Governance Board: Legal

Are you a governance board member needing to verify your compliance with the law around contracting and entity status?

Becoming a Legal Entity

• Legal Entity Incorporation: Articles and EIN (Scholz Nonprofit Law) [Word doc]
• IRS Form 1023: Application for Tax Exemption (Scholz Nonprofit Law) [Word doc]
• Annotated 1023-EX Worksheet (Scholz Nonprofit Law) [pdf]
• Example Form 990 (Scholz Nonprofit Law) [pdf]
• Governance Board Articles of Incorporation Filing Questionnaire (WRCCS) [Google doc]
• Annual Legal Checklist (Scholz Nonprofit Law) [Word doc]
• New Nonprofit Checklist (Scholz Nonprofit Law) [Word doc]
• Governance Board Legal Responsibilities (Boardman and Clark) [YouTube video]
• Duties & Protections of Directors (Scholz Nonprofit Law) [Google slides]
• Understand What Nonprofit Really Means (Scholz Nonprofit Law) [pdf]
• Actions for Founding Charter Governance Board (WRCCS) [pdf]
• Legal Duties of a Nonprofit Board (Scholz Nonprofit Law) [pdf]
• Compliance (Scholz Nonprofit Law) [Google doc]
• Legal Definitions (Scholz Nonprofit Law) [Google doc]
• Legal Tasks Checklist (Scholz Nonprofit Law) [Google doc]

Bylaws

• Bylaws (Scholz Nonprofit Law) [Word doc]
• Creating Bylaws (Board on Track) [pdf]
• Bylaws Checklist (Scholz Nonprofit Law) [Google doc]
• Nonmember Instrumentality Bylaws Questionnaire (WRCCS) [Google doc]
• Example:  Birchwood Bylaws (Birchwood) [pdf]
• Example:  TRCCS Bylaws (TRCCS) [Google doc]
• Example:  HMEC Bylaws (High Marq) [pdf]
• Example: Pathways High Bylaws (Pathways High) [pdf]
• Example: Journey Bylaws (Journey Charter School) [pdf]

Board Policies

• Govern By Policy...Where Do We Begin? (Boardman and Clark) [YouTube video]
• Governance Board Policies (Boardman and Clark) [YouTube video]
• Governance Board Policy Handbook (Boardman and Clark) [YouTube video]
• Piles and Piles of Policies (Boardman and Clark) [PDF]
• Key Compliance Issues (Boardman and Clark) [Google doc]
• Charter School Policy Manual (WRCCS) [Word doc]
• Exhibits to Charter School Policy Manual (WRCCS) [pdf]
• Basic Responsibilities of Nonprofit Board (Scholz Nonprofit Law) [pdf]
• Charter School Attendance Guidance (WRCCS) [Google doc]
• Conflict of Interest Policy
  • IRS Conflict of Interest Policy (Scholz Nonprofit Law) [Word doc]
  • Sample Conflict of Interest Policy (Boardman & Clark) [Google doc]
  • Conflict of Interest Policy 2019-2020 (WRCCS) [pdf]
  • Conflict of Interest Policy (Montana Nonprofit Association) [pdf]
  • Sample Conflict of Interest Policy (New York Non-for-Profit) [Google doc]
  • Conflict of Interest Policy and Disclosure Statement (One City Schools) [pdf]
  • High Marq Bylaws Exhibit A - Conflict of Interest Policy (High Marq) [pdf]
• Example:  Kaleidoscope Academy Board Handbook (Kaleidoscope) [Google doc]
• Example:  Valley New School Policy Handbook (Valley New School) [pdf]
• Example:  Birchwood Governance Handbook (Birchwood) [pdf]

Charter Contract

• District Model Contract (WRCCS) [pdf]
• Independent 2r Model Contract (WRCCS) [pdf]
• Independent 2x Model Contract (WRCCS) [pdf]
• Virtual Charter School Model Contract (WRCCS) [Word doc]
• [BLANK] Charter School Contract Benchmarks  (WRCCS) [Google doc]
• District Charter School Contract Benchmarks (WRCCS) [Google doc]
• Independent 2r Charter School Contract Benchmarks (WRCCS) [Google doc]
• Independent 2x Charter School Contract Benchmarks (WRCCS) [Google doc]
• Virtual District Charter School Contract Benchmarks (WRCCS) [Google doc]
• Charter School Contract FAQ (WRCCS) [Google doc]
• Charter Contract Compliance (WRCCS)  [Google slides]
• Contract Negotiations (WRCCS) [Google slides]
• Drafting Charter School Contract Worksheet (WRCCS) [Google doc]
• Drafting Contract Worksheet (WRCCS) [pdf]
• Notable Provisions to the Charter Contract (Boardman and Clark) [YouTube video]
• Amendments to Charter Contracts (WRCCS) [Google doc]
• Example:  Peer Support School Charter Contract Folder (assorted schools) [Google folder/pdfs]

Other Contracts

Example:  TRCCS Facility Contract (TRCCS) [pdf]

Open Meeting Law

• Open Meeting Law for Governance Boards (WRCCS) [Google doc]
• WI Open Meetings Law Compliance Guide 2024 (Department of Justice) [pdf]
• Compliance with Open Meetings (Scholz Nonprofit Law) [powerpoint]
• Open Meeting Laws and Policies (Boardman and Clark) [Google slides]
• Taking Minutes - Background Information (Scholz Nonprofit Law) [pdf]

Enrollment and Admission

• Zero Reject: Equitable Enrollment Practices (KU) [webpage]
• WI Enrollment and Admissions Guidance (WRCCS) [Google doc]
• Sample Admission and Lottery Process (WRCCS) [Google doc]
• School Lottery and Admission Examples (WI Charter Schools) [Google folders]