Connecticut EdRising Bylaws

ARTICLE I. NAME AND OPERATION

Section 1. The official name of this organization shall be "CT Educators Rising," and may be referred to as "Connecticut Educators Rising." 

Section 2. CT Educators Rising is a chartered state affiliate of Educators Rising, operating in accordance with a charter granted by PDK’s Educators Rising.

Section 3. The state program’s emblem, colors, tagline, and any other elements of the brand shall be recommended by the advisory council and approved by the National Staff. 

ARTICLE II. PURPOSE

Section 1. The general purpose of this organization is to provide high school students with the knowledge, skills, and experiences necessary to become successful educators.

Section 2. The specific purposes of this organization are:

• organize and strengthen local chapters

• establish pathways starting in middle and high school and leading into college to assist districts in cultivating their own next generation of highly skilled educators through a Grow Your Own initiative.

• provide opportunities to explore teaching as a career option.

• help students gain a realistic understanding of the nature of education and the role of the teacher.

• provide opportunities for future educators to explore the necessary skills to teach equitably and add student voice to national discussions around education.

• coordinate information about teaching as a profession, employment opportunities, financial assistance options, and educational issues.

• provide a space for a community of future educators to interact with and build connections with one another.

• provide opportunities for students to participate in local leadership and competitive events to demonstrate knowledge and skills at district, state, and national conferences, and to be recognized in a skill-based event. 

• facilitate networking with business and industry partners and career professionals, which may lead to opportunities for career development (i.e., internships, apprenticeships, professional seminars, etc.).

• ensure that all students have highly skilled educators.

ARTICLE III. MEMBERSHIP

Section 1. CT Educators Rising will recognize individual membership only through chartered local chapters. Each chartered chapter shall consist of all Educators Rising members located within that school or equivalent geographic unit.

Section 2. To be considered a chartered chapter, there must be at least 10 active members, having paid state and national dues annually.

Section 3. Membership eligibility shall be governed by CT Educators Rising and the national organization. Individual members shall be recognized as an active EdRising student or professional member.

Section 4. An active member shall be so designated by inclusion of their name on the official roster, registered in the national database, and shall have paid all current state and national dues.

1. Active Membership. Any middle school, high school, or collegiate students exploring a career in education shall be eligible for active membership within the school. Active members shall be eligible to hold office, make motions, and vote.

2. Professional Membership. Any professional educators who are mentoring aspiring educators, looking to start Grow Your Own Programs, or working to address the teacher shortage and diversify the profession shall be eligible for professional membership. Professional members shall not be eligible to hold office, make motions, or vote. 

ARTICLE IV. MEETINGS

Section 1. CT Educators Rising will hold an annual Fall Leadership Symposium.

Section 2. CT Educators Rising shall hold a Spring State Conference with competitive events.

Section 3. The State and Regional Coordinator will lead a fall and spring Teacher Leader meeting. 

Section 4. The Executive Board shall meet quarterly, either virtually or in person, at least four times a year.

Section 5. CT Educators Rising shall convene the Advisory Council three times annually — once in the summer, once in the fall, and once in the spring. The fall meeting shall serve as the Annual General Meeting and shall include both the Advisory Council and the Executive Board.

ARTICLE V. EXECUTIVE BOARD AND ADVISORY COUNCIL

Section 1. The Executive Board shall consist of the elected Student Officers team and the State Coordinator. This Board shall have general supervision of the affairs of the state organization.

Section 2. The Advisory Council of at least 10 members shall provide guidance and support to the Executive Board and shall be composed of the following: 

• At least one member from the State Department of Education. 

• At least one member from CEA or AFT. 

• At least one Teacher Leader.

• At least one School Administrator.

• At least one University representative.

• At least one student officer from a local chapter.

• At least one parent.

• A PDK member or State Coordinator.

ARTICLE VI. STUDENT Officers

Section 1. The state program shall have at least three state officers. Such officers shall be members of the Executive Board. The officers shall be President, Vice President of Engagement, and Vice President of Communications. Other officers may be designated, as necessary, by the state organization.

Section 2. The duties of the student officers shall be:

• President: Shall preside over all meetings of the organization and the Executive Board. The President shall serve as the chief executive officer and, with the advice of the State Coordinator, shall appoint any necessary committees. The President shall promote the general purposes of the organization at all times.

• Vice President of Engagement & Programs: Shall monitor education issues to advise on student engagement, collaborate with the leadership team to recommend activities and support the state conference including script development. The Vice President of Engagement & Programs shall perform the duties of the President in the absence of the President and shall assume the office of President in the event that the office becomes vacant. 

• Vice President of Communication: Shall keep an accurate record of the proceedings of all official meetings of the organization and the Executive Board, lead the communication to the members through both social media and newsletters. The Vice President of Communication shall maintain a file of all records and shall be responsible for all official correspondence.

• Additional Student Leaders: Shall carry out duties as assigned by the Executive Board to fulfill the purposes of the organization.

Section 3. All student officers shall be active members in good standing and shall campaign at the annual State Conference. They will then be voted on electronically by all voting student members following the completion of the State Conference.

Section 4. The term of office for all student leaders shall be for one year, beginning upon the adjournment of the State Conference at which they were elected.

ARTICLE VII. AMENDMENTS 

Section 1. To amend these bylaws, a proposed amendment must be submitted in writing by a local chapter to the Educators Rising Connecticut Executive Board at least sixty (60) days prior to the annual spring State Conference.

Section 2. The Executive Board of Educators Rising Connecticut must notify all chartered local chapters of the proposed amendment at least thirty (30) days prior to the annual spring State Conference.

Section 3. The proposed amendment shall be presented at the annual business session of the spring State Conference and may be adopted by a two-thirds (2/3) majority approval of the voting delegates present at this meeting.

Section 4. Any adopted amendment shall take effect upon adjournment of the conference in which approval is granted unless a different time period is stipulated in the amendment.