File: IGDA-R (pdf)
Adopted: August 22, 1985
Revised: June 27, 1991, April 23, 2003, March 31, 2004
Associated Policy and Exhibits:
IGDA, Student Organization Policy
IGDA-E1 (Application form for School Sponsored Student Academic Organizations)
IGDA-E2 (Application form for Student Organizations)
IGDA-E3 (Student Initiated Club Posting)
STUDENT ORGANIZATIONS
(Secondary Schools)
Student clubs and organizations may be proposed by either students or a school faculty member pursuant to Board Policy IGDA. Applicants should confer with the building administration regarding appropriate organizational steps. Any student group seeking recognition as a student organization shall submit a written application to the principal. Applications shall be made on District approved forms IGDA-E1, Application form for School-Sponsored Student Academic Organizations or IGDA-E2, Application form for Student Organizations.
School-Sponsored Activities
Certain school activities are considered to be a part of the school program and are not required to request recognition when operating under the direction of the principal. These include, but are not limited to:
School yearbook
School newspaper
Choirs and choruses
Bands, orchestra, and related ensemble
Forensics, radio, and thespians
Plays and musicals
Pep clubs and cheerleaders
Student council
Vocational education clubs
National Honor Society
Athletics and intramurals
Formal grade level class organizations
School-sponsored substance abuse and substance counseling groups
School-sponsored outdoor and environmental education programs
Academic Competitions
School-Sponsored Student Academic Organizations
With the consent of the school principal, applications for School-Sponsored Student Academic Organizations will be submitted to the Superintendent or his or her designee for approval or denial. The Superintendent or designee shall review the application and such other information as he or she considers appropriate and shall approve or disapprove the recognition of the organization within 15 school days after receipt of the application. The Superintendent or designee's decision shall be in writing and if the application is disapproved, the reasons for disapproval shall be stated.
Student-Initiated and Led Organizations
Neither the District nor any of its secondary schools shall deny equal access to school facilities for meetings of student-initiated and led organizations, or otherwise discriminate against such organizations or their student members, on the basis of the religious, political, philosophical or other content of the speech of such organizations.
Membership in student-initiated and led organizations shall be voluntary and student-initiated, and shall be open to but limited to students currently enrolled at the secondary school.
The meetings of student-initiated and led organizations shall not materially and substantially interfere with the orderly conduct of educational activities within the school and shall not be directed, conducted, controlled or regularly attended by nonschool persons. Each organization shall be responsible for assuring the school principal that all meetings will be and are adequately supervised by a member of the school’s staff. School employees may be present at religious meetings only in a nonparticipatory capacity.
Student-initiated and led organizations shall not engage in any activity that is contrary to law or school rules; that disrupts or clearly threatens to disrupt the orderly operation of the school; or that would adversely affect the health, safety or welfare of any student or school employee. Failure to comply with these provisions shall be grounds for revocation of the right to continue meeting under this policy.
Nothing in this policy shall be construed to authorize any school official to influence the form or content of any prayer or religious activity, to require any person to participate in prayer or religious activity, to compel any school employee to attend any meeting if the meeting is contrary to the beliefs of the employee, or to sanction meetings that are otherwise unlawful.
The principal or designee shall review all applications for Student-initiated and led organizations and such other information as he or she considers appropriate and shall approve or disapprove the recognition of the organization within 15 school days after receipt of the application. The principal or designee's decision shall be in writing and if the application is disapproved, the reasons for disapproval shall be stated.
The principal or designee's decision may be appealed by written appeal to the Superintendent of Schools, or designee, by written appeal submitted to the Superintendent within 15 school days after receipt of the principal's decision. The written appeal shall state the reasons for the appeal and shall enclose copies of the application for the principal's decision. The Superintendent, or designee, shall review the appeal and such other information as he or she considers appropriate and give a written decision within 15 school days after receipt of the appeal.
Student-initiated and led organizations must apply each school year by written application submitted to the principal and the superintendent’s designee.
The principal may revoke recognition of any student organization for good cause. Revocation may be appealed to the Superintendent, or designee.
Access to School Resources and Organization Privileges
School-sponsored Activities and Academic Organizations
Pursuant to policy IGDA Student Organizations, the Superintendent or designee shall determine whether and the level at which each school-sponsored academic organization receives District resources, beyond making meeting space available and whether additional District facilities, equipment and materials will be made available for such organization's use. The District retains the discretion to allocate District resources among curricular offerings and school-sponsored organizations in a manner that best furthers the District's educational mission.
Student-Initiated and Led Organizations
Pursuant to policy IGDA Student Organizations, nothing in this regulation shall be construed to require the District to expend public funds beyond the incidental cost of providing space for student-initiated meetings. To the extent that school resources are available, they shall be available on a basis that does not discriminate against any organization on the basis of the content of the speech of the meeting.
Student-initiated and led organizations may conduct meetings on school premises as designated by the building principal, but only during non-instructional time. “Non-instructional time” means time designated by the principal before actual classroom instruction begins or after actual classroom instruction ends. The period of time when lunch periods overlap with instructional periods is considered to be instructional time.
- Meeting rooms - student-initiated and led organizations will have access to regular classroom space for their meetings unless otherwise assigned by the principal. The principal of each secondary school shall develop rules concerning the scheduling of times and facilities that are available for such meetings and activities.
- Publicity - student-initiated and led organizations will have access to the community bulletin board or wall space designated by the principal or designee to post general club information and notice of meetings on a district-approved form (IGDA-E3, Student Initiated Club Posting). Each school administration may determine whether announcements of club meetings may be included in the daily announcements over the public address system or through other means.
The decision as to whether student-initiated and led organizations will be formally recognized in the school yearbook lies within the discretion of the yearbook staff and faculty advisor so long as recognition, if given, is made available to all such groups.
The decision as to whether basic student club information regarding student-initiated and led organizations will be included in school directories, calendars, or other school-sponsored organizations lies within the discretion of the school administration so long as such access, if given, is made available to all such groups.
- Fund-raising - student-initiated and led organizations will be responsible for meeting the organizations’ expenses. Organized fund-raising will not be sponsored by the school. To the extent that student-initiated and led organizations desire access to school facilities for fund-raising activities they must arrange for the use of those facilities through District Policy KG, Community Use of School Facilities.
The decision as to whether basic student club information regarding student-initiated and led organizations will be given student activity accounts lies within the discretion of the school administration so long as such access, if given, is made available to all such groups.
During their fund-raising activities student-initiated and led groups may identify themselves as students of their respective schools, but may not represent that they are sponsored, supervised or controlled by their respective schools, nor that they are authorized to extend the credit of their respective schools or school district.
LEGAL REFS:
Equal Access Act, 20 U.S.C. § 4071-4074
C.R.S. § 22-1-117
C.R.S. § 22-1-118
CROSS REFS:
JF, Student Rights and Responsibilities, and subcodes (all related to student rights)
KF, Community Use of School Facilities
IGDB, Student Publications
KE, KE-R, Public Complaints
KJA, KJA-R, Distribution/Posting of Noncurricular Material
End of File: IGDA-R