By-Laws | csoa-la

BY-LAWS

OF THE

CALIFORNIA SOFTBALL OFFICIALS ASSOCIATION – LOS ANGELES

The California Softball Officials Association-Los Angeles (CSOA-LA) has an agreement with geographical region high schools of the Los Angeles Unified School District to provide umpires for their respective softball games. The CSOA-LA has earned the reputation of providing proficient, well-trained umpires who are capable of officiating successfully at the high school level of competition.

PURPOSE

The Bylaws of the CSOA-LA are established to provide expectations, procedures, and other relevant information to ensure that the Association’s outstanding reputation for high levels of excellence is maintained.

ARTICLE I: RULES OF PROCEDURE

Section 1. RULES OF ORDER

The rules contained in Roberts Rules of Order shall govern this Association in all cases to which they are applicable and are not inconsistent with this Constitution and By-Laws.

ARTICLE II: QUALIFICATIONS

Section 1. QUALIFICATIONS

A. Pass qualification examination with a grade of 80% or better.

B. Satisfactorily meet Field Clinic requirements.

C. Be present at the required number of instructional hours, and mandatory field clinics. First, second and third members must attend observation tournament.

D. Maintain an average of 80% or better for all tests at general meetings.

E. Each official must have a minimum of eighteen hours of training

F. Two hours of instruction may be made up at an outside unit to fulfill unit requirements.

G. For consideration of post-season games, each official must have completed items A thru D with the L A Unit and attend the mandatory playoff meeting