Article One: Membership

Section 1: Classes

There will be two (2) classes of membership in the Association: Active and Representation-Fee.

  1. Active membership shall be open to any person included in the bargaining unit of the Association and who is engaged in or who is on a limited leave of absence from professional educational work or who is serving as an executive officer of the Association and is employed by the Denver Public Schools. Active members shall hold or shall be eligible to hold a baccalaureate or higher degree or the regular teaching, vocational, or technical certificates required by their employment. Active membership is limited to persons who support the principles and goals of the Association and who maintain membership in the United Education Profession (UEP), Denver Classroom Teachers Association (DCTA), Colorado Education Association (CEA), and National Education Association (NEA), providing that such persons shall have no power in employing or dismissing teachers.
  2. Representation-Fee membership shall be a category of membership open to those members of the bargaining unit employed by the Denver Public Schools paying to the Association the representation fee. Such members may not necessarily subscribe to the principles and goals of the Association.

Section 2: Basic Beliefs and Subscriptions

  1. The Association shall meet the standards for affiliation as set forth in the Colorado Education Association and the National Education Association official governance documents.
  2. The Association will have no rule, procedure, or practice that permits discrimination on the basis of race, creed, color, sex, age, marital status, disability, national origin, sexual orientation, or other specified human or civil rights as may be protected by legislative or judicial mandate.
  3. The Association recognizes the preeminence of the Code of Ethics of the Education Profession.
  4. The Association will not permit, by work or practice, any of the officers or agents advocating the overthrow of the constitutional government or engaging in any conflicting business or financial interest.

Section 3: Honorary Membership

The Board of Directors may grant honorary membership privileges.

Section 4: Obligations and Privileges of Active Members

  1. Obligations
      1. To support the purpose and programs of the Association.
      2. To exemplify professional ethics set forth in the Code of Ethics of the Education Profession.
      3. To maintain professional standards.
      4. To conform to the Articles of Incorporation, Bylaws, Standing Rules, and statements of policy of the Association.
      5. To pay membership dues promptly.
  2. Privileges
      1. The right to vote on all matters presented to the membership
      2. The right to be eligible to elective and appointed positions in the Association as provided in the Bylaws and Standing Rules.
      3. The right to propose or review policies by initiative or referendums by petition of 10% of the current membership.
      4. The right to receive publications and reports of the Association.
      5. The right to all services provided by the Association for members.

Section 5: Obligations and Privileges of Representation-Fee Members.

  1. Obligations
  2. To pay the Association representation fee.
  3. To conform to the Articles of Incorporation, Bylaws and Standing Rules of the Association, when exercising privileges under B-1, 2, and 3 of the Bylaws Section 5.
  4. Privileges
    1. The right to vote on all matters presented to the membership.
    2. The right to be eligible to elective positions in the Association.
    3. The right to propose or review policies by the initiative or referendum by petition of 10% of the current membership.
    4. The right to receive publications and reports of the Association.
    5. The right to all services provided by the Association for members.
    6. The right to change class of membership to active.

Section 6: Honorary Privileges.

The directors at any meeting of the Board may extend the privilege of honorary life membership to persons who have rendered conspicuous services to the public schools of Denver. Such honorary life members shall be exempt from payment of dues. The Board of Directors may grant honorary one-year membership in the Denver Classroom teachers Association to foreign exchange teachers. Honorary members shall have all the rights and privileges of active membership except those of voting and holding office.

Section 7: Membership Year

The membership year shall begin on September 1 and extend through August 31 of the following year.

Section 8: Dues

  1. The annual dues for active members shall be 0.433% of the eighth step of the salary schedule for the BA degree as of September 1 of the current DPS fiscal year plus ten (10) dollars and the application of such dues adjustment shall be effective on September 1 of each year.
  2. Every Member Option: a special assessment of twenty-four (24) dollars shall be added to members annual dues. This special assessment shall be used solely for funding political action. During a period once a year as communicated by the Association, members may request in writing that this assessment be refunded to them.

Section 9: Expulsion, Suspension, and Reinstatement of Members.

The Association shall guarantee that no member be censured, suspended, or expelled without due process. The proceedings for just cause provided that due process procedures be followed. Just cause shall exist for alleged violations of the code of ethics of the United Education Profession or for alleged failure to comply with the obligations set forth in Article I, Section 4A of these bylaws. In the event such proceedings are invoked, the Association Central Grievance Board shall hold hearings and make recommendations to the Board of Directors regarding disposition of the matter. Based on these recommendations, the Board of Directors may be appealed to the Representative Council. By majority vote, the Representative Council shall have the authority to reinstate a suspended or expelled member for provident cause.

