BY-LAWS OF THE LINCOLN, RHODE ISLAND

LOCAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON SPECIAL EDUCATION

ARTICLE I: NAME

The name of this panel shall be the Lincoln Special Education Advisory Committee (LSEAC).

ARTICLE II: FUNCTIONS AND RESPONSIBILITIES

The Local Advisory Committee shall advise the Lincoln School District on matters concerning the needs of students and:

(RI Reg. 300.150c)

  1. Serve as advocates in partnership with parents for students with disabilities to ensure that they receive the entitlements provided to them under State and Federal laws;
  2. Comment on improvement plans including school support plans resulting from Part B compliance reports;
  3. Comment publicly on the Lincoln School districts compliance with State and Federal laws pertaining to the education of students with disabilities; and
  4. Comment on applications for Federal and State funds.

ARTICLE III: OPERATING PROCEDURES

  • The committee will run as a pro-active collaborative partnership between Lincoln parents, students, educators, administrators etc. and school committee members with each participant encouraged to volunteer to perform a variety of roles at any given meeting i.e. time keeper, recording secretary etc.
  • The advisory committee shall meet as often as necessary to conduct its business, but at least 4 (four) times annually. (RI Reg. 300.150e)
  • By July 1 of each year, the Leadership Team shall submit an annual report of committee activities and suggestions to the School District. This report must be made available to the public. The contents of this report must also be a collective effort of the advisory committee.
  • Official minutes shall be kept of all committee meetings and be available for public review.
  • All committee meetings and agendas shall be publicly announced prior to any meeting.
  • All meetings shall be open to the public.
  • The advisory committee members shall serve without compensation, but may be reimbursed for reasonable and necessary expenses for attending meetings and performing duties.
  • All participants of the Special Education Advisory Committee (LSEAC) shall be provided with a copy of the by-laws, and the by-laws will be available at each meeting, and also on the Lincoln website.
  1. LEADERSHIP TEAM: This team shall be composed of no less then (4) four, but no more than (6) six parents/legal guardians from the general membership. All members will be encouraged to take on active leadership roles via sub-committees etc.

The Leadership Team will be responsible for: meeting with the Lincoln public school administration as needed, preparing the annual report, facilitating meetings, reviewing laws, setting the agenda, and general administrative tasks etc. As an added responsibility leadership team members will encourage and foster all members of the Lincoln Special Education Advisory Committee to represent the LSEAC on other committees i.e. PTA’s, at the building level with principals as a “liaison” contact for the LSEAC, and in all other related areas so that individuals can develop strong “pro-active” advocating skills for themselves and to assist others within the district.

As equal participants, each Leadership Team member will be responsible for performing a variety of aforementioned roles as needed.

  1. TERM OF OFFICE: Leadership opportunities will be available to all advisory committee members biannually in May with terms to begin the following September. The length of each term will be two years.
  1. LEADERSHIP TEAM OPPORTUNITIES: Leadership Team opportunities will be announced (a) when an individual of the leadership team resigns and (b) in April prior to May voting.

Interested members must inform the committee of their intent to apply as a member of the Leadership Team. In the event that candidates are not forthcoming, then it will be the responsibility of the leadership team to seek out candidates.

If a member of the Leadership Team needs to resign at any given point in the year, the remaining members of the team will inform the general membership of the vacancy and seek a candidate to fill the position. Candidates should submit a letter of intent to the leadership team by the designated deadline posted in the notice of vacancy.

  1. NOMINATION COMMITTEE:

The Nomination Committee shall consist of a Leadership Team Representative, a parent (who is a formal member), a teacher and an administrator. It will be the responsibility of the Nomination Committee to contact formal member(s) and encourage those members to apply for leadership position(s), a member of the Nomination committee shall formally announce the individual(s) intent to apply.

ARTICLE IV: APPOINTMENT OF MEMBERS

  • The School Committee of each local educational or regional special education program shall appoint an Advisory Committee on Special Education. (RI Reg. 300.150a)

MEMBERSHIP

The Advisory committee must be composed of individuals involved in or concerned with the education of children with disabilities. (RI Reg. 300.150 b)

  1. Parents of students with disabilities shall compose a majority of the committee membership;
  2. An individual with a disability;
  3. A special education teacher;
  4. A general education teacher;
  5. A public school administrator; and
  6. Other members of the community at the discretion of the Lincoln Special Education Advisory committee and the Lincoln school committee.

