DISTRICT ACCOUNTABILITY COMMITTEE BYLAWS

The name of the school district accountability committee within the Douglas County School District RE-1 ("School District" or "District") will be the "District Accountability Committee" hereinafter referred to in these Bylaws as the "DAC".

The DAC is an advisory committee to the Board of Education ("Board") of the District that is required by Colorado law. The purpose of the DAC is to encourage and provide opportunities for parents, teachers, and community members to become informed about and to be involved in the planning and evaluation of the School District's instructional program and quality improvement processes. The DAC makes recommendations on priorities for spending District funds, on the preparation of the District's improvement plans (performance, improvement, priority improvement, or turnaround), on charter school applications (through select participation on the Charter Application Review Team in accordance with District Policy LBD-R-1), and on other areas and issues as requested by the Board of Education (the "Board") and as required by law. In addition, the DAC also serves as the District's Personnel Evaluation Council.

The DAC has the following duties and responsibilities:

• A.   To recommend to the Board priorities for spending School District moneys. Whenever the DAC recommends spending priorities, it will make reasonable efforts to consult in a substantive manner with the school accountability committees of the School District. The Board will consider the DAC's recommendations in adopting the School District budget for each fiscal year. C.R.S. § 22-11-302(1)(a)
• B.   On an annual basis, to advise the Board concerning preparation of and recommendations regarding the contents of a District performance, improvement, priority improvement, or turnaround plan, whichever is required based on the School District's accreditation category. In advising and preparing the recommendations, the DAC will make reasonable effo1is to consult in a substantive manner with the school accountability committees of the School District and will compile and submit to the Board the school performance, improvement, priority improvement, and turnaround plans submitted by the school accountability committees. C.R.S. § 22-l l- 302(1)(b)
• C.   If the Board receives a charter school application, to review the chatter application and provide recommendations prior to consideration by the Board, through select patticipation on the Chatter Application Review Team in accordance with District Policy LBD-R-1. C.R.S. § 22-11- 302(1)(c)
• D.   To provide input and recommendations on an advisory basis to principals concerning the development and use of assessment tools used for the purpose of measuring and evaluating student academic growth as it relates to teacher evaluations. C.R.S. § 22-11-302(1)(d)
• E.    To consider input and recommendations from the school accountability committee of each school of the school district to facilitate the evaluation of the performance of the school's principal. C.R.S. § 22-11-302(1)(e)
• F.   To provide input to the local school board concerning the creation and enforcement of its school conduct and discipline code. C.R.S. § 22-11-302(1)(/)
• G.   To increase the level of parent engagement in the school district and in the public schools of the school district, especially the engagement of parents who reflect the student populations that are significantly represented within the school district. Toward this end, the DAC will (i) publicize opportunities to serve and solicit parents to serve through direct outreach efforts to populations that are significantly represented within the school district, (ii) assist the school district in implementing its parent engagement policy, and (iii) assist school personnel to increase parents' engagement educators, including without limitation parents' engagement in creating READ plans, individual career and academic plans, and plans to address habitual truancy. C.R.S. § 22-11-302(1)(g)
• H.   To meet at least quarterly to discuss whether school district leadership, personnel, and infrastructure are advancing or impeding implementation of the school district's performance, improvement, priority improvement, or turnaround plan, whichever is applicable, or other progress pe1tinent to the school district's accreditation contract. C.R.S. § 22-11-302(1)(h)
• I.    At least annually, to work cooperatively with the Board to determine the areas and issues, in addition to budget issues, that the DAC will study and make recommendations to the Board.
• C.R.S. § 22-11-302(2)
• J.    To perform such other duties and responsibilities as assigned by the Board, including those set forth in the Board of Education Policy Governance Book at GP 1.7.1.1.
• K.   To serve as the District Performance Evaluation Council including by (i) consulting with the Board as to the fairness, effectiveness, credibility, and professional quality of the licensed personnel performance evaluation system and its processes and procedures and (ii) conducting a continuous evaluation of said system. C.R.S. § 22-9-107

