Texas Association of Secondary School Principals

Constitution 

Article I - Name and Location

Section 1. Name. The name of this organization is the Texas Association of Secondary School Principals. 

Section 2. Office. The Association shall maintain an office in Austin, Travis County, Texas, which will be its principal place of business.

Article II - Purposes

Section 1. Primary Aim. The Association is organized exclusively for educational and charitable purposes and the primary aim of this Association shall be promoting the advancement of the secondary school education by providing a clearing house for discussions bearing on the problems of secondary school operations, and by encouraging research in secondary education.

Section 2. Secondary Aim. A secondary aim of this Association is to serve as the sponsoring organization for the Texas Association of Student Councils and the Texas Association of Future Educators; and to motivate secondary principals, within their respective schools, (1) to promote student council participation and (2) to encourage students to become teachers.

Section 3. Objective of the Association. In the furtherance of its educational purposes, this Association shall strive to bring about (1) a closer relationship between school principals of the public schools of the State of Texas and the individual members thereof; (2) the interchange of thought and ideas between principals and the individual members thereof; (3) the study of school and school district challenges; (4) the study of the enacted and proposed laws of the State of Texas creating the system of public schools and school affairs in this State; (5) the study and interchange of information about and concerning the function and challenges of schools and the school system of the state; (6) the working toward a general improvement of schools and school systems of the State of Texas; and (7) the broadening and equalizing of school opportunities to and for the children of the State of Texas.

Section 4. Accomplishing Purposes. The purposes for which the Association is formed may be accomplished: 

(a) By conducting annual meetings, to which all school principals are invited to attend and participate. At these meetings addresses may be made by educators or citizens on matters or problems relating to public school education, to functions and duties of school principals, and to the operation, maintenance, conduct, and financing of local schools and the public school system. Workshops and panel discussions may be held to discuss the same challenges and to encourage friendly and fruitful relations between those in attendance.

(b) By encouraging the holding of regional meetings of educators, to which invitations will be extended to persons residing in an area contiguous to the place or places at which such meetings will be held. Such meetings shall include addresses, workshops, panel discussions, and other forms of disseminating information, all of which will be dealing with challenges set out in subsection (a) above. If requested the Association will assist in organizing the meeting and aiding in arranging for speakers. 

(c) By publishing and distributing to its members, through various media formats, information which appears in articles, news items, comments, and other publications, dealing generally with the same challenges set out in subsection (a) above.

(d) By sending special bulletins to school principals, for informational purposes only, reporting changes in laws, proposed laws, or rules of regulatory bodies dealing with matters relating to the public school system of Texas, the operation, maintenance, and conduct of public schools, local school principals’ organizations and local school principals, without recommending or commenting on the wisdom or desirability of favoring or opposing such laws or rules. 

(e) By such other means and methods as the Executive Committee and/or the Board of Directors may from time to time determine to be appropriate in the accomplishment of the purposes for which the Association was formed and which are not contrary to the terms and provisions of this Constitution.

Section 5. Non-Political. No substantial part of the activities which have been or which will be carried on have been or will be used for propaganda or in an attempt to influence legislation or to participate or intervene in any political campaign on behalf of any candidate for public office, including the publishing or distributing of political statements.

Article III - Membership

Section 1. Classes. Membership in the Association is of three classes: active, associate, and retired.

Section 2. Active Members. Active members are those individuals who are engaged in the administration or supervision of education at the secondary level or the teaching of secondary administration at the university level.

Section 3. Associate Members. Associate members are those individuals who are university professors, graduate students majoring in school administration, or other persons interested and involved in secondary education.

Section 4. Retired Members. Retired members are those individuals who were active or associate members of this Association prior to their retirement.

Section 5. Annual Fees. To obtain and retain membership in the Association, each individual must pay an annual membership fee as determined by a two-thirds vote of the Board of Directors at a regularly scheduled Board meeting.

Section 6. Service. All members have the privilege of serving on committees but only active members have the right to vote.

Section 7. Application. To become a member of the Association, an individual must file a written application which is subject to approval by the Board of Directors.

