Approved February, 2006
ARTICLE 1
NAME
The name of this organization shall be "Minnesota Association of Alternative Programs", noted hereafter as MAAP.
ARTICLE 2
DEFINITIONS
Alternative Education: The study of practice of implementing alternative schools or programs.
Alternative
School: An established environment apart from the traditional school
designed to accommodate specific students’ comprehensive educational
needs; such as; work-related training, reading, math, science,
communication, social skills, physical skills, employability, study
skills, life skills, or cultural awareness. [13]
Traditional
School: An established environment designed to provide a comprehensive
education to the general populace and to which assignment of students
is made more on a basis of geographical location than unique
educational need. [13]
Public Alternative Education: Public
Alternative Education serves to ensure that every young person may find
a path to the educational goals of the community. Programs focus on
what they can offer the student not on what problems that student has
had in the past.
Charter Schools: Schools approved by the Minnesota Board of Education under the relevant statues.
Schools within Schools: School programs within a traditional school,
that may not have been designated as alternative programs, but do offer
some students educational choices that they otherwise would not have.
MAAP
STARS: A youth organization of chartered chapters recognized by the
MAAP Board to promote a variety of activities for youth involved in
alternative educational programs. Goals and organization are described
in the MAAP STARS Constitution.
Region: The organization,
roughly based on the geographical area where MAAP members have
organized and aligned themselves with ALCs or Alternative Programs and
the MAAP Board of Directors to form the MAAP organization.
IALA:
The International Association for Learning Alternatives is an
association of individuals and state organizations dedicated to
educational reform through systemic change. The mission is "to lead,
support and promote learning alternatives and choice options." IALA was
incorporated in August 2001 due to the extraordinary efforts of a Task
Force supported by MAAP [ 1 ].
ARTICLE 3
PURPOSE
Section
1. The purpose of education is to provide for the maximum intellectual,
personal/social, and career vocational development of students so they
can function as effective citizens. Alternative schools play a vital
role as a change agent in the educational system.
Section 2. The Mission of MAAP is to lead, promote and support innovative learning experiences.
Section
3. The Purpose of MAAP is to meet the needs of students, parents,
teachers, future teachers, administrators, and the general citizenry
through a professional organization dedicated to the improvement of
alternative education.
1. To provide educational options that will
allow learners to develop their personal, academic and career potential
on their way to becoming productive citizens.
2. To provide technical assistance to practitioners.
3. To be a change agent for the traditional educational system.
4. To represent the common interests of alternative learners to the greater community.
5. To provide professional development opportunities.
ARTICLE 4
MAAP MEMBERSHIP [13]
Section 1. Any person involved or interested in alternative
education shall become a voting member upon payment of dues [of MAAP].
MAAP members are eligible to vote, hold office and attend meetings.
ARTICLE 5
OFFICERS
Section
1. The officers of MAAP shall be: President, Immediate Past President,
President-Elect, Secretary, Treasurer, and Director-at-Large.
Section
2. The length of term for each office shall be two (2) years. The
President-Elect shall become the President two (2) years following
election to the office of President-Elect, at which time the President
succeeds to the position of Immediate Past President and the former
Immediate Past President retires from the Board. The President-Elect,
Secretary, Treasurer, and Director-at-Large are elected by the
organization members at alternate annual meetings.
Section 3. In
the event an officer is unable to fulfill the term of office, the
President shall direct that the Board of Directors fill the unexpired
term with a person who is currently a member of MAAP. This choice will
be based on a majority vote of the remaining officers and the Board
membership.
Section 4. When directed by the Board of Directors,
the officers of the MAAP organization will be designated the Executive
Committee. Except for the power to amend the Articles of the Bylaws,
the Executive Committee shall have all the powers and authority of the
Board of Directors in the intervals between meetings of the Board of
Directors, subject to the direction and control of the Board. Meetings
of the Executive Committee shall be reported at the next regular
meeting of the Board.
ARTICLE 6
DUTIES OF THE OFFICERS
Section
1. The President shall preside at all meetings of MAAP and of the Board
of Directors, submit names of recommended committee appointees to the
Board of Directors for approval, and perform all other duties as
needed, including the delegation of responsibility of officers and the
Board. The President shall be an ex-officio member of all committees
and assume the responsibility to see that the committee's function. The
President shall serve as a delegate to IALA.
