Section 1. The name of this Association shall be __________________ herein after known as the Association.

Section 2. Headquarters for the Association will be maintained in ________________ County, (State).

Section 1. Promote interest among students who are interested in careers in public education.

Section 2. Provide members with opportunities for developing personal growth and professional competence.

Section 3. Provide opportunities for gaining an understanding of the history, ethics and programs of the education profession.

Section 4. Provide opportunities for participating in cooperative work on the problems of the profession and the community.

Section 5. Provide professional membership on the local, state and national levels during the preparation period for a career in education.

Section 6. Strive for higher standards of preparation.

Section 1. Membership in the Association shall be open to any ____________ (name of school) student preparing fo a career or interested in public education who has never been eligible for any other category of membership within the California Teachers Association (CTA).

Section 2. In addition to being a member of the Association, each member shall be affiliated with the State and National Student Program. A person shall not be admitted to or continue membership in the Association who possesses a teaching contract or who receives payment for teaching duties rendered – with the exception of graduate students receiving graduate teaching assistantships.

Section 3. The membership year shall be from September 1 to August 31.

Section 4. Membership will not be denied on the basis of race, gender, sexual orientation or physical challenge.

Section 1. The officers of the Association shall be responsible to the membership in all matters concerning the discharge of their duties.

Section 2. The officers of the Association shall be a President, a Vice-President or President-Elect, a Secretary, a Treasurer (Secretary/Treasurer could be one individual), an Editor, and a Historian (Editor/Historian could be one individual). (A local may have additional officers, but it must have those listed in this section).

Section 1. EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE. There shall be an Executive Committee composed of the officers and chapter advisors.

Section 2. GENERAL MEETING. There shall be _____ general meetings of the members of this Association annually.

Section 1. The Association shall be affiliated with the California Teachers Association Aspiring Educators (CTA-AE) and National Education Student Program (NEA-SP).

Section 2. The Association shall not affiliate with any local, state or national group, union or association that competes for membership with CTA and/or NEA.

Section 1. This Constitution may be amended at any regular meeting by a two-thirds (2/3) vote of the members present and voting.

Section 2. Proposed amendments must be submitted in writing to the Secretary and read at the previous regular meeting.

Section 3. EFFECTIVE DATE. Any amendment(s) to this Constitution shall become effective immediately upon approval by the membership.

Section 1. Any section of any ARTICLE of this Constitution may be suspended by a two-thirds (2/3) vote at any general meeting, provided that any request for a suspension must be accompanied by a statement of the purpose for the suspension of the rules.

Section 2. EFFECTIVE DATE. Any amendment(s) to this Constitution shall become effective immediately upon approval by the membership.

Section 1. The term of officer for the officers shall be one year or until their successors are duly qualified. Incumbents are eligible to seek reelection for one additional term. The officers shall assume office on _________ following their election.

Section 2. The President:

1. Shall be the chief executive officer of the Association;
2. Shall represent the Association as spokesperson on matters of policy or assign responsibility for such representations;
3. Shall prepare the agenda and preside at all meetings of the Association;
4. Shall serve as ex-officio member on all committees; and
5. Shall, with the approval of the Executive Committee, appoint the parliamentarian and the members of all standing committees.

Section 3. The Vice-President:

1. Shall preside in the absence of the President; and
2. Shall perform other duties as delegated by the President and/or the Executive Committee.

Section 4. The Treasurer:

1. Shall be responsible for the safekeeping and accounting of all funds;
2. Shall provide financial reports at each Executive Committee and Representative Assembly meeting; and
3. Shall sign all checks drawn on the bank account of the Association.

Section 5. The Secretary:

1. Shall keep accurate records and files of the proceedings of general and Executive Committee meetings; and
2. Shall submit monthly reports to the respective district, regional, or state presidents.

Section 6. The Historian: (optional)

1. Shall prepare an Association scrapbook;
2. Shall write a history of the year’s work;
3. Shall be in charge of the local newsletter;
4. Shall take pictures at Association events; and
5. Shall provide/secure expert help in the above areas.

Section 7. The Editor: (optional)

1. Shall work with the historian to compile a local newsletter;
2. Shall distribute local and state publications; and
3. Shall perform other duties as delegated by the President and/or Executive Committee.

Section 8. In the event of a vacancy in the office of Vice-President, Secretary, or Treasurer, the vacancy shall be filled by appointment of the Executive Committee for the remainder of the term.

Section 1. The Executive Committee shall be the executive branch of the Association.

Section 2. The duties of the Executive Committee shall be:

1. To be responsible to the membership in all matters;
2. To carry out the policies of the general membership;
3. To attend to the business of the Association between general meetings;
4. To approve all members of the committees;
5. To adopt the annual budget;
6. To make available all official documents for inspection of the Association;
7. To cooperate with the President in setting up a schedule of meetings for the year;
8. To act on problems that need immediate attention; and
9. To give general direction to the work of all standing and special committees.

Section 3. A quorum for the Executive Committee shall consist of a majority of the members.

Section 4. Any member of the Executive Committee who is absent for _____ consecutive regular meetings or a total of ____ meetings of the Executive Committee during an Association year shall forfeit her/his office.

Section 5. The dates and times for Executive Meetings shall be set by the Executive Committee at its first meeting. Additional meetings may be called by the President or by members of the Executive Committee.

Section 1. MEETINGS. The Association shall hold ____ meetings a year at a time and location to be determined by the Executive Committee. Notice to all meetings hall be posted in all buildings of the Association.

Section 2. SPECIAL MEETINGS. Special meetings shall be held at the call of the President, a majority of the Executive Committee, or upon the written request of ___ percent (%) of the members. These meetings will consider only items specified in the call for such a meeting and shall deal with important matters that arise between regular meetings and that urgently require action.

Section 1. There shall be the following standing committees, in addition to the Executive Committee, appointed by the President subject to the approval of the Executive Committee: Publicity, Elections (list other committees, if desired).

Section 2. DUTIES. The duties of the committees, as herein provided shall be found in the Association Standing Rules.

Section 3. Special committees may be established by the President with the approval of the Executive Committee.

Section 4. Special committees shall be established for the purpose of accomplishing a specific task within a limited period of time. (Also known as “ad-hoc” committees.) The committee chairpersons shall be ex-officio members of the Executive Committee.

Section 1. Members shall pay annually the current fees for California Teachers Association Aspiring Educators (CTA-AE), NEA-SP membership and local dues.

Section 1. Elections will be conducted under guidelines approved by the general membership.

Section 2. All elections will be conducted using an open nomination and secret ballot procedure.

Section 1. The Association shall guarantee that no member will be censored, suspended, or expelled without a due process procedure which shall include an appellate procedure.

Section 2. The Association shall guarantee that no member of the Executive Committee shall be impeached and removed from office without a due process procedure which shall include an appellate procedure.

Section 3. The general membership shall approve rules and procedures to implement these due process guarantees.

Section 1. These Bylaws may be amended by a two-thirds (2/3) vote of those present and voting at any general meeting.

Section 2. Proposed changes in these Bylaws shall be presented in writing to the membership at least ___ days prior to the meeting at which they will be considered.

Section 1. Any provision of these Bylaws may be suspended by a two-thirds (2/3) vote of those present and voting at any general meeting.

Section 1. Robert’s Rules of Order Newly Revised shall be the authority on all questions of procedure not specified in this Constitution, Bylaws and Standing Rules.