Section 8. Membership Year. The membership year of the Association begins on September 1 and ends on August 31 of the following year.

Section 9. Annual Meeting. An annual meeting of members shall be held in June of each year on a date and at a time and place to be determined by the Board of Directors.

Section 10. Special Meetings. Special meetings of members may be called from time to time by the Board of Directors.

Section 11. Quorum. At all meetings of members, 20% of those registered and entitled to vote shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business.

Section 12. Notice. Adequate notice of all meetings shall be given to all members. Notice must be in electronic or written form and sent at such time that members shall receive the notice not less than 10 nor more than 60 days prior to such meeting. In case of a special meeting, the notice must state the purpose for which the meeting is called.

Section 13. Manner of Acting. At all meetings of members, a majority of the votes cast, a quorum being present, shall decide any issue, unless a greater proportion is required elsewhere in this Constitution.

Article IV - Board of Directors

Section 1. Membership. The affairs of the Association shall be managed by a Board of Directors, which shall consist of (1) members of the Executive Committee, (2) all Region Coordinators, and (3) representatives elected by regions on the basis of membership.

Section 2. Tenure. Tenure on the Board of Directors is co-extensive with the term of office of the position which qualifies a member for membership on the Board. Such terms of office are proscribed elsewhere in this Constitution.

Section 3. Annual Meeting. An annual meeting of the Board of Directors shall be held in June of each year in conjunction with the Summer Workshop.

Section 4. Regular Meetings. A regular meeting of the Board of Directors shall be held in either December or January and another shall be held in the Fall of each year on dates and at times and places determined by the Board of Directors.

Section 5. Special Meetings. Special meetings of the Board of Directors may be called from time to time by the President, by the Executive Committee, or by one-third of the membership of the Board of Directors.

Section 6. Called by Executive Director. A special meeting of the Board of Directors may be called by the Executive Director only in one or more of the following circumstances:

(a) When the Executive Director believes that an Association policy is being violated by an officer or a director.

(b) When bonding of officers or employees is jeopardized by actions of an officer or director.

(c) When a dispute arises over interpretation of policy in areas where the Executive Director is directly responsible to the Board of Directors.

Section 7. Quorum. A majority of the total membership of the Board of Directors shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business.

Section 8. Notice. All members of the Board shall be given electronic or written notice at least 10 days prior to each meeting of the Board of Directors. In the case of a special meeting, the notice must state the purpose for which the meeting is called.

Section 9. Manner of Acting. The act of the majority of the directors present at a meeting at which a quorum is present shall be the act of the Board of Directors, unless a greater vote is required by law or this Constitution.

Section 10. Action by Board Only. The Directors shall act only as a Board and no individual Director shall have or exercise any power or authority of the Association solely by virtue of his/her membership on the Board.

Section 11. Presumption of Assent. A director of the Association who is present at a meeting of the Board of Directors at which action on any matter is taken shall be presumed to have assented to the action taken unless his/her dissent shall be entered in the minutes of the meeting or unless he/she shall file his/her written dissent to such action as soon as practicable after the adjournment of such meeting.

Article V - Officers

Section 1. State Officers. The officers of this Association shall be a President, a President-elect, a First Vice President, a Second Vice President, a State Coordinator, and an Assistant State Coordinator.

Section 2. Election and Terms. The Second Vice-President shall be elected by majority vote at the annual meeting of members in June and shall serve a term as Second Vice-President of one year. Unless removed by the Board of Directors, the Second Vice-President shall succeed to the office of First Vice-President, President Elect and then President. The Assistant State Coordinator shall be elected by majority vote at the annual meeting of members in June and shall serve a term as Assistant State Coordinator of three years. Unless removed by the Board of Directors, the Assistant State Coordinator shall automatically succeed to the position of State Coordinator and shall serve a maximum of three years as State Coordinator.

Section 3. Duties of President. The president shall serve as the Executive Officer of the Association except in the areas in which the Executive Director is directly responsible to the Board of Directors.

