Running PA/PTA Elections May 2019

PA/PTA ELECTION BASIC REQUIREMENTS PA/PTA elections must be conducted according to Chancellor’s Regulation A-660 and the PA/PTA’s bylaws. PA/PTA elections for mandatory officers – president, recording secretary, and treasurer – must be conducted before the last day of school. If at least one mandatory officer is not elected by the last day of school, the PA/PTA will cease to exist. Elections for other officers, per the PA/PTA’s bylaws, should be conducted in the spring to the extent possible but may be held at the first PA/PTA meeting in the fall. How presentation will benefit audience: Adult learners are more interested in a subject if they know how or why it is important to them. Presenter’s level of expertise in the subject: Briefly state your credentials in this area, or explain why participants should listen to you.

CHANCELLOR’S REGULATION AND BYLAWS Chancellor’s Regulation A-660 provides the general requirements that must be followed for PA/PTA elections – they are meant to ensure a fair and inclusive election process open to all parents. The regulation also outlines the elements of the election process that must be included a PA/PTA’s bylaws. Bylaws lay out the process for conducting your PA/PTA’s elections. They also dictate the composition of your executive board. How presentation will benefit audience: Adult learners are more interested in a subject if they know how or why it is important to them. Presenter’s level of expertise in the subject: Briefly state your credentials in this area, or explain why participants should listen to you.

NOMINATING COMMITTEE - Composition Ideally formed at the February General Membership meeting and composed of 3-5 members. A PA/PTA member running for an officer position may not serve on the committee/team. (If you’re on the committee you are not eligible to run for office.) School staff are not eligible to serve as committee members even if they have children in the school. Note: If your PA/PTA doesn’t have a formal nominating committee, it should ensure that the tasks that the responsibilities are assumed by an eligible person or people.

NOMINATING COMMITTEE — Pre-Election Role Canvas parents for eligible candidates Send out nomination requests writing (use Request for Nomination Form* templates) Take nominations from the floor at general membership meetings Schedule elections and notify principal Create Election Meeting Notice* Use translated templates Give to principal/PC to distribute to all parents with at least 10 calendar days Prepare ballots*, sign in sheets, ballot box, tally sheets* Ensure voter eligibility is verified by a school staff member Lesson descriptions should be brief.

DEFINITION OF A PARENT Parent Birth of adoptive parent Step-parent Legally appointed guardian Foster parent “Person in parental relation” to a child Parental Relation = assumed care because child’s parents are unavailable due to: Death Imprisonment Mental illness Living outside the state Abandonment Note: According to the DOE, a person who provides temporary care of a child (e.g., a babysitter, nanny, or a custodial relative) does not qualify as a person in parental relation. The principal makes the determination based on documentation presented to the school prior to the election.

CANDIDATE ELIGIBILITY All current parents are eligible to run office (parents of incoming students are not). Candidates need not be present at the election to run for office. For spring elections, eligibility is determined by the nominating committee (with guidance from the school) before the election meeting. For expedited elections, eligibility is determined at the election by the principal, parent coordinator, or another school staff designee at the election meeting before voting begins. DISQUALIFICATIONS A parent with a conflict of interest (financial dealings with the PA/PTA, school, or district) A school employee, regardless of whether the school staff member has a child in the school Parents of incoming parent

CO-OFFICERS PA/PTA bylaws may allow for an office to be filled by co-officers, but co- officers cannot be required. Parents who wish to serve together as co-officers must run together during the election. The top two vote recipients MAY NOT be combined into co-officer after the election. If a co-officer resigns or is removed from the office, the remaining co-officer may decide whether to continue serving alone; if they decide not to continue alone, there must be an expedited election.

ELECTION MEETING NOTICE In writing Include date, time, and location of election List all executive board positions to be filled State that parents are eligible to hold office unless they are employees at the school Outline the mechanism(s) by which parents can become candidates for PA/PTA office and the date nominations close List term limits, if they are included in the bylaws Include date that notification was distributed to all parents and means of distribution Created by the nominating committee; distributed by the school at least 10 calendar days before the election is to be held Note: Candidates’ names may be included only if nominations are already closed.

ELECTION MEETING – Who Chairs If a nominating committee member cannot chair the election meeting, any parent member of the PA/PTA who is not a candidate can do so. If guidance is needed, the committee may request help from the appropriate Presidents’ Council or Superintendent’s office, but a parent member should still chair the election. If necessary to enable the election to occur at the election meeting, a member of the Presidents’ Council or Superintendent’s office may chair the election meeting. Note: The principal, principal’s designee, or parent coordinator may NEVER chair the election.