Section 2. The
President-Elect shall act in place of the President at all MAAP and
Board of Directors meetings, which the President is unable to attend.
The President-Elect shall be responsible to learn the duties of
President and work to make connections with regions. [ 2 ][ 11 ].
Section
3. The Immediate Past President shall serve as chair of the nominating
committee and perform such duties as may be assigned by the Board of
Directors.
Section 4. The Secretary shall keep the records of
the current activities of MAAP and shall serve as chair of the bylaws
committee [ 3 ].
Section 5. The Treasurer shall collect dues and
dispense funds of MAAP, subject to the approval of the Board of
Directors; shall be responsible for the maintenance of the membership
roles of MAAP; shall keep a complete financial record which ensures
responsible fiscal operation; shall submit a financial report to the
Board of Directors at the regular meeting and to the Association at its
annual meeting. The Financial Report shall be kept from April 1 to
March 31, which shall be considered the fiscal year. An annual review
will be conducted by August 31 every two years by a committee of no
less than three persons appointed by the President. The treasurer shall
submit a proposed budget to the Board of Directors at the summer
meeting.
Section 6. The Director-at-Large shall take on
leadership of the statewide conference planning for the MAAP
organization and/or leadership of MAAP statewide special projects and
initiatives as directed by the Board of Directors. [ 10 ]
ARTICLE 7
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Section
1. The Board of Directors shall consist of the MAAP officers and nine
directors (one from each region). All officers and the nine directors
would be considered voting members of the board.
Section
2. The board will also have up to four [4] ex-officio members.
Ex-officio members will not have voting authority on the Board of
Directors. The make-up of ex-officio membership will be determined by
the Board of Directors and could include representation from the
Minnesota Department of Education and other educational interests, as
deemed worthy and appropriate. [13]
Section 3. The existing Board has the power to fill all emergency vacancies.
Section
4. Each Region shall elect a Director from its membership to act as the
Region’s representative to the Board. The Director’s term of office
shall be two years, at which time the Director could be re-elected. A
Region shall establish a procedure for succession. If a Director is
unable to finish a term, and no plan for succession exists, the Region
shall elect a new Director to finish out the term before the next Board
meeting. [13]
ARTICLE 8
DUTIES OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Section
1. The Board of Directors shall meet at the President's discretion, to
conduct official business, when it is not feasible for the total
membership to meet. Seven members of the Board of Directors shall be
present to conduct official business of the association.
Section
2. The Board of Directors may annually formulate goals and objectives
for the Association to be presented to the membership for approval.
Section 3. The Board of Directors shall formulate the agenda for the annual meetings of the Association.
Section
4. The Board of Directors may authorize expenditures to conduct the
general business of the Association and direct all matters of budget
and finance.
Section 5. Directors will represent and report back
to their respective regions as related to the business of MAAP, and
will serve as the MAAP Boards representative at Regional meetings.
Section
6. The Board of Directors shall recognize and issue charters to
Regional Organizations, thereby establishing the Regions an official
part of the State Organization. The Regional Organization in turn will
provide an "Annual Regional Report" immediately following the Regional
Meeting at the Annual State MAAP Conference each year.
Section 7. The Board of Directors shall recognize and issue the charters of MAAP STARS Chapters.
Section 8. The Board of Directors will establish such committees as may be desirable [5].
Section
9. Duties of ex-officio members: Ex-officio members act in an advisory
role and may take special assignments as determined by the President [
6 ].
ARTICLE 9
ELECTIONS
Section 1. A
nominating committee of not less than three members to be chaired by
the Immediate Past President shall be appointed by the President and
approved by the Board of Directors.
Section 2. The nominating
committee shall present two candidates each for the offices of
President-Elect, Secretary, Treasurer, and Director-at-Large to the
membership at the annual meeting beginning in 1996. Election of
association officers will follow every even numbered year thereafter.
Nominations from the floor for any of these positions would also be
accepted.
Section 3. The election of Regional Directors shall
occur at the Annual MAAP conference during the Regional Meeting on
alternating years. The following five Regions shall hold their
elections on odd numbered years: Southwest, Southeast, Northwest,
Northwest Metro, Northeast Metro, beginning in 1997. The remaining four
on even numbered years.
ARTICLE 10
AMENDMENTS
Section
1. An amendment may be proposed in writing by a member or members of
the Association. A proposed amendment must be submitted to the Board of
Directors who will publish it a minimum of thirty (30) days prior to
the annual meeting.