Section 10: Multi-Ethnic Guarantee

The Association shall guarantee to the extent possible that all governing bodies, commissions, and committees will have ethnic minority representation at least proportionate to the ethnic minority membership in the Association. If possible, one (1) seat from each sector will be filled by multi-ethnic candidates.

Article Two: Officers

Section 1: Officers

The officers of the Association shall be President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, four (4) Directors elected from each sector, and CEA Board members who shall serve as ex-officio voting members of the Board. If possible, one (1) seat from each sector will be filled by multi-ethnic candidates.

  1. All elections shall be by open nomination and secret ballot.
  2. Directors representing the specified sectors shall be elected by the constituent members in their sector.
  3. All terms are for two (2) years and no officer, except for the President, may serve more than two (2) consecutive terms.

Section 2: Qualifications

A candidate for office shall be a current member of the United Education Profession.

Section 3: Selection and Terms of Office

  1. President: The term of office of the President shall be for two (2) years beginning the first day following the last calendar day of the traditional school year in which the election takes place. The election will be held on odd-numbered years.
  2. Vice President: The term of office of the Vice President shall be for two (2) years beginning the first day following the last calendar day of the traditional school year in which the election takes place. The election will be held on odd-numbered years.
  3. Secretary: The Secretary may serve for a term of two (2) years. The term of office shall begin the first day following the last calendar day of the traditional school year in which the election was held. The election will be held on even-numbered years.
  4. Treasurer: The Treasurer shall serve for a term of two (2) years. The term of office shall begin the first day following the last calendar day of the traditional school year in which the election was held. The election will be held on even-numbered years.
  5. The President, Vice President, Secretary, and Treasurer of the Corporation shall be elected by open nomination and secret ballot of the membership at large. The election shall be a majority vote of the members voting. The term of office shall be two (2) years following their election with a maximum eligibility of two (2) terms. Campaigning for an officer position of the Association shall be governed by the Rules for Campaigning for CEA Offices as adopted and amended by the CEA Board of Directors.
  6. Succession procedures and filling of vacancies shall occur as prescribed in the Standing Rules.

Section 4: Powers and Duties of the President

The President shall:

  1. Be the chief executive officer of the Association and its policy leader.
  2. Represent the Association as spokesperson on matters of policy; serve as chief contact with the media, or assign, at the President’s discretion, responsibility for such representation to staff or other governance officials.
  3. Prepare, with staff assistance, the agenda for the Board of Directors, Representative Council, and other governance meetings as may be necessary.
  4. Appoint all chairpersons and members of committees with the advice and consent of the Board of Directors. Members from ethnic minorities shall comprise at least twenty-five (25) percent of the chairpersons.
  5. Serve as an ex-officio member of all committees and other subsidiary groups authorized by the governing bodies.
  6. Establish the annual charges for all committees and other authorized subsidiary groups with consent of the Board of Directors.
  7. As needed, review Association policies and recommend changes and priorities to be considered by the Board of Directors.
  8. Meet regularly with the other officers of the Association, with the Executive UniServ Director, and with the UniServ Field Staff members.
  9. Delegate duties to the officers and Executive Director and, through the Executive Director, to the staff.
  10. Preside at meetings of the Board of Directors, Representative Council, and other appropriate business meetings of the Association.
  11. Perform the duties prescribed by the Bylaws and Standing Rules and such other duties as are customarily assumed by the Chief Executive Officer of an Association.

Section 5: Powers and Duties of the Vice President

In the case of the absence or disability of the President, the Vice President shall act in the President’s place and with the President’s authority. The Vice President shall also serve as the chairperson of the membership team, coordinate membership activities and perform such additional appropriate duties as may be ordered by the President.

Section 6: Powers and Duties of the Secretary

The Secretary will be responsible for keeping accurate minutes of the Executive Committee, Board of Directors, and Representative Council. The Secretary shall perform such other appropriate duties as may be ordered by the President.

Section 7: Powers and Duties of the Treasurer

The Treasurer shall exercise supervision of the funds of the Association and shall perform such other appropriate duties as may be ordered by the President. The Treasurer shall furnish a bond in the amount designated by the Board of Directors with costs paid by the Association.

Section 8: Recall

Any elected executive officer of the Association who is charged with malfeasance or nonfeasance of duty will be subject to a ballot recall when a petition has been signed by 30% of the qualified voters and presented to the Board of Directors. This ballot will be prepared by the Election Committee and all qualified voters shall be given the opportunity to vote. A two-thirds vote (of those voting) favoring the recall of the elected officers will result in the officer’s removal from office. Provisions for counting the ballots, certifying, announcing, recording and carrying out the results shall be made by the Election Committee, except as may be established in the Standing Rules.