• A.  Establishment and Composition
  • As required by law, the DAC members will be comprised of at least three (3) parents who are not employees or related to employees of the District, including being employed at a District authorized charter school, at least one (1) of whom is the parent of a student emolled in a charter school authorized by the Board; at least one (1) teacher employed by the District; at least one (1) school administrator employed by the District; at least one (1) person who is involved in business or industry in the community within the District boundaries; for purposes of complying with C.R.S. § 22-9-107; and, at least one resident of the District who is not a parent with a child in the District. C.R.S. § 22-11-301(I) and C.R.S. § 22-11-301(4)(a)
  • At least one of the members of the DAC must have a demonstrated knowledge of chaiier schools. C.R.S. § 22-11-301(4)(b)
  • A person may not be appointed or elected to fill more than one of the member positions required above in a single term. C.R.S. § 22-11-301(2)(a)
  • The DAC must have no less than eleven (11) and no more than twenty (20) members. All members of the DAC will be voting members.
  • If the Board chooses to increase the number of persons on the DAC, it must ensure that the number of parents appointed or elected to the DAC exceeds the number of District representatives from the group with the next highest representation. C.R.S. § 22-11-301(2)(b)
     
• B.  Term of Office; Term Limits
  • DAC members will serve for terms of two (2) years, which will commence on July 1 of the school year of appointment.
  • No DAC member can serve more than three (3) complete consecutive two-year terms.
     
• C.  Employment Limitation for Members
  • A parent shall not be eligible to serve on the DAC if they are employed by or are a relative of a person who is employed by the District, including being employed at a District authorized charter school. If the School District makes a good faith effort but is unable to identify a sufficient number of parents to serve on the DAC, the foregoing exclusion may be waived. "Related" or "relative" means a person's spouse, son, daughter, sister, brother, mother, or father. CR.S. § 22-11-301(2)(c)(J)-111
     
• D.  Resignation
  • Any DAC member may resign by giving written notice to the Chair or Secretary of the DAC. The resignation of any DAC member shall take effect upon receipt of notice thereof or at such later time as shall be specified in such notice; and, unless otherwise specified therein, the acceptance of such resignation by the DAC shall not be necessary to make it effective.
     
• E.  Removal
  • Because they are appointed by and serve at the pleasure of the Board, DAC members also are subject to removal, with or without cause, by a majority vote of the Board.
     
• F.  Vacancies
  • A DAC seat will be deemed vacant if (i) a member's term expires and they are term-limited or not reappointed; or (ii) a member resigns or is removed in accordance with these Bylaws. The DAC will nominate candidates for appointment to vacant seats in accordance with Aliicle V of these Bylaws.

The DAC will recommend candidates for consideration. The Board finally appoints all voting members. Notwithstanding anything in these Bylaws to the contrary, the Board may appoint anyone whom the Board, in its sole discretion, believes to be in the best interest of the District.

• A.  Officers
  • In the Fall of each year, the DAC will elect, by majority vote of its members, a Chair, Vice-Chair and Secretary, each of whom will serve up to a two (2) year term set at the discretion of the Committee. Either the Chair or the Vice-Chair will be a parent representative member of the DAC. The Chair or Vice-Chair will preside at all DAC meetings.
     
• B.  Officer Responsibilities
  • a.  The Chair sets the agenda and assures that the agenda is sent out to DAC members in advance of each meeting; and, presides over each meeting.
  • b.  The Vice-Chair sets the agenda when the Chair is absent; assumes the duties of the Chair when the Chair is absent; and,_assumes the duties of the Chair for the remainder of the term in the event of a resignation or removal of the Chair and until a successor Chair is elected.
  • c.  The Secretary takes minutes of each meeting; submits meeting minutes for distribution to all DAC members prior to the next meeting; and, maintains a file containing all DAC business.
     
• C.  Election
  • Each officer will be elected by a majority vote of the DAC members and will serve up to a two (2) year term set at the discretion of the Committee. Individuals may be re-elected for one (1) additional term by a majority vote of the DAC members.
     
• D.  Resignation
  • Any officer may resign by giving written notice to the Chair or Secretary of the DAC. The resignation of any officer will take effect upon receipt of notice thereof or at such later time as specified in such notice; and, unless otherwise specified therein, the acceptance of such resignation by the DAC is not necessary to make it effective.
     
