Constitution and By-Laws of Florida Council of Administrators of Special Education, Inc.
Florida Council of Administrators of Special Education
Constitution and By-Laws

Article I
Name

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The name of the organization shall be Florida Council of Administrators of Special Education.

Article II
Mission

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The mission of the Florida Council of Administrators of Special Education, Inc. is to provide leadership and support to members by shaping policies and practices which impact the quality of education.

Article III
Purpose

The primary purpose of this organization is as follows:

• To promote proactive leadership in the development and improvement of quality educational services for students eligible for exceptional student education;

• To examine and encourage active participation of special education issues in order to promote and advance special education interests;

• To foster a spirit of cooperation between those responsible for special and general education for all students;

• To provide professional development opportunities that build competencies for new members and extend skills of experienced members;

• To engage in programs and activities that align with the forgoing purposes and are deemed appropriate and are authorized by the Board;

• To advocate for adequate funding of exceptional student education initiatives;

• To provide opportunity for discussion of problems common to its members with the intent of improving services for students eligible for exceptional student education.

 

Article IV 
Membership

Membership is open to persons who administer, direct, supervise, facilitate, and or coordinate a program, school, or classes of students eligible for exceptional student education; Florida Department of Education and other agency personnel responsible for the provision of exceptional student education; college faculty whose major responsibility is the professional preparation of special education personnel; or, persons who have retired from full-time responsibilities as an administrator in any of the preceding categories. Membership can exist at two levels:
National Membership – Membership is automatic for active members of the National Council for Exceptional Children (CEC) and the Council of Administrators of Special Education (CASE). Annual subscription fees and benefits are determined by National CEC and National CASE.
State Membership: Individuals choosing to participate in Florida CASE only, complete an annual application and pay the annual subscription fee determined by the Florida CASE Board of Directors.

Article V
Officers/Board of Directors

General Powers – The property and affairs of the Florida Council of Administrators of Special Directors shall have supervision and direction of the affairs of the organization and its committees; shall determine its policies or changes therein; shall actively execute its objectives and supervise the disbursement of its funds.
Election – The Officers/Board of Directors shall consist of nine (9) members as follows: President, President Elect, Past President, Secretary, Treasurer, Membership Chairperson, Professional Development Chairperson, Legislative/Bylaws Chairperson, and one member at large. Each term of office shall be two (2) years and shall coincide with the fiscal year, July 1 – June 30. All officers of the Board must be National CEC/CASE members in good standing.
Election of Officers/Board of Directors – The Officers/Directors of the organization shall be elected by the members in good standing. Candidates may be presented by the nominating committee or nominations may also be made from the floor at Summer CASE Institute.
Re-Election – No member of the Officers/Board of Directors who has served a total of four (4) or more years will be eligible for re-election to the same position. The four-year term limitation will be waived if the Board states in writing that a replacement is not available. If a Board member is completing an unfulfilled term, that time does not count toward the term limit.
Board Meetings – The Board shall meet at least twice annually and at such other times as deemed necessary by the President. The Board may hold meetings by means available through distance communication systems.
Quorum – A majority of the voting members of the Board shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business at any meeting of the Board.
Resignation – Any Board member may resign at any time by giving written notice to the President thirty (30) calendar days prior to resignation.
Vacancies – If a vacancy occurs in the office of President, the President-Elect shall serve as acting President for the remainder of the term of office and shall become President at the beginning of the new term. A vacancy occurring in the office of President-Elect shall be filled by an appointment of the Board of Directors for a member to complete the term of office. Nomination and election of a President-elect shall be held at the following election. A vacancy occurring in other Board positions shall be filled by an appointment of the President, with the approval of the Board, for a member to complete the term of office.
Travel Expenses – Travel expenses of Officers/Board of Directors for associated conferences, meetings, or activities representing the organization will be reimbursed for hotel, registration, and other related expenditures including per diem at the current state rate as approved by a vote of the Officers/Board of Directors. 

Article VI
Duties of Officers/Board of Directors

 

President: 

• Preside at all meetings of the Board of Directors.

• Represent the organization at the local, state, and national level.

• Appoint and supervise committee chairs, except those who hold their chairmanship by virtue of office, subject to the approval of the Board.

President-elect: 

• Serve in the President’s place and with the president’s authority in the case of the President’s absence.

• Shall be responsible for all committees.

Past President: 

• Advise Officers/Board of Directors regarding issues or past practices.

• Assist the President and President Elect with procuring vendors for conferences.

Secretary: 

• Keep accurate minutes of all meetings.

• Conduct necessary correspondence.

• Provide copies of the constitution and by-laws.

Treasurer: 

• Be custodian of the funds of the organization.

• Disburse money for expenses incurred.

• Submit a treasurer’s report at all Board meetings.

Membership Chairperson: 

• Maintain an active record of members and provide all Board members with such a list.

• Maintain an active program for the recruitment of new members.

• Increase awareness for the organization.

• Maintain an active record of members on the website.

Legislative and By-Law Chairperson 

• Develop and recommend timely statements of CASE legislation and regulatory concerns.

• Collect legislative and regulatory information to disseminate to members related to issues and concerns to special education administrators.

• Professional Development Chairperson 

• Promote leadership skills within the organization and encourage the utilization of members’ leadership potentials.

• Advise on conference programs and professional development activities.

Member at Large 

• Provide other services as determined by Officers/Board of Directors.

Article VII
Parliamentary Authority

Robert’s Rules of Order (or any comparable system, i.e. Facilitative Leadership, etc.) shall govern all official procedures of the organization.

Article VIII
Amendments

A proposal to alter, amend, or repeal these Bylaws shall be approved by members meeting eligibility criteria to vote. Voting can take place at a Board or Business meeting or by electronic vote. Amendments must be approved by the majority of voting members of the organization.

Article IX
Duration and Dissolution

The duration of the subdivision shall be perpetual unless the offices of the subdivision unanimously determine that it should be dissolved. Upon the dissolution and final liquidation of the subdivision, the officers shall, after paying or making provision for the payment of all debts and liabilities of the subdivision, disburse funds to Florida CEC, as long as they remain active as a State Organization.
Any such assets not so disposed of shall be disposed of by a court of competent jurisdiction in the county or city in which the principal office of the subdivision is located, exclusively for such purposes or to such organization or organizations, as said court shall determine, which are organized and operated exclusively for such purposes, or to the federal government or a state or local government to be used for a public purpose.

 

Article X
Approval

The Undersigned, being the current elected Executive Board of Florida Council of Administrators of Special Education, hereby adopt and approve the By-Laws and Constitution for the organization.
 

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