiving a favorable majority vote of members present, the name of the selected new member will be forwarded to the Assistant Superintendent of Special Populations for approval. ARTICLE IV - Officers Section 1 - Officers The officers of the advisory committee will be co‑chairpersons, vice chairperson, secretary and such other officers as the committee may deem desirable. The co‑chairpersons will be a professional and a parent of a student with a disability. Section 2 - Election and Term of Office The officers will be elected annually in April and will serve for a minimum of one year and until their successors have been elected and qualified. Section 3 - Duties
  1. The co‑chairpersons will:
    1. Preside at all meetings of the advisory committee
    2. Sign all letters, reports and other communications of the committee
    3. Perform all duties incident to the office and such other duties as may be proscribed by the committee from time to time
  2. The vice chairperson will:
    1. Perform those duties of the co‑chairpersons which are assigned to them by the chairpersons
    2. Substitute for a co‑chairperson during their absence
  3. The secretary will:
    1. Be responsible for and keep on file the minutes of SEAC meetings
    2. Submit a copy of the minutes at least one week prior to the next meeting to committee members and such other persons as the co‑chairpersons deem necessary
    3. Notify members of date, location and time of all meetings
    4. Be custodian of all committee minutes and records
    5. Keep an updated list of, email addresses, and telephone numbers of each committee member
    6. Perform all duties assigned to the office by the co‑chairpersons
Section 4 - Vacancy A vacancy in any office because of death, resignation, removal, disqualification or otherwise may be filled by the committee for the unexpired portion or term. Section 5 - Expulsion Any officer elected or appointed by the committee may be removed by a two‑thirds of vote of all members whenever in the judgment of the committee the best interest of the committee would be served. ARTICLE V-Committees Section 1 - Standing and Special Committees The advisory committee may from time to time establish and abolish such standing, sub‑ or special committees as it may desire. No standing, sub‑ or special committee may exercise the authority of the advisory committee. Section 2 - Membership The co‑chairpersons of the advisory committee will appoint members to the various committees. Section 3 - Quorum A majority of the committee will constitute a quorum, and the act of the members present at a meeting at which a quorum is present will be the act of the committee. Section 4 - Vacancy A vacancy in the membership of any committee may be filled by an appointment made by the co-chairpersons. ARTICLE VI - Meetings of the Advisory Committee Section 1 - Regular Meetings The advisory committee will meet regularly once each month during the conventional calendar school year excluding December. Section 2 - Special Meetings Special meetings may be called by the co‑chairpersons or by majority vote of the committee. Section 3 - Place of Meetings The committee will hold its regular monthly meetings and its special meetings in a District facility. Section 4 - Notice of Meetings Members shall be notified of regular and special meetings through the website and/or via email. Members shall be notified of any change in the established date, time or location through the website and/or via email. Section 5 - Decision of Advisory Committee All decisions of the committee will be made only after an affirmative vote of a majority of members in attendance, provided a quorum is present. Section 6 - Meetings Open to School Representatives All regular and special meetings of the advisory committee and its standing or special committees will be open to representatives of the District and all interested parties. ARTICLE VII - Amendments Amendments to these by‑laws may be recommended by a two‑third affirmative vote of the members of the advisory committee present with approval of the Amendments made by the District Board of Education. Originally Approved prior to 1991 Reapproved at time of manual adoption on July 13, 1992 Current Revision: June 12, 2023 Adoption Date: July 13, 1992 Last Revised: November 13, 2023
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