Section 9: CEA-NEA Delegates

  1. The DCTA may be represented each year at the Delegate Assembly of the CEA and the Representative Assembly of the NEA by the number of delegates to which it is entitled by its active membership in the UEP. Allocation of all delegate seats will be determined by the CEA and NEA, respectively, using the proportional representation formula found in the documents of authority. Elections to delegate positions shall be conducted as provided in the DCTA Bylaws and Standing Rules.
  2. The election to the offices of DCTA President, Vice President, Secretary, and Treasurer shall constitute election as funded delegates to both the CEA Delegate Assembly and the NEA Representative Assembly and succession to the office shall constitute eligibility as a funded delegate in accordance with the Standing Rules.
Article Three: Executive Committee

Section 1: Composition

The Executive Committee of the Association shall be: President, Vice President, Secretary, and Treasurer.

Section 2: Terms

If after any period of eleven (11) consecutive membership years a member of an ethnic minority group has not served as an Executive officer, the Association shall take such steps as may be legally permissible to elect a member of an ethnic minority group.

Section 3: Powers and Duties

The Executive Committee shall represent and shall act for and on behalf of the Board of Directors on all matters affecting the general policies and interest of the Association between meetings of the Board of Directors and as is provided in Rule 1A of the Standing Rules except in such instances when a decision will require a vote of the membership.

Article Four: Board of Directors

Section 1: Composition

The Board of Directors shall consist of four (4) Sector Directors from each sector, CEA Directors, President, Vice President, Secretary, and Treasurer and shall reflect the racial and cultural diversity of the organization as defined and required in the Bylaws and Standing Rules.

Section 2: Powers and Duties

The Board of Directors shall function as the corporate executive authority of the Association with deliberative, judicial, and fiduciary responsibility. The Board shall have authority to create, empower, and determine the basic functions and duties of task forces, committees, and other subsidiary groups. The Board shall approve charges to establish committees on an annual basis. Election to the Board of Directors shall constitute election as funded delegates to the CEA Delegate Assembly unless specified otherwise in the Bylaws or Standing Rules. The Board shall commission the Executive UniServ Director to prepare an annual proposed budget prior to February 1 of each year. Following preparation of the proposed budget, the budget adoption procedure provided in Bylaws Article X, Section 4, shall be followed.

Section 3: Sector Directors and CEA Directors: Election and Terms of Office

Each sector shall elect directors in accordance with procedures provided for in the Bylaws and Standing Rules. The sectors shall correspond to the geographical areas designated by the Board of Directors and shall be adjusted in accordance with the Standing Rules. Sector Directors shall be elected for two (2) year terms and may serve no more than two (2) consecutive terms. Sector Directors shall be elected by vote of the total membership of that sector. CEA Directors shall be elected as provided in the CEA official documents and the term of office on the DCTA Board of Directors will be governed by the length of the term of the CEA Board of Directors.

In the event a Sector Director is, by virtue of transfer, no longer assigned to a school or educational unit in the sector of original election, said Director shall be entitled to complete the term currently being served. The Director shall not be eligible for re-election in the sector from which transferred. A candidate that has been nominated for more than one (1) Director seat for which eligible must declare candidacy for the single seat of preference.

Section 4: Recall of Sector Directors

Any Sector Director who is charged with malfeasance or nonfeasance of duty may be subject to a recall election.

  1. To initiate the recall of a Sector Director, one of the following procedures must occur:
  2. A vote for initiation of recall by 75% of the total membership of the Board of Directors, or
  3. A petition presented to the Board of Directors which has 50% of the signatures of the Association Representatives in the area represented by the Sector Director being considered for recall.
  4. When either of the two initiation procedures, outlined in A above, has been fulfilled, the Board of Directors will direct the Election Committee to prepare a recall ballot for the membership of the sector whose Sector Director is being considered for recall. A two-thirds majority vote, of those voting, favoring the recall of Sector Director, will result in removal from office. The Election Committee will conduct the election using the procedures in Rule 9 of the Standing Rules.
Article Five: Professional Staff

Section 1:

Professional staff may be employed by the Board of Directors and all such staff members shall be responsible to the Board of Directors.