Section 4. Limited to Principals. Only an active member holding the position of secondary school principal on a full-time basis is eligible for election to any position defined by Section 1 hereof as an officer of the Association. If an officer of the Association vacates his/her position as secondary school principal, he ceases to be an officer at the next meeting of the Board of Directors or in June at the conclusion of the Summer Workshop, whichever comes first.

Section 5. Definition of Principal. A secondary school principal, as that term is used herein, means the head administrative officer of one or more campuses where a majority of the students, during the regular school day, are below the age of 19 years and are enrolled in grades 6 through 12. An assistant principal is considered as being a principal for the purposes hereof.

Section 6. Removal. Any officer may be removed from office at any time by a two-thirds vote of the Board of Directors, a quorum being present.

Section 7. Vacancies. Any vacancy in an officer position, may be filled for the unexpired term by the Board of Directors after receiving a recommendation from the Executive Director.

Article VI - Committees

Section 1. Executive Committee. The Association shall have an Executive Committee which is composed of the President, President-Elect, First Vice President, Second Vice President, State Coordinator, and the Immediate Past President. The Assistant State Coordinator is a non-voting member of the Executive Committee. The Executive Committee shall be responsible for (1) reviewing proposed policies and, where appropriate, making recommendations to the Board of Directors, and (2) taking action on items of an emergency nature where time or circumstance does not permit the convening of the Board of Directors.

Section 2. Finance Committee. The Association shall have a Finance Committee which is composed of the President-Elect as chairperson, the President, the First Vice-President, the Second Vice-President, the Immediate Past President, and two Region Coordinators appointed by the president. The Finance Committee shall be responsible for reviewing the financial condition of the Association, including audits and investments, developing an operational budget for the ensuing year, and recommending such budget to the Board of Directors.

Section 3. Nominating Committee. The Association shall have a Nominating Committee appointed by the President and confirmed by the Board of Directors. Each of the geographical areas established by the Board of Directors for purposes of nominating officers shall be represented by one member, with the Chairman being the representative from the area from which the nominee for Second Vice President is to be chosen. The duty of the Nominating Committee is to nominate State Officers of the Association.

Section 4. Other Committees. The Association shall have such other committees as are determined by the Board of Directors to be necessary to the proper functioning of the Association. All such committees shall be appointed by the President and confirmed by the Board of Directors.

Article VII - Executive Director

Section 1. Position. The Association shall have an Executive Director who shall be a full-time employee selected by the Board of Directors.

Section 2. Tenure. The Executive Director shall be employed on a written contract which may not exceed a period of three years. Such contract may be renewed or extended from time to time by action of the Board of Directors.

Section 3. Duties. The Executive Director shall report and be responsible to the Board of Directors who shall determine his/her duties and the extent of his/her authority and responsibility. Specifically, the Executive Director shall be solely responsible to the Board of Directors for staff, publications, operation of the central office, financial and budget compliance, and policy enforcement.

Section 4. Report. The Executive Director shall make a financial report of income and expenditures on a monthly basis to each member of the Board of Directors.

Article VIII - Finance

Section 1. Depository. All funds of the Association shall be deposited in an account or accounts to be maintained in reputable banking institutions as designated from time to time by the Board of Directors.

Section 2. Expenditures. Expenditures from funds of the Association shall be made only for purposes authorized by the Board of Directors. All expenditures shall be made by check, draft, or through electronic fund capabilities which must be signed in the manner authorized by the Board of Directors. No check or draft shall be signed in blank, but each check and draft shall name the person, firm or corporation to whom said check or draft is payable and shall state thereon briefly the purpose of such expenditure.

Section 3. Budget. The Executive Director is authorized to pay all bills within the approved budget. The President shall sign each bill paid.

Section 4. Fiscal Year. The fiscal year of the Association shall begin on September 1 of each year and shall end on August 31 of the following year.

