BYLAWS

Illinois Association for the Education of Young Children

ARTICLE I: NAME

The name of this organization shall be the Illinois Association for the Education of Young Children (hereinafter referred to as Illinois AEYC).

ARTICLE II: PURPOSE

  1. Illinois AEYC is a membership organization whose mission is to facilitate the optimal development of all young children by:
  1. Educating, supporting, and collaborating with individuals and organizations working in direct or indirect service to young children; and
  2. Advocating for the rights, needs, and well-being of young children.
  1. The Board of Directors (See Article V-A) (hereinafter referred to as the Board) shall be charged with assuring that the purpose is achieved through developing policies, procedures, and programs which fulfill two goals:
  1. To educate and support those in direct and indirect service to young children in order to improve the quality of life for young children and their families by:
  1. Educating those in direct service to young children to provide high quality, developmentally appropriate programs and services.
  2. Supporting the professional growth of those in the early childhood field.
  3. Supporting the efforts of Chapters to educate and support early childhood service providers and families with children prenatal to age 8.
  4. Collaborating with other organizations.
  1. To impact public policy and practice so as to improve the lives of young children by:
  1. Strengthening Chapter advocacy efforts.
  2. Increasing public and family awareness about high quality early childhood programs and services.
  3. Seeking the support of policy makers who create and implement public policy that affects young children and their families.
  4. Providing information about current and proposed policy, legislation, and practice to members, policymakers, and the general public.
  5. Collaborating with other organizations in joint efforts to positively impact public policy.

ARTICLE III: MEMBERSHIP

  1. National Association for the Education of Young Children (hereinafter referred to as NAEYC) fee- based membership is renewable annually and includes membership to one affiliate. Additional affiliate memberships are available through NAEYC for a fee.
  1. Illinois AEYC is composed of individual members.
  1. Any Illinois AEYC member is entitled to:
  1. Vote on any Illinois AEYC ballot;
  2. Participate in all meetings of Illinois AEYC;
  3. Receive all statewide communications;
  4. Receive reduced fees for Illinois AEYC events;
  5. Receive reduced fees for Chapters of Illinois AEYC events.
  1. General Membership Voting
  1. Each member of Illinois AEYC is entitled to one vote on any statewide ballot.
  2. Voting is done electronically.
  3. An affirmative vote of a majority of the returned ballots determines the outcome.

ARTICLE IV: ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE

Chapters within Illinois AEYC shall be organized into regions to be reviewed every 2 years. The purpose of each region is to provide representation to the affiliate and to provide input into board decisions. Regions shall be determined based on criteria outlined in the Policies and Procedures.

ARTICLE V: GOVERNANCE AND ADMINISTRATION

  1. Board of Directors
  1. Illinois AEYC shall be governed by a Board of Directors composed of:
  1. The President, elected statewide to serve a four-year term beginning on even-numbered years (serves one year as President-Elect, two years as President, and one year as Past- President).
  2. The Treasurer, elected statewide to serve a two-year term beginning on odd-numbered years.
  3. The Secretary, elected statewide to serve a two-year term beginning on even-numbered years.
  4. Regional Delegates, one from each region, elected by the affiliate membership for a two-year term. Even-numbered Regions will elect delegates on even-numbered years; odd-numbered Regions will elect delegates on odd-numbered years.
  5. Standing Committee Chairs with the exception of the Nominating Committee shall be appointed by the President with Board approval and shall serve a two-year term.
  1. Executive Committee shall be comprised of the President, Secretary, Treasurer, Regional Delegate Vice President (elected from among the Regional Delegates) and either the President-Elect or Past President. Responsibilities of each officer shall be defined in job descriptions approved by the Board and recorded in the Policies and Procedures of Illinois AEYC. Should a vacancy occur on the Executive Committee, the President may, with approval of the Executive Committee, appoint someone to fill the vacancy.
  1. No paid staff member may sit on the Board of Directors as a voting member.
  1. Terms of Office and Voting
  1. New officers assume their positions in January following the election.
  2. Board members must hold current membership in Illinois AEYC.
  3. Each Board member, regardless of the number of roles they assume, shall only have one vote.
  4. Each Board member is counted only once in determining quorum, regardless of the number of positions held.
  5. Elected Board members may not serve more than two consecutive full terms in any one office.
  1. Board Responsibilities
  1. In order for Illinois AEYC to carry out its mission, a high degree of involvement in the decision-making process is required of all Board members. Expectations of Board member participation shall include:
  1. Support and endorsement of the Illinois AEYC mission.
  2. In-person attendance at two Board Meetings required annually; a Board member may be removed by majority vote of the Executive Board for non-attendance at Board meetings.
  3. Participation in at least one Standing Committee of the Board.
  4. Ability and commitment to serve as a liaison between the Chapters and Illinois AEYC by expressing Chapter wishes to the Board and interpreting Board actions and business to the Chapters.
  1. The Board shall plan, oversee, coordinate, guide, and strengthen the long-range development of Illinois AEYC and its Chapters. Specifically, the Board shall:
  1. Make policy decisions, which provide the conceptual basis for the ongoing work of Illinois AEYC.
  2. Set annual priorities and approve plans for activities and involvement of Illinois AEYC.
  3. Refer issues to Board Standing Committees for consideration and discussion; review Committee recommendations and accept, reject, or return to Standing Committees.
  4. Keep the membership informed of the Board’s activities and concerns.
  5. Establish special committees and their functions. Such establishment must clearly indicate the purpose, powers, and length of service of the committee.
  1. Board Standing and Ad Hoc Committee
  1. The Board shall carry out its responsibilities using a Board committee structure. Committees shall conduct research, generate options, and make recommendations to the Board for its consideration, discussion, and decision.
  1. Standing Committees shall be appointed by the President with the approval of the Board as necessary to fulfill the purpose of Illinois AEYC. These shall include Executive, Finance, Membership, Public Policy, Professional Development, and other Standing Committees. The powers, responsibilities, and qualifications for such committees shall be specified at the time of their establishment.
  1. The operational policies and practices followed by each Standing Committee are outlined in the Illinois AEYC Policies and Procedures.
  2. Each Standing Committee, to the extent possible, should reflect the geographical diversity of Illinois AEYC.
  1. Ad Hoc Committees shall be appointed as necessary by the President for a specific task or objective and dissolved after the completion of the task or achievement of the objective. Each Ad Hoc Committee, to the extent possible, should reflect the geographical diversity of Illinois AEYC.
  1. Indemnification