Section 2. Adoption of a proposed amendment
of the bylaws shall be by two-thirds vote of those members attending
the annual meeting.
MAAP STANDING RULES
1. Committees
The
Association, through its Board of Directors, may establish such
committees as may be desirable. Chairpersons of the committees will be
appointed by the President with confirmation of the Board of Directors
to follow [ 7 ].
2. Dues
The annual dues for membership
shall be established at the annual meeting. All dues will be
recommended by the Board of Directors and approved by the voting
membership. In case of an emergency, members will be assessed an
additional amount to cover expenses, the amount to be determined by the
Board of Directors. Dues shall be used for normal operating expenses.
A $10.00 fee will be added to MAAP Annual dues which shall be applied
to IALA membership. [12 ]
3. Rules of Debate
At the
Annual Meeting the Association shall be governed by the ruling that in
debate, each speaker shall be limited to three minutes unless otherwise
ordered.
4. Voting
Section 1. At regularly scheduled
Association meetings one vote over half of the membership present shall
constitute a majority vote.
Section 2. The Board of Directors
may call for a written ballot when they deem necessary. All such voting
will be on ballots provided to members only by the Board of Directors.
Section 3. All ballots will be counted by the Board of Directors or their designee.
Section
4. The Immediate Past President, serving as chair of the nominations
committee, shall submit a copy of the official ballot to the Board of
Directors for approval, before the Annual Business meeting of the full
MAAP Membership.
5. Revisions
The standing rules may be
amended by a two-thirds vote of the MAAP members attending the MAAP
BYLAWS rev. '99 MAAP annual meeting.
6. Guidelines
1.
Attendance at National Conference: MAAP shall send two representatives
to the National Alternative Education Conference. They shall be the
President and the President's designee.
2. Reimbursements:
1. Travel: MAAP will pay the IRS rate up to $50 to Board members
attending meetings if their district does not pay the cost of travel.
2. Substitutes: MAAP will pay $90 per day for substitutes for Officers
and Committee Chairs attending State meetings if their district does
not pay the cost of substitutes. This reimbursement may be used up to 3
days per year for Regional Directors and Committee Chairpersons, up to
5 days per year for Officers, and up to 7 days per year for the
President [ 8 ].
3. All requested reimbursements must be attached to a voucher with receipts.
4. Non-budgeted expenditures must receive prior approval from the Board of Directors.
3.
Governance: The MAAP organization shall be the governing body guided by
these bylaws, and the MAAP Board of Directors acting on behalf of the
members shall recognize and issue or revoke charters to regional and
youth organizations. The Board of Directors shall determine the number
of Regions [ 9 ] and the governance and the regions will elect a
director to the MAAP Board of Directors at the MAAP Annual meeting when
their term expires. MAAP STARS shall be governed by its own
constitution and shall maintain contact with MAAP through the MAAP
STARS Standing Committee and its Chair.
4. Financial Support:
The MAAP Board of Directors shall determine how money collected through
MAAP membership dues shall be distributed to Regional Organizations, to
MAAP STARS, MAAP expenses, and professional development. Otherwise,
each region may determine the more specific use of money. Moneys will
be distributed equally to regions regardless of how much money each
region previously spent. However if it is determined that the Region
has not implemented a plan for using the funds the MAAP Board of
Directors may recall the unspent funds to make available for uses it
determines beneficial to the mission of the MAAP Organization.
______________________
1. IALA definition added 2/2002. IAASP definition deleted.
2. Last sentence added 2/2002.
3. Last sentence added 2/2002.
4. Changed from "up to three" to "up to five" in 2/2002.
5. Section 8 added 2/2002.
6. Section 9 added 2/2002.
7.
2/2002 a change was made to delete the standing committees and their
designated chairs from this section. Previously all standing committees
and chairs were listed here.
8. Reimbursments letter b. added 2/2001.
9. The words "the regions" added to this section 2/2002.
10. The duties of Director at Large changed 2/2004
11. The duties of President Elect changed 2/2004
12. The conference fee increases $10.00 for Support of IALA 2/2004
13. 2/2006 the following articles and sections were changed to reflect current practice:
1. Article 2, Definitions
2. Article 4, Heading
3. Article 7, Section 2 and Section 4
