CAC Bylaws

 

1.1 The name of the organization shall be the Community Advisory Committee for Special Education for the Poway Unified School District (CAC). 

1.2 The location of the Community Advisory Committee shall include those areas within the boundaries of the Poway Unified School District. 

2.1 The purpose of the Community Advisory Committee shall be to advise the District on the development, amendment, and review of the Local Plan for Special Education. 

2.2 The CAC shall recommend annual priorities to be addressed in the plan and: 

2.2.1 Assist in parent education and in recruiting parents who may contribute to the 
implementation of the plan. 

2.2.2 Support activities on behalf of individuals with exceptional needs. 

2.2.3 Assist in developing parent awareness of the importance of school attendance. 

3.1 The duties of the CAC shall be to carry out the Purposes of the CAC, as stated in Section 2, above, consistent with California Education Code, Part 30, Article 7. 

3.2 The District shall provide a complete draft of the Local Plan, in the manner it would be submitted to the State, so each CAC member will have access for review and comment, as soon as it is available, before it is presented to the Board of Education for adoption. Each CAC member shall have a chance to review and provide input on the draft for the Superintendent to review and provide feedback on. The Executive Team must read and review.

3.3 The CAC shall support children receiving Special Education services in the District by conducting and sponsoring activities and creating community awareness regarding matters of general interest and benefit to these children and their families. 

4.1 The CAC shall be composed of parents of individuals with exceptional needs enrolled in public or private schools, parents of other pupils enrolled in the District, special education teachers, students and adults with disabilities, general classroom teachers and other school personnel, representatives of other public and private agencies, and persons concerned with the needs of individuals with exceptional needs. 

4.2 The majority of the Committee shall be composed of parents of students enrolled in the District

4.3 The CAC shall be composed of - a maximum voting membership of between 15 and 18 members of whom at least 50% must be parents or guardians of children with exceptional needs. 

4.4 There shall be a membership sub-committee for the purpose of designating candidates for membership on the CAC. The continuing membership shall meet in the spring of each year to identify expected membership needs for the following fall. If needed, applications for membership shall be elicited at the beginning of the academic year which includes a fall membership drive and CAC membership shall be finalized by October meeting. The candidates shall be appointed by the District Board of Education at the November Board meeting. Appointment by the Board of Education from the list of candidates shall be made by the fall of the new school year.   

4.5 The voting members of the CAC shall be comprised of those members whose names were submitted by CAC and approved by the School Board. Non-voting members shall be designated as ex officio. 

4.6 The Chairperson (or Co-Chairpersons, in the event the CAC is comprised of Chairpersons) shall not vote except in the case of a tie. 

4.7 Terms of membership on the CAC shall be for at least two years. Each term shall commence the beginning of the school year and end two years hence. A CAC member’s term may be extended for a subsequent two-year period by notifying the membership sub-committee, as indicated in Section 4.4, above. 

Membership should be staggered to the extent possible to ensure that no more than one-half of the membership serves the first year of the term in any one year. 

4.8 The membership committee solicits nominations to ensure balanced composition from a variety of grade levels, disability areas, and geographical regions.
The membership sub-committee of the CAC, which shall include at least the CAC chair or co-chair, shall screen candidates for suitability and willingness to serve.
The membership committee solicits nominations to ensure balanced composition from a variety of grade levels, disability areas, and geographical regions.

4.9 Appointments by the membership subcommittee to fill a vacancy shall be for the remainder of the existing term. 

4.10 Any member who misses two consecutive or three total business meetings in a year must notify the CAC Chairperson at the time of the second missed meeting regarding his or her ability to continue membership. A member who misses two consecutive or three total business meetings who does not notify the CAC chairperson to express his or her interest and ability to serve as a CAC member may be removed by vote from CAC membership at a subsequent business meeting. 

4.11 Current CAC members shall indicate whether they will return for the subsequent school year by the last business meeting of the year. 

4.12 Any person may resign from an officer position and/or membership at any time before the term is up by submitting his or her resignation in writing to the Chairperson (or Co-Chairpersons, in the event the CAC is comprised of Co-Chairpersons). 

