Published: October 13, 2008 10:36 pm      

Sanctioning guidelines pass first reading

EDMOND — The Edmond school board has for some time been debating booster club sanctioning, but at the Oct. 6 school board meeting members may have put the debate to rest.

The first reading “Establishing Guidelines for the Sanctioning of Student Achievement Programs and Parent-Teacher Associations and Organizations” was passed by board members 5-0.

Board member Kathleen Duncan moved for its approval while board member Kemp Cole seconded the motion.

“Our students and parents spend considerable time and effort raising funds for our schools through school-sanctioned booster clubs,” said board member Jamie Underwood. “Passage of this policy is important as it assures members of these organizations that the funds raised are being spent for their intended purpose.”

The revisions of the original policy include the following provisions:

• Provide a current set of bylaws or other organizational documents/statements that note the organization’s purpose, structure and rules.

• Conduct an annual internal financial review/audit of accounting records by a member or other qualified person other than an officer or engage a review or audit by a Certified Public Accountant.

• Disclose gifts and/or compensation to staff.

• Hold an annual election or affirmation of officers.

• Provide full financial disclosure to the organization’s membership.

“I believe it is important for each booster club to give a line-item reporting of their fundraising and expenditures to the district each year,” Duncan said. “It is the minimum that we should expect. This is not just an issue of liability, it is an issue of fiduciary responsibility of our elected board members.”

ln order for a program, association or organization to maintain its sanctioned status in accordance with this policy, the group must provide for review an annually submitted application in a format prescribed by the school district. The administrative designee will then review the application and determine if the group should be recommended for sanctioning by the Board of Education.

This follows policy already in place that states records must be promptly provided upon the request of the board or superintendent and now designee, and the board may at its discretion withdraw sanctioning at any time it deems it in the best interest of the school.

Board President George Cohlmia said he wants to make sure patrons have ownership in the schools, that there would not be more liability for the district and that the staff was not burdened with extra duties.