Section 5. Dedication of Funds. The Association does not have nor will it ever have any capital stock or stockholders. No part of the net earnings of the Association has inured or shall inure to the benefit of any private stockholders or individual. All of the monies and property of the Association shall be, and are hereby, expressly dedicated to, and shall be used exclusively for, the purposes for which the Association was formed.

Section 6. Dissolution of Association. If for any reason the purposes for which the Association was formed can no longer be accomplished, the Board of Directors will terminate its activities, pay its debts, and dissolve the Association. In such event the remaining assets of the Association will be assigned and conveyed to the Permanent School Fund of the State of Texas as a gift without consideration for the use and benefit of the school children of Texas.

Article IX - Organization

Section 1. Geographic Regions. The State of Texas shall from time to time be divided into geographical regions as determined by the Board of Directors. The Association shall foster the organization of local units in each such region and the promotion of active participation by such units in the affairs of the Texas and National Associations of Secondary School Principals. The Association may also recognize departmental units according to policies established by the Board of Directors.

Section 2. Region Officers. Each region association shall elect a Coordinator and an Assistant Coordinator who shall serve for terms of three years beginning and ending at the conclusion of the annual meeting of the Association in June of each year.

Section 3. Staggered Terms. Terms of Regional officers are staggered in such manner that approximately one-third shall be elected each year. Such elections shall be held as follows: (a) Regions 3, 5, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, and 20 elect officers to begin terms in 1984 and every third year thereafter, (b) Regions 1, 7, 9, 11, 13, and 18 elect officers to begin terms in 1985 and every third year thereafter, and (c) Regions 2, 4, 6, 15, 17, and 19 elect officers to begin terms in 1986 and every third year thereafter.

Section 4. Not State Officers. The Coordinator and the Assistant Coordinator in each region are elective regional officers but are not state officers of the Association within the purview of Article V of this Constitution.

Section 5. Limited Tenure. Effective July 1, 1987, no member shall serve for a total of more than six years as a region coordinator or representative.

Section 6. Regional Representatives. A region may qualify for additional representatives to the Board of Directors by reason of its membership as of June 30 of the preceding year. A region with fewer than 201 members shall not be entitled to additional representation. A region with 201-300 members shall elect one additional representative; 301-400, two additional representatives; 401-500, three additional representatives; and this scale will be continued by increments of 100 to determine additional representatives.

Section 7. Election and Tenure. Regional representatives shall be elected at a district-wide meeting and shall serve for terms of three years beginning and ending at the conclusion of the annual meeting of the Association in June of each year.

Section 8. Limited Representation. From among the Region Coordinators and the Region Representatives elected within a region, it is encouraged that no two of these members of the Board of Directors be employees of the same school district.

Section 9. Eligibility to Serve as Regional Officer. Only an active principal as defined in Article V, Sections 4 and 5, may serve as a Region Coordinator, Assistant Region Coordinator, or Region Representative.

Article X - General Provisions

Section 1. Delegates to the National Convention. As authorized by the TASSP Board of Directors, delegates to the National Convention of the National Association of Secondary School Principals shall have necessary travel expenses paid by the Association including transportation, room, board, and tips.

Section 2. Referendum. A referendum must be held on any major action of the Board of Directors if a petition is filed which is signed by 15% of the membership of the previous year provided such 15% includes a minimum of 35 members from each of a minimum of 11 regions. Major action shall be interpreted as any constitutional item. A referendum may be held on any issue without the necessity for a petition if desired by the Board of Directors.

Section 3. Parliamentary Procedure. Robert's Rules of Order revised shall be authority and shall govern in all meetings of this Association on all questions of parliamentary procedure insofar as such Rules are not inconsistent with the provisions of this Constitution.

Article XI - Amendment

This Constitution may be amended by two-thirds vote of those present and voting at any regularly and legally convened meeting of the Association. A proposed amendment must be submitted in writing at the immediate preceding meeting of members or it must be submitted in printed form to all members of the Association at least thirty days in advance of the meeting at which the amendment will be voted. In case the latter method is used, a proposed amendment must receive the approval of the Board of Directors before it can be printed and sent to the members of the Association.

(Revised 6/15/2017)