VOTER ELIGIBILITY ELIGIBILITY DISQUALIFICATIONS All members of the PA/PTA are eligible to vote. Parent voter eligibility should be determined by the principal, parent coordinator, or another school staff designee at the election meeting before ballots are distributed (using ATS, not the blue cards). All voting must occur in person. DISQUALIFICATIONS Parents of incoming students Supervisory Staff (principals, assistant principals, and supervisors) and parent coordinators – even if they have a child who attends the school

ELECTION MEETING – General Rules Before voting occurs and after voter eligibility is determined, candidates must be given an opportunity to address the membership. Candidates may allow a designee to read their statement. All voting must be done in person—not absentee ballots. Ballots must be used for contested offices. There is one election. If two or more candidates get the highest same number of votes, a runoff election must be conducted (for those candidates only).

FINALIZING THE ELECTION Ballots Absentee ballots are not allowed – all voting must be done in person Must be counted immediately following the conclusion of voting and in the presence of at least three observers from the meeting Cannot leave the room (or the principal’s office with a documented chain of custody) until all have been counted and the meeting is adjourned Must remain on school premises Election Certification Form The person running the election meeting should make sure the principal or designee (but not the parent coordinator) signs the ECF before the meeting adjourns PA/PTA officers must provide their contact information, including an email address. The completed ECF, including contact information for all officers, must be provided to the principal/parent coordinator and superintendent’s office within 5 days of the election. Note: Many PA/PTAs conduct the SLT election immediately after the PA/PTA election is finalized.

EXPEDITED ELECTIONS – When Needed Establishing a PA/PTA in a new school Re-establishing a PA/PTA that has ceased to function/exist Filling an officer vacancy that cannot be filled by succession* *Succession refers to the process by which an officer may be asked to fill (or succeed to) the next highest office. The order of success is outlined in a PA/PTA’s bylaws.

EXPEDITED ELECTION – How to Run Process should be enumerated in PA/PTA’s bylaws. CR A-660 requirements are similar to those for regular elections except for chairing the meeting, the nomination process, and timing. A parent member who is not seeking office should chair the election meeting. (A representative from the appropriate Presidents’ Council or superintendent’s office may advise the parent chair or chair the meeting if necessary.) Nominations are taken from the floor for each office. The Election Notice must state that nominations are taken from the floor so parents understand how the expedited election will be conducted.

EXPEDITED ELECTIONS — Deadlines September 30 – For new schools, PA/PTAs that failed to conduct a valid annual election before the last day of school, and PA/PTAs where all three mandatory offices were vacated over the summer October 15 – For officer vacancies that exist at the beginning of the year, as long as at least one mandatory office is filled “As soon as possible” – For PA/PTAs that cease to function during the school year and for officer vacancies that occur during the year and cannot be filled by succession (with at least 5 calendar days notice given to parents of the election meeting)

ELECTION GRIEVANCE PROCESS Complaint/Grievance Parent/complainant must be submitted in writing to the superintendent’s office within 5 calendar days of the election to electiongrievances@schools.nyc.gov Must include complainant’s name and contact information Response The superintendent’s office investigates the complaint/grievance Must send decision letter to complainant (parent) within 10 calendar days of receiving the complaint In extraordinary circumstances, the superintendent’s office may refer the grievance to FACE, notifying the complainant in writing Appeal Within 5 calendar days of the superintendent’s decision, complainant may appeal, in writing, to FACE at electiongrievances@schools.nyc.gov FACE will investigate grievance and render a final and binding decision on the the appeal within 10 calendar days.

EXAMPLES OF APPROPRIATE GRIEVANCES Election notice is sent fewer than 10 calendar days before the election Candidate campaigned on the school property Vote tampering – i.e., ballots counted outside the meeting room Voter eligibility is not determined correctly Candidate is not a parent or guardian of a child registered at the school Note: Grievances must be based on a violation of the election process outlined in either CR A-660 or the PA/PTA bylaws. A grievance may not be brought to contest an undesirable outcome.

TRUE OR FALSE Your PA/PTA will cease to exist if you don’t elect mandatory officers before the last day of school. If you want to include incoming parents on your executive board, you should hold off on elections until the fall. CR A-660 allows for co-officer positions. If the only two people willing to run for president will do so as co-presidents, they should be able to run as co-officers so you can conduct the election before the end of the school year. Once elections are held and the board transition meeting has occurred, the next executive board’s term begins, even if its before the end of the school year. If two or more candidates are tied with the highest number of votes, a run-off election must be held.

MOCK ELECTION

THANK YOU FOR COMING & ALL YOU DO FOR OUR SCHOOLS THANK YOU FOR COMING & ALL YOU DO FOR OUR SCHOOLS! RESOURCES: PTAlink – www.ptalink.org info@ptalink.org rachel@ptalink.org marta@ptalink.org Division of Family and Community Empowerment 212-374-4118 face@schools.nyc.gov www.nyc.gov/schools electiongrievances@schools.nyc.gov