The Director of Student Services will be a prominent consulting member of the committee.

At the beginning of each school year, a membership drive will be conducted to ensure that the LSEAC membership roster is up to date. The Leadership Team will retain this list on data base for communication.

Formal membership requires individuals to complete a membership enrollment form indicating their commitment to participate in committee activities and attend meetings on a regular basis.

At the beginning of each school year, a membership drive will be conducted to ensure that the LAC membership roster is up to date with individuals willing to be formal members. The Leadership Team will retain this list of formal members. When alternates to formal members are to fill vacancies, the Leadership Team will be responsible for reviewing the list of participating members and will ask these members if they wish to become formal members. This list will be taken from (a) the formal membership drive and (b) a review of monthly participants who are not yet formal members.

Each advisory committee member shall serve as an equal participant.

Formal membership is necessary in the event that a vote is required.

ARTICLE V: VOTING RIGHTS

Each formal member shall be entitled to one vote and may cast that vote on each matter submitted to a vote of the committee. The voting by a person serving as a substitute and absentee ballots shall not be permitted.

*For voting purposes, a minimum number of members will be defined as 50% of formal members of the committee must be present for a valid vote. Attendees will not have voting rights.

VOTING PROCEDURES

Voting will be done for leadership opportunities. Votes required for resolving issues arising at committee meetings will be done by majority count.

ARTICLE VI: TERMINATION OF FORMAL MEMBERSHIP

  • Leadership Team membership will be terminated when a member is absent from (4) four consecutive regular meetings within a year, or when a member no longer actively participates in some manner in committee activities.
  • Formal membership will be terminated by the Leadership Team (a) when a member is absent from (4) four consecutive regular meetings within a year, or (b) when a member no longer actively participates in some manner in committee activities.
  • Any formal member not wishing to continue shall inform a member of the Leadership Team.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE LOCAL AGENCY

(RI Reg. 300.150 d)

The local educational agency shall provide support to the committee by contracting for technical assistance services with the Rhode Island designated Parent Training and Technical Assistance agency or other community based non-profit parent organization. Such technical assistance shall include the role of advisory committees in advocating for children, state and federal regulations, community resources, strategic planning and development of an annual report to the school committee. The local educational agency shall also provide school and district improvement plans to the committee for comment and make available appropriate records and data as permitted by law. The public agency shall also support the committee in disseminating information to parents of students regarding the role of the advisory committee, information pertaining to special education and inform the committee of professional development opportunities that are available within the Local Educational Agency (LEA).

  • The Director of Special Education Services shall be the Local Educational Agency (LEA) contact person or their assigned designee (unless otherwise specified by the school committee). This individual shall work proactively and collaboratively in partnership with the Local Special Education Advisory Committee members.

PARENT NOTIFICATION OF LOCAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE

(RI Reg. 300.150 g)

When a child is referred to special education, each school district special education program shall provide the parents with notification of the existence of the LAC for Special Education established in compliance with these regulations. The notification shall specify that a majority of the LAC is parents of children with disabilities, and shall inform the parents of how the LAC may be contacted.

ARTICLE VII: REVIEW OF BY-LAWS

  • By-laws will be review annually in May of each year by the Leadership team and the School committee to ensure that the by-laws align with the State of Rhode Island State Regulations for Elementary and Secondary Education.
  • In the event that revisions are needed to the by-laws, the Leadership Team will be convened to form a by-law sub-committee. This committee will consist of members of the Leadership Team, committee members and the Director of Student Services or designee. The by-laws sub–committee will be responsible for the review and the revision of the by-laws as well as presenting the revised by-laws to the Lincoln Special Education Advisory Committee general membership for approval. Approval of the by-laws by the general membership will be done by a majority count at the general membership meeting.

ARTICLE VIII: APPROVAL AND EFFECTIVE DATES

The by-laws and any subsequent amendment thereto shall become effective upon the approval of the School Committee.

  • The school committee shall approve the by-laws of the advisory committee. (RI Reg. 300.150 a)

School committee signatures required below:

APPROVED:______DATE:______

APPROVED:______DATE:______