{"id":1380006,"date":"2025-04-24T14:49:16","date_gmt":"2025-04-24T18:49:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/fcsn.org\/?p=1380006"},"modified":"2025-11-10T14:30:45","modified_gmt":"2025-11-10T19:30:45","slug":"by-laws","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/fcsn.org\/pt\/by-laws\/","title":{"rendered":"By-Laws"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong>Following the Rules<\/strong><br \/>\nUnder Massachusetts law, SEPACs \u201cshall establish by-laws regarding officers and operational procedures\u201d. By-laws are rules that define how your group operates. A formal structure or framework for conducting SEPAC business can help your SEPAC be effective in an orderly and consistent manner. The bylaws will also help ensure continuity and stability from year to year as membership and leadership changes. By-laws (and revisions to the by-laws) need to be adopted by the SEPAC membership at a SEPAC meeting which advertises a by-laws vote on the agenda.<\/p>\n<p>By-laws define important policies and procedures of the SEPAC, such as:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>what is the name and purpose of the organization;<\/li>\n<li>who is a member and who can vote;<\/li>\n<li>the method for selecting officers \u2013 elections;<\/li>\n<li>the duties and terms of the officers;<\/li>\n<li>how often the group shall meet;<\/li>\n<li>define a quorum; and<\/li>\n<li>amendments.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Keep the By-laws simple and brief, sections may be added or amended as needed.\u00a0The current By-laws should note the date of acceptance and the dates of any revisions.<\/p>\n<p>If conflict arises within your group, the by-laws may help provide direction. By-laws should be reviewed about every three years. The Secretary should retain copies of the by-laws.<\/p>\n<p>The by-laws often define the role of the SEPAC Chair or President in running a meeting and how the group makes decisions. Many town government committees use Robert\u2019s Rules of Order. The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pta.org\/docs\/default-source\/files\/training\/course-tools\/president\/english\/roberts-rules-of-order-basics\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">National PTA Tip <\/a>Sheet has an easy-to-use tip sheet on Robert\u2019s Rules of Order \u2013 a guide to the formal steps in handling a motion made at a meeting. Your SEPAC can also choose to use a consensus method or collaborative process for making decisions.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/fcsn.org\/resource\/sepac-bylaws-template-and-tips-for-family-led-groups\/\">SEPAC By-laws &#8211; Template and Tips for Family-led Groups<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Following the Rules Under Massachusetts law, SEPACs \u201cshall establish by-laws regarding officers and operational procedures\u201d. By-laws are rules that define how your group operates. A formal structure or framework for [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":62,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[316],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1380006","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-sepac-toolkit"],"translation":{"provider":"WPGlobus","version":"3.0.2","language":"pt","enabled_languages":["en","es","pt","ar","zh","vi"],"languages":{"en":{"title":true,"content":true,"excerpt":false},"es":{"title":false,"content":false,"excerpt":false},"pt":{"title":false,"content":false,"excerpt":false},"ar":{"title":false,"content":false,"excerpt":false},"zh":{"title":false,"content":false,"excerpt":false},"vi":{"title":false,"content":false,"excerpt":false}}},"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v28.0 - 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A balanced membership - parents of children in all grade levels and representing many disabilities - will give the group different perspectives as well as credibility as an\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;SEPAC Toolkit&quot;","block_context":{"text":"SEPAC Toolkit","link":"https:\/\/fcsn.org\/pt\/category\/sepac-toolkit\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":1380031,"url":"https:\/\/fcsn.org\/pt\/fund-raising\/","url_meta":{"origin":1380006,"position":1},"title":"Budget\/Fund-Raising","author":"Federation For Children With Special Needs","date":"April 24, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"SEPACs may need a source of funds to pay for speakers, print brochures and flyers and plan activities. \u00a0The officers should develop an annual budget along with their calendar of activities. A school district or School Committee may commit funds to support the activities of a SEPAC or a SEPAC\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;SEPAC Toolkit&quot;","block_context":{"text":"SEPAC Toolkit","link":"https:\/\/fcsn.org\/pt\/category\/sepac-toolkit\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Diagram of Fundraising","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/fcsn.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/AdobeStock_86400757-RESIZED-300x230.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":1380028,"url":"https:\/\/fcsn.org\/pt\/building-membership\/","url_meta":{"origin":1380006,"position":2},"title":"Building Membership","author":"Federation For Children With Special Needs","date":"April 24, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"How to Grow Your SEPAC A successful SEPAC is the best publicity \u2013 people like to belong to active groups with a defined purpose. Who Can Be a SEPAC Member? 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Your SEPAC can review the Massachusetts law regarding SEPACs to help define their role in the community. A mission statement can guide the actions of the group, provide a path for activities, and inform\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;SEPAC Toolkit&quot;","block_context":{"text":"SEPAC Toolkit","link":"https:\/\/fcsn.org\/pt\/category\/sepac-toolkit\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":1380033,"url":"https:\/\/fcsn.org\/pt\/annual-calendar-meetings\/","url_meta":{"origin":1380006,"position":4},"title":"Annual Calendar\/Meetings","author":"Federation For Children With Special Needs","date":"April 24, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"Have a Plan SEPACs with a formal calendar find that parents are better able to plan to attend meetings, events and workshops with advance notice. Getting the membership together on a regular basis also helps to create a group identity, provide a forum for ideas and sharing resources, and address\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;SEPAC Toolkit&quot;","block_context":{"text":"SEPAC Toolkit","link":"https:\/\/fcsn.org\/pt\/category\/sepac-toolkit\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Mature students studying in library","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/fcsn.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/Fotolia_8652236_S-223x300.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":1379994,"url":"https:\/\/fcsn.org\/pt\/advising-the-district\/","url_meta":{"origin":1380006,"position":5},"title":"Advising the District","author":"Federation For Children With Special Needs","date":"April 24, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"A SEPAC is primarily an advisory group. The members represent all parents of children receiving special education services in the district. The SEPAC can also participate as a planning and\/or evaluation group with respect to the school district\u2019s special education programs. SEPACs add an important voice to the school district\u2019s\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;SEPAC Toolkit&quot;","block_context":{"text":"SEPAC Toolkit","link":"https:\/\/fcsn.org\/pt\/category\/sepac-toolkit\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Business group looking at camera. They all are young, smiling and wearing smart casual clothes. Mixed race group, three women and three men. 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