• E.  Removal
  • Any officer may be removed from office by a two-thirds majority of the DAC's voting members. In addition, an officer may be removed by a majority vote of the Board.
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• F.  Vacancy
  • A vacancy occurring in any office will be filled for the unexpired term by a person elected by a majority vote of the DAC members.

• A.  Regular Meetings
  • The frequency of regular meetings of the DAC will be set at the discretion of the DAC as necessary to fulfill the duties and responsibilities of the DAC.
     
• B.  Special Meetings
  • Special meetings may be called by the Chair or Co-Chair or at the request of at least four (4) members of the DAC, with a minimum of three (3) business_days' advance notice (which may be sent electronically to member email addresses) given to all members of the DAC.
     
• C.  Notice of Meetings
  • Unless otherwise specifically provided, regular and special meetings shall be preceded by written notice, posted on the District's website at least twenty-four (24) hours in advance. The notice shall include the meeting time, location, a description of any matters for which member action may be requested, and a description of the purpose or purposes for which the meeting is called.
     
• D.  Waiver of Notice
  • When notice is required to be given to any DAC member under these Bylaws, a waiver in writing signed by the person entitled to that notice, whether before or after the time stated therein, shall be the equivalent of giving such notice. Attendance at any meeting shall constitute a waiver of notice unless the member attends solely to object that the meeting has not been properly called.
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• E.  Minutes
  • Meeting minutes will be produced and distributed to members before the next scheduled regular meeting. Minutes shall be publicly available following approval.
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• F.  Attendance; Electronic Participation
  • Members should notify the Chair or Co-Chair if they are unable to attend a meeting. A member missing three (3) consecutive meetings may be subject to a recommendation for_removal to the Board of Education. Upon approval of the Chair, a member may attend a meeting electronically, by means of telephone or audio-conferencing equipment by which all persons participating in the meeting can hear each other at the same time. A member who participates in a meeting by electronic means shall have access to any materials that are presented and available to members who ai·e physically present. A member who participates in a meeting electronically will be considered present in the same manner as if the member was physically present at the meeting.
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• G.  Public Participation
  • The DAC will include a period of public comment subject to reasonable time, place, and manner restrictions at any meeting.
     
• H.  Rules of Order
  • Except as set forth in these Bylaws, the DAC shall generally operate by·the rules prescribed in Robert's Rules of Order.

• A.  Quorum
  • A quorum shall be a simple majority of the DAC voting members.
     
• B.  Majority Vote
  • At all meetings, each DAC member shall have one vote. A majority vote of the quorum is required for action. In the case of a tie vote, the motion being voted upon shall be deemed to have failed.

•  A.   Sub-Committees
  • The DAC may form sub-committees to carry out the Board directed duties of the DAC and to address matters as requested by the Board as well as needed to more effectively carry out the duties and responsibilities. Sub-committee membership shall be open to any member of the DAC.
     
• B.  DAC Member Appointments to Other Committees/Groups
  • From time to time a request may be received from another Board or District committee or outside group for one or more DAC member(s) to be appointed to that committee or group. Any DAC member(s) may self-nominate for such open position(s). A vote shall be taken by the DAC to select the member(s) to be appointed.
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• C.  Operational Procedures
  • The Committee has the discretion to develop and implement operational procedures deemed necessary to assist the Committee in meeting their charge and directives as assigned to it by the Board. The Committee's Operational Procedures need not be approved by the Board of Education to be effective but should be publicly available on DAC's website.

These Bylaws may not be amended, repealed, or altered except by Board action.

Proposals for amendments to these Bylaws may be recommended by the DAC, subject to the following procedures and limitations:

• 1.  Proposed amendments must not conflict with Articles I through IX of these Bylaws and must comply with applicable law and all other policies and guidelines established by the District.
• 2.  Amendments to the Bylaws may be proposed at any regular meeting or special meeting of the DAC for recommendation to the Board.
• 3.  Members will be provided with notice at least one (1) meeting in advance prior to any meeting at which amendments to the Bylaws will be proposed.