Innovation Division Voting Process• Roosevelt High School
• Hollenbeck Middle School
• Stevenson Middle School
• Santee Education Complex
• Jordan High School
• Markham Middle School
• Gompers Middle School
Also, please note the following corrections to the letter from the Innovation Division describing the process:
1. If you cannot vote on December 11th and would like an absentee ballot, please call (213) 893-6831 no later than Monday, December 10, 2007 at 6 p.m.
2. The in-person ballot will be confidential for all voters. Voters will not be asked to write or sign their name on the ballot (please see below for a description of who will vote). There are 2 exceptions to this noted below.
SAMPLE BALLOT
YOUR VOTE COUNTS! Tuesday, December 11, 2007
[SCHOOL NAME]
Do you support [School Name] becoming an Innovation Division School in partnership with the Partnership for Los Angeles Schools
in the 2008-09 school year
YES NO
Voting Requirements for Entry into the Innovation Division
The Innovation Division will assess the following indicators of support:
1. 50% +1 of certificated staff in the UTLA bargaining unit votes
2. 50% +1 of parent (or legal guardian) votes
3. Letters of support/petitions from:
a. Classified staff
b. School administrators/management
c. Community groups, parents and community members
d. Students
Voting Process for Certificated Staff in the UTLA Bargaining Unit
1. LAUSD’s Innovation Division has sent a letter of notification to all certificated staff in the UTLA bargaining unit along with a sample ballot (please see above for corrections to this letter). The letter contains a number to call for more information (213-893-6831).
2. Each school site will convene a voting committee that will include the following representatives:
a. An LAUSD representative
b. The UTLA chapter chair (or his/her designee)
c. The parent coordinator (or his/her designee)
d. A representative from the Partner organization (optional)
The LAUSD representative will serve as the point person on the committee and will be in charge of convening the committee, training committee members, and communicating with committee members.
3. In conjunction with the school principal, the LAUSD representative will be responsible for setting up a voting booth in a convenient, easily-accessible location for both certificated staff in the UTLA bargaining unit and parents (we recommend main foyer, parent center, library, auditorium, etc.). The LAUSD representative will also be responsible for posting appropriate signage in the main office and throughout the school to direct voters to the right location. The committee will inform the main office staff about the voting procedure in order for main office staff to be able to answer questions from parents, certificated staff in the UTLA bargaining unit, and other members of the community.
4. The LAUSD representative will prepare ballots as well as a roster of eligible certificated staff in the UTLA bargaining unit assigned to the school site. The voting committee will ensure that only certificated staff in the UTLA bargaining unit of the designated school vote.
5. If there is an individual who claims to be certificated staff in the UTLA bargaining unit at the school site but is not on the available roster, then in order to vote, this person would be asked to complete a form with his/her name, address and position at the school, as well as a “provisionary ballot.” The provisionary ballot
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will contain his/her name. This is to allow LAUSD to validate these votes after the polls close. This is the first exception to the anonymity of voters described above.
6. Certificated staff in the UTLA bargaining unit can only vote at the school site where they work.
7. Eligible voters will have an opportunity to vote at the school between the hours of 7:00am and 8:00pm. The voting committee will check off eligible voters who have voted from a master list provided by LAUSD. The voting committee will be responsible for collecting and recording all ballots. After the polls close at 8:00pm, the voting committee will count the votes at the school site, record the results and sign a form to certify that the results are accurate. The LAUSD representative will then hand deliver the ballots and the certified results to LAUSD central office. At this point, LAUSD will cross-reference all voter lists to make sure that each person only voted once. Any discrepancies will be recorded. In addition, at this time, all absentee votes (described below) would be added to the total results. All voting committee members are invited, but not required, to attend this meeting. LAUSD will certify the final voting tally.
8. All off-track certificated staff in the UTLA bargaining unit will receive three forms of communication regarding the vote: 1) a letter of notification, including documents describing the Innovation Division and the network partner; 2) an email; and 3) a phone call. Off-track certificated staff in the UTLA bargaining unit can contact Sarai Romero Evans (LAUSD Community Outreach) at sarai.romeroevans@lausd.net or 213-893-6831 if they would like additional information or need additional clarification.
9. Off-track and absent certificated staff in the UTLA bargaining unit have the option of either coming into the school to vote or emailing their vote to Sarai Romero Evans (LAUSD Community Outreach) at sarai.romeroevans@lausd.net as well as to their designated chapter chair. All votes that are emailed must be received by 8:00pm on December 11th. This is the second exception to anonymity of the vote (if C-track certificated staff in the UTLA bargaining unit vote via email).
10. Principals are being asked to allocate time during their banked time on Tuesday, December 11th to allow certificated staff in the UTLA bargaining unit to vote to help drive a large turnout amongst certificated staff in the UTLA bargaining unit.
11. It is the responsibility of the voting committee to ensure that the ballot box is secure throughout the voting day. Chapter chairs and parent representatives may designate individuals to staff the booth during the day in their place.
12. In order to vote, certificated staff in the UTLA bargaining unit will be required to provide their name and position at school at the polling site.
Voting Process for Parents
1. LAUSD’s Innovation Division has sent a letter of notification to all parents along with a sample ballot (please see above for corrections to this letter). The letter contains a number to call for more information (213-893-6831). Note that when we refer to parents in this document, we are also referring to legal guardians, who are permitted to vote.