The PUSD District Board of Directors will appoint the slate of the CAC at the November board meeting.  Subsequent changes to the composition of the CAC do not need to be presented until the following November board meeting.  

5.1 The officers of the CAC shall be as follows: Chairperson, Co-Chairperson, and Secretary. The CAC may have two officers to serve as Co-Chairpersons, in which case they shall share the responsibilities identified below for Chairperson and Co-Chairperson. 

5.2 The CAC shall elect its own officers from within its membership for a 2-year term, as explained in section 5.3.1. 

5.3 Nomination of Officers: 

5.3.1 Any CAC member may nominate a new officer. Each prospective new officer, and each existing officer whose two-year term is expiring but who wishes to return for a subsequent two-year term, shall request consideration for office. A vote by the continuing CAC membership for the Chairperson or Co-Chairpersons and Secretary shall occur at the last business meeting of the year. The new term begins July 1.

5.3.2 Nominees must state a willingness to serve before election. 

5.4 Duties of Officers: 

5.4.1 The Chairperson shall: 

​Support children in the District receiving special education services in a manner consistent with the Purpose of the CAC as stated herein; 

Develop the agenda and preside over meetings;

Vote to break ties when necessary;

Assign duties and make appointments to subcommittees; each CAC member shall be a member of one or more CAC subcommittees;

Represent or appoint a representative, to represent CAC at other appropriate meetings, including but not limited to the annual year end report of CAC activities to the Board of Education;

Work, in conjunction with the District and CAC, to promote the purpose of the CAC within District;

Discharge the work of the CAC in a collegial and efficient manner;

Act as the liaison between the District and the CAC Membership to facilitate communication

 

5.4.2 The Co-Chairperson shall:

​Assume the duties of the Chairperson in his or her absence. 

Learn duties of Chair and become familiar with District, State, Federal policy. 

In partnership with the Chairperson of the CAC, Act as the liaison between the District and the CAC Membership to facilitate communication

 

5.4.3 The Secretary, or his or her designee, shall: 

​Keep attendance 

Take minutes at CAC meetings 

Perform written correspondence of the CAC 

See that all members are provided an opportunity to make additions  and presented with an agenda of upcoming meetings. 

 

6.1 All Sub-committees shall be selected by the Chairperson for a purpose or purposes determined by the CAC. All CAC members shall actively participate in one or more sub-committees convened by the CAC to support its priorities and objectives. 

6.2 Sub-committees shall function until the purpose for which they were formed has been completed and a report of their activities has been made to the CAC. 

6.3 A Chairperson shall be selected by each sub-committee to schedule meetings and report to the CAC. 

6.4 A sub-committee shall take no action without a formal meeting of the sub-committee and a CAC vote. 

6.5 Sub-committee meetings are not business meetings and may not be open to the public. 

7.1 The Associate Superintendent of Student Support Services or his/her designee shall call a meeting of the committee no later than September 30 of each year. The committee shall hold five business meetings during the school year and at least one CAC-sponsored parent education event during the school year. Additional meetings may be called if deemed necessary and require five calendar days’ prior notice. 

7.2 All business meetings shall be open to the public. The agenda shall be posted 72 hours in advance on the CAC’s website and elsewhere as appropriate. The Chairperson or Co-Chairperson will make an announcement to offer an opportunity for Public comment; the committee will not take any action at that time. 

7.3 The agenda for each meeting shall be prepared by the Chairperson or his or her designee. The agenda shall include a time for additional items recommended by members of the CAC. 

7.4 A quorum is 50% of the voting members of the CAC.  If quorum is not established no new business can be conducted by the CAC.  

7.5 The procedures not specified by these Bylaws for the conduct of meeting shall be governed by Robert’s Rules of Order Newly Revised. 

8.1 A proposed amendment shall be submitted to the membership at least one meeting prior to the time the amendment is to be acted upon. 

8.2 All changes to the Bylaws shall be consistent with the Local Plan. 

8.3  Changes made to the Local Plan should be incorporated into the CAC Bylaws immediately and voted by the CAC at the subsequent business meeting.

8.4 Amendments to the Bylaws shall require a vote of the majority of the membership. 

8.5 These Bylaws and amendments thereto shall become effective immediately upon adoption, unless otherwise specified.