PUBLIC NOTICE: Regulation of the Chancellor

REGULATION OF THE CHANCELLOR

Number: A-660

Category: STUDENTS

Subject: PARENT ASSOCIATIONS AND THE SCHOOLS

I. Description of the subject, purpose and substance of the proposed item under consideration and identification of all substantial revisions to the item.

Chancellor's Regulation A-660, Parent Associations and the Schools, is a revised regulation. It sets forth the governance structure of parent associations and presidents’ councils.

Following, the initial posting of the revision to A-660 on December 11, 2009, the Department of Education (“DOE”) received several comments from the public expressing concern over the following: (1) PAs conducting raffles as a fundraising activity; (2) DOE employees being eligible to serve as mandatory officers (e.g. president, secretary, and treasurer) of a PA; and (3) members of the Community and Citywide Education Councils serving on the executive board of a PA.

After a review of the public comments, the following revisions were made to the language of the proposed regulation and were posted on December 30, 2009: (1) PAs may conduct raffles in accordance the provisions of the New York State General Municipal Law and applicable regulations of the New York State Racing and Wagering Board; (2) DOE employees, who are not employed at the school which their children attend, may serve as mandatory officers of the executive board; and (3) members of the Panel for Educational Policy, Community and Citywide Education Councils may serve on a PA’s executive board.

Since the December 30, 2009 posting of the regulation, the DOE received several comments from the public that
the Chancellor’s Parent Advisory Council (“CPAC”) should be included in the regulation. In response to these comments, the DOE has revised the regulation to include provisions pertaining to CPAC.


II. Summary of all public comments received following the initial public notice.

These comments are summarized as follows:

Raffles: One commenter requested clarification as to whether the law permits a PA for a new school to conduct raffles, and another requested more information about the DOE’s raffle policy. In response, the DOE is proposing a revision to the regulation that would add the following language: only PAs in existence for 3 years qualify to hold any raffling events. Additionally, to assist PAs in understanding the rules relating to raffles a Parent Association Guide to Raffles will be made available online at http://schools.nyc.gov/parentleadership.
PA Eligibility: One commenter opposed the lifting of the prohibition against DOE employees serving as a mandatory officer for any PA. Another commenter suggested that members of the Community and Citywide Education Councils not be allowed to serve on the executive board of a PA to avoid any conflict-of -interest.

Fundraising and Financial Affairs: The regulation should allow fundraising activity for humanitarian causes. In response, the DOE is proposing a revision to the regulation that would add the following language: on a case-by-case basis, the Chancellor may permit PAs to raise monies for humanitarian causes.

Other comments pertaining to fundraising and financial affairs are as follows: (1) there should be no restrictions on PA fundraising activities; (2) PAs should be permitted to hold fundraisers at schools; (3) PAs should not be required to obtain the approval of their general membership prior to initiating fundraising activities; (4) the general membership should vote on expenditures only as part of reviewing the PA’s annual budget; (5) the interim and annual financial activity reports should be optional and PAs should be permitted to submit forms that are generated by financial management software; (6) the annual report should not be due before July 15 of each school year; (7) PA financial activity reports should not be posted in a school that shares space with another school; and (8) PAs should not have to submit a check endorsed to the school to the Senior Grants Officer at the Integrated Service Center/Children First Network.

PA Elections: (1) when a co-officer resigns, the remaining officer should decide whether she/he wants to serve with an additional person and an expedited election should be held; and (2) the provisions limiting the distribution of campaign materials should be removed.

PA and PC Membership Meetings: (1) the bylaws should not specify the day and time of meetings because the 10 day written notice requirement is sufficient; (2) PAs should be required to survey the parent members to determine the date and time for general membership meetings to be held; (3) PAs should determine quorum requirements; and (4) PAs and PCs should meet with the general membership a minimum of four times per school year.

Additional Comments: (1) the resignation of two mandatory officers should not cause a PA to cease to function; (2) the Grievance Review Committee, rather than the Chief Family Engagement Officer, should decide grievances concerning aggressive speech; (3) the provision prohibiting the use of aggressive speech should be removed from the proposed regulation; (4) the regulation should address representation on the district and borough level for schools (grades 6-12); (5) PA designees and alternates for PC membership should be determined by vote of the PA Executive Board; (6) the term “officer” in the regulation should refer to mandatory officers (i.e. president, secretary, and treasurer), not the executive board; (7) the regulation should use the term “calendar days” instead of “school days;” (8) e-mail should be sufficient notice of meetings; (9) PC elections should be held prior to the third Friday in June; (10) the regulation’s summary of changes should reflect changes made to the February 2006 version of the regulation; (11) the changes to the regulation should not be effective until the 2010-2011 school year; (12) eligibility to vote for PC in June should be clarified; and (13) expedited elections, not succession should be used to fill vacancies.

III. Information regarding where the full text of the proposed item may be obtained.

The full text of the proposed item can be found on the main page of the PEP website: http://schools.nyc.gov/AboutUs/leadership/PEP/default.htm


IV. The name, office, address, email and telephone number of the city district representative, knowledgeable on the item under consideration, from whom information may be obtained concerning the item and to whom written or oral comments regarding the item under consideration can be submitted.

Name: Melissa Harris
Office: Office for Family Engagement and Advocacy
Address: 52 Chambers Street, New York, NY 10007
Email: PApolicy@schools.nyc.gov
Phone: 212-374-5194

IV. Date, time and place of the PEP meeting at which the Board will vote on the proposed item under consideration.

April 20, 2010
6:00pm
Prospect Heights High School
883 Classon Avenue, Brooklyn