2. Each school site will convene a voting committee that will include the following representatives:
a. An LAUSD representative
b. The UTLA chapter chair (or his/her designee)
c. The parent coordinator (or his/her designee)
d. A representative from the Partner organization (optional)
The LAUSD representative will serve as the point person on the committee and will be in charge of convening the committee, training committee members, and communicating with committee members.
3. In conjunction with the school principal, the LAUSD representative will be responsible for setting up a voting booth in a convenient, easily-accessible location for both certificated staff in the UTLA bargaining unit and parents (we recommend main foyer, parent center, library, auditorium, etc.) The LAUSD representative will also be responsible for posting appropriate signage in the main office and throughout the school to direct voters to the right location. The committee will inform the main office staff about the voting procedure in order for main office staff to be able to answer questions from parents, certificated staff in the UTLA bargaining unit, and other members of the community.
4. The LAUSD representative will prepare ballots as well as a roster of parents with students at that specific school. The voting committee will ensure that only parents or guardians with students currently attending the school vote.
5. If there is an individual who claims to be a parent of a child at the school site but is not on the available rosters, then in order to vote this person would be asked to complete a form with his/her name, address and child’s name, as well as a “provisionary ballot.” The provisionary ballot will contain his/her name. This is to allow LAUSD to validate these votes after the polls close. This is the first exception to the anonymity of voters described above.
6. Eligible voters will have an opportunity to vote at the school between the hours of 7:00am and 8:00pm. The voting committee will check off eligible voters who have voted from a master list. The voting committee will be responsible for collecting and recording all ballots. After the polls close at 8:00pm, the voting committee will count the votes at the school site, record the results and sign a form to certify that the results are accurate. The LAUSD representative will then hand deliver the ballots and the certified results to LAUSD central office. At this
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point, LAUSD will cross-reference all voter lists to make sure that each person only voted once. Any discrepancies will be recorded. In addition, at this time, all absentee votes (described below) would be added to the total results. All voting committee members are invited, but not required, to attend this meeting. LAUSD will certify the final voting tally.
7. Parents who have additional children in the school will receive the number of ballots that correspond to the number of children attending the school (one child=one ballot). Additionally, only one parent can cast a vote for each student.
8. Parents will be able to cast both of their ballots at any school in the family of schools. For example, if a parent has a child at Roosevelt, that parent would be able to cast his/her vote at Roosevelt, Hollenbeck or Stevenson.
9. It is the responsibility of the voting committee to ensure that the ballot box is secure throughout the voting day. Chapter chairs and parent representatives may designate individuals to staff the booth during the day in their place.
10. In order to vote, parents will be required to provide their child’s name, their name and their home address. No formal identification will be required.
Voting Day Rules and Regulations
1. Members of the voting committee (or any person staffing the polling area as a designee of a voting committee member) are prohibited from advocating, coercing, or influencing the nature of the votes.
2. The voting committee (or designees) should not answer any factual questions about the Innovation Division, The Partnership for Los Angeles Schools or other school reform plans. The voting committee (or designees) should refer all questions to the Innovation Division, The Partnership for Los Angeles Schools or other relevant parties.
3. The Innovation Division and The Partnership for Los Angeles Schools will be allowed to provide written information on their programs for the voting committee (or designee) to distribute at the polling site. The Innovation Division and The Partnership for Los Angeles Schools are not permitted to hand out any literature. Only the voting committee (or designee) shall distribute information when asked to do so.
4. Representatives from the Innovation Division and The Partnership for Los Angeles Schools may not answer any questions at the polling location.
5. The voting committee (or designee) will be allowed to answer factual questions about the voting process only.
6. We are committed to a free and transparent process. Votes and petition signatures must be willing and voluntary. No intimidation of voters will be allowed at the polling site. The voting committee (or designee) can ask for intimidation activities to cease.
7. No electioneering will be allowed at the polling site or within 100 feet of the school site. Electioneering will be defined as including vote solicitation, wearing campaign paraphernalia, campaign signs, photographing voters or videotaping voters.
8. Any complaints about intimidation or electioneering should be referred to the voting committee (or designees). Formal complaints must be provided in writing from the voting committee (or designees) to the Innovation Division. A complaint form will be made available at each voting site.
9. Members of the community may be in the polling place observing the process as long as they do not interfere with the voter’s right to a secret ballot or the voting committee’s (or designee’s) ability to perform their duties. All observers must remove all paraphernalia and avoid any other electioneering activities within 100 feet of the school site. All non-LAUSD organizations must receive the permission of the school principal in order to enter on campus.
10. Voters and others who may be observing have the right to ask questions and to observe the election process. Observers have the right to ask the voting committee (or designee) questions regarding election procedures and to receive an answer or be directed to the appropriate person for an answer. However, if persistent questioning disrupts the execution of their duties, the voting committee (or designee) can stop responding and direct the observers to LAUSD for all further answers at the following phone number: (213) 893-6831.
11. The media should not be allowed into the polling site. Media should stay more than 25 feet off the school limits to make sure that voters do not feel intimidated. Voters may not be photographed, videotaped or filmed entering or exiting the school site, and may not be filmed inside the polling location without the voter’s permission.
12. All votes will be considered confidential. All ballots should be folded by the voter to make sure that the vote remains confidential.
13. If the voting committee (or designee) finds a language barrier interfering with their ability to communicate with a voter, they should locate a bilingual individual at the school site who can assist.
14. If there are any questions from the voting committee (or designee) or any voter, they should call LAUSD at (213) 893-6831.
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