Illinois AEYC shall indemnify any person who was or is a party, or is threatened to be made a party to any threatened, pending, or completed action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative, or investigative (other than an action by or in the right of Illinois AEYC) by reasons of the fact that he or she is or was director, officer, employee, or agent of Illinois AEYC, or who is serving at the request of Illinois AEYC as the director, officer or employee. The individual shall be indemnified against expenses (including attorney’s fees), judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred by such a person in connection with such action, suit, or proceeding, if such person acted in good faith and in a manner he or she reasonably believed to be in, or not opposed to, the best interests of Illinois AEYC. With respect to any criminal action or proceeding, the individual had not reasonable cause to believe his or her conduct was unlawful.

  1. Confidentiality

Illinois AEYC shall establish Policies and Procedures regarding confidentiality for all volunteers, members of the Board, employees, and consultants who work with confidential information.

  1. Conflict of Interest

Illinois AEYC shall establish Policies and Procedures regarding conflict of interest for all members of the Board, employees and consultants.

ARTICLE VI: MEETINGS

  1. The Board shall meet at least quarterly either in person or online. One of the meetings shall be designated as an annual membership meeting. Additional meetings shall be called at the discretion of the President or by a simple majority of Board members.
  1. All meetings of the Board of Illinois AEYC shall be open meetings allowing any member to attend except when called into executive session.
  2. The quorum for meetings of the Board and Standing Committees shall be 40% of voting members.
  1. Executive Committee
  1. The Executive Committee meets immediately prior to scheduled Board meetings.
  2. The Executive Committee may also convene to make decisions that cannot wait for the next scheduled Board meeting or at the specific request of a simple majority of the Board.
  3. The Executive Committee may also meet to perform other duties on behalf of the Board and make recommendations to the Board. Other members of the Board may be included as necessary.
  1. All Standing and Ad Hoc Committees shall meet as often as necessary to fulfill their responsibilities.
  1. Meetings of the Board as well as its Committees may include the use of technology or other communication equipment that allows for simultaneous oral communication in the conducting of business of Illinois AEYC. Participation in this manner shall constitute attendance and presence in person at the meeting.

ARTICLE VII: PARLIAMENTARY AUTHORITY

Illinois AEYC shall function under the parliamentary procedures of Robert’s Rules of Order, Revised.

ARTICLE VIII: AMENDMENTS

The bylaws may be amended at any time but shall be formally reviewed every two years by an Ad Hoc Committee appointed by the President. Proposed amendments may be submitted by any member of Illinois AEYC to the Board or recommended by the Ad Hoc Committee. Revisions or amendments must be approved by the Board of Directors before being submitted to the membership. Voting is done by electronic ballot through the Illinois AEYC office. Only ballots received within a 14-day period will be counted. An affirmative vote of a majority of the membership returning ballots will constitute a change in the bylaws.

ARTICLE IX: DISSOLUTION

  1. State
  1. Prior to dissolution the Board of Illinois AEYC will inform, consult and consider recommendations from Chapters for the continuation of Illinois AEYC.
  2. All Illinois AEYC Members must be informed of the intent to dissolve and given an opportunity to cast a ballot. Dissolution of Illinois AEYC will occur if approved by at least ¾ vote of the members voting on the issue AND with 30% of the total membership submitting a ballot.
  3. In case of dissolution, the Board of Illinois AEYC shall distribute the assets to existing Illinois AEYC Chapters on a percentage of membership basis, provided those groups have a not-for-profit status.
  4. Written notification of the results will be sent to all Illinois AEYC members and NAEYC.
  1. Chapter - Voluntary Dissolution
  1. A Chapter may dissolve its Affiliate-Chapter agreement by delivering to Illinois AEYC written notice of its intention to do so no less than sixty (60) days prior to the effective date of such dissolution. The notice should outline the rationale for said action and the Chapter’s understanding that it will no longer hold the AEYC name or have access to the member database.
  2. Any Chapter wishing to dissolve shall follow all specific instructions in the Affiliate-Chapter agreement.
  3. In case of dissolution, a Chapter with a 501c3 designation, shall distribute Chapter assets per the Chapter’s bylaws.

C. Chapter - Revocation of Chapter Status

  1. In the event that a Chapter does not fulfill Chapter requirements, the Illinois AEYC Board of Directors shall notify the Chapter leadership team by email and USPS registered letter informing the team of the lack of fulfillment of the Affiliate-Chapter Agreement.
  2. The Illinois AEYC Board of Directors shall require a Chapter to submit within 60 days of receipt of notification a plan of action to meet the requirements of the Affiliate-Chapter Agreement.
  3. Within 6 months after the submission of the plan, a Chapter must implement the plan of action and submit documentation.
  4. After said 6 months, if a Chapter does not implement the plan of action, Chapter status may be revoked by a majority vote of the Board of Directors.
  5. In case of revocation, a Chapter with a 501c3 designation, shall distribute Chapter assets per the Chapter’s bylaws.

Passed on June 3, 2017 by Board of Directors

1