  1. Chief Administrative Officer: The Executive UniServ Director shall be the Chief Administrative Officer for the Association, responsible for directing the Professional and Support staff. The Executive UniServ Director shall function in accordance with provisions of the Bylaws and Standing Rules, with the terms of the Executive UniServ Director’s written contract with the Board of Directors.
  2. UniServ Field Staff: Consistent with the NEA UniServ policy guidelines, the Board of Directors may employ one (1) or more UniServ Directors who shall serve as Field Staff Representatives for the Association.

Section 2:

Adequate support staff and other appropriate assistance shall, as determined by the Board of Directors, be provided for the UniServ staff.

Article Six: Representative Council

Section 1: Composition

The Representative Council shall be the official legislative body of the Association and shall be composed of Association Representatives and members of the Board of Directors.

Section 2: Powers and Duties of the Representative Council

The Representative Council shall be empowered to take action on all matters affecting Association policy by legislative procedure, to approve all committee reports and recommendations affecting Association policies, and to refer major issues to the membership for a vote.

Section 3: Voting

Votes in Representative Council shall be based on one vote for each authorized member.

Section 4: Meetings of Representative Council

The Representative Council shall meet each month during the school year and at other times when called by the Board of Directors or the President. Meetings may be cancelled or postponed by action of the Board of Directors. Members of the Representative Council may call a special meeting by submitting a petition to the Board of Directors signed by 10% of the Representative Council members. The petition must state the business to be considered by the special session of the Representative Council. A simple majority of the members shall constitute a quorum.

Section 5: Visitors

Association members in good standing may attend Representative Council meetings without power of voting. Non-members may be expressly invited by the Representative Council or the Board of Directors. Such persons shall sit apart from the Council and may address the Representative Council when recognized by the President or the presiding officer.

Article Seven: Association Representatives

Section 1: Qualifications

Association Representatives must be current members of the United Education Profession.

Section 2: Number

Each school and/or other member unit, as designated by the Board of Directors, shall be represented by at least one (1) elected representative. It is encouraged and desired that the Association Representatives reflect the racial and cultural diversity of the work site or member unit.

Section 3: Selection

Representatives shall be elected by secret ballot by members in the respective school or member unit

Section 5: Duties

The Association Representative shall attend all meetings of the Representative Council. If a Representative, for due cause, cannot attend a Representative Council meeting, an alternate may act in the place of the Representative.

Representatives shall communicate with members of their respective constituencies concerning activities of the United Education Profession and shall represent, in Representative Council, the views of the Representative’s constituency.

Representatives shall be responsible for holding monthly Association meetings and conducting elections in each building or comparable unit as authorized by the Bylaws and Standing Rules.

Section 6: Removal

A Representative who has two unexcused, consecutive absences from Representative Council meetings or who is considered by the Board of Directors to be guilty of nonfeasance may be removed from the position by a two-thirds vote of the Board of Directors or by a majority vote of the members represented by the Association Representative.

Article Eight: Task Forces and Committees

Section 1: Establishment

The number, organization, and function of task forces and committees, with chairpersons and members appointed by the President, shall be determined by the Board of Directors. The Representative Council may also recommend to the Board of Directors establishment of new task forces and committees, with chairperson and members appointed by the President for specific purposes not adequately covered by exiting committees or task forces.

Section 2: Selection of Task Force and Committee Chairpersons

The Association shall be responsible for selecting chairpersons of task forces and committees subject to the approval of the Board of Directors. Members from ethnic minorities shall comprise at least twenty-five (25) percent of the chairpersons, and selection of the chairpersons shall reflect the racial and cultural diversity of the Association. Such recommendations shall be made before the close of the school year in which the President assumes the office of the presidency.

Section 3: Governance

It shall be the responsibility of task forces and committees to:

  1. Operate under charges presented by the President.
  2. Report to and furnish minutes to the President and the Board of Directors.
  3. Submit to the Board of Directors an action which might become policy of the Association.
  4. Present the Executive UniServ Director budget requests at the time a new budget is being prepared.

The policy-making body of the Association is the Representative Council. The Board of Directors is responsible for the implementation and governance of all Association programs including approval and management of the annual budget.

Section 4: Programs and Activities

The activities and programs of task forces and committees shall be subject to policies set forth by the Representative Council and to specific interpretation of these policies and may from time to time be developed by the Board of Directors. Task force and committee expenditures that will exceed the task force and/or committee budget shall be subject to the approval of the Board of Directors.

Section 5: Vacancies and Attendance

Any vacancy that occurs during a term of service on a task force or committee shall be filled as soon as feasible, if deemed necessary by the President. A task force or committee by majority may recommend to the President that a member be replaced because of the inability to serve or because of continued absence, without due cause, from task force or committee meetings.

Section 6: Flow Charts

The organization of the Association shall be prepared by the President of the Association subject to the approval of the Board of Directors. These charts shall represent the current organization of the Association.

Section 7: Bylaws and Standing Rules Committee

  1. Composition

There shall be a committee on bylaws and standing rules consisting of a chairperson and six members.

  1. Duties

This committee may render advisory opinions involving interpretation of these bylaws and standing rules when requested to do so by the officers of the Association. This committee shall be responsible for considering and proposing, from time to time, such revisions of the bylaws and standing rules as may be deemed in the interest of the Association.

  1. Selection

Members from ethnic minorities shall comprise at least twenty-five (25) percent of the chairpersons. Members shall be appointed by the President to reflect the racial and cultural diversity of the Association.

Section 8: Election Committee

  1. Composition
  2. The Election Committee shall consist of a chairperson and volunteers recruited by the chairperson. The chairperson shall be appointed by the President.
  3. The composition of the committee shall reflect the racial and cultural diversity of the Association. Members from ethnic minorities shall comprise at least twenty-five (25) percent of the chairpersons and shall reflect the racial and cultural diversity of the Association.
  4. Duties

The Election Committee shall be responsible for presenting to the membership one or more eligible candidates for each open Executive and Director office and a sufficient number of candidates for open positions for Delegates to the CEA and NEA assemblies. The complete list of candidates shall be presented at the February Representative Council meeting. The Election Committee shall conduct the annual election during March or April of each year.

Article Nine: Finance

Section 1: Fiscal Year

The fiscal year of this Association shall be defined in the Standing Rules.

Section 2: General Fund

The General Fund of the Denver Classroom Teachers Association shall be the operating fund of the Association. All money collected from the dues of the Association, except the Every Member Option special assessment or those collected for another specific purpose, shall be credited to the General Fund of the Association. Funds may be transferred from the General Fund or other special funds by a two-thirds vote of the Board of Directors.

Section 3: Reserve Fund

The Reserve Fund is the contingency fund of the Association and may be used for any purpose deemed necessary by a two-thirds vote of the Board of Directors. The Reserve Fund assets and uncommitted assets of the General Fund, beyond current operating expenses, shall be invested in the Denver Public Schools Employees’ Credit Union, a federally insured bank, or a savings and loan association.

Section 4: Annual budget

The Board of Directors shall provide for an open budget hearing in concert with the Representative Council meeting in either February or March of each year. During such meeting, Association Representatives may make recommendations and suggest changes in the proposed budget. The Executive Director will be responsible for including the recommendations in the proposed budget. The proposed budget will then be submitted to the Executive Committee for review and study. When the Executive Committee has determined that the proposed budget is in proper order, the budget shall be submitted to the Board of Directors for action and final approval. Such final approval shall be determined by majority vote of the Board of Directors prior to the end of the school year. The expenditures and payment of monies thus authorized may be made by the Treasurer.

Section 5: Audit

The Association shall employ a private auditing agency to conduct the annual audit at the end of the fiscal year as prescribed in the Standing Rules.

Section 6: Financial Reports

The Treasurer of the Denver Classroom Teachers Association shall present a monthly financial statement of the Association for approval by the Board of Directors. The monthly statements shall be presented at the regular meetings of the Representative Council of the Association.

Section 7: Borrowing Money

The Association, acting by and through its Board of Directors and with the approval of Representative Council, shall have the authority to borrow money and to mortgage or pledge any or all of its holdings as security for the repayment thereof.

Article Ten: Amendments

Section 1: Amendments to the Bylaws

Amendments to the Bylaws may be proposed by the Representative Council, the Board of Directors, and the Bylaws and Standing Rules Committee. Individual members shall have the power to propose amendments by submitting a petition signed by 10% of the membership. All proposed amendments shall be submitted to the Representative Council for approval. Upon approval of the majority of the Representative Council present, the proposed amendment(s) shall be forwarded to the Executive UniServ Director who shall then submit proposed amendment(s) to a vote of the members within 30 days from the date of filing. Unless specified otherwise, amendments shall become valid when ratified by a majority of the members voting under the procedures provided in the Standing Rules.

Article Eleven: Standing Rules and Parliamentary Procedures

Section 1: Authorization of Standing Rules

Supplementary rules and regulations may be adopted by the Representative Council and shall be designated as Standing Rules.

Section 2: Parliamentary Procedures

Robert’s Rules of Order Revised shall govern the Association in all points for which provision has not been made in these Bylaws and the Standing Rules. The Executive Committee will, annually, designate a parliamentarian.

Section 3: Quorum

A quorum shall exist when a majority of those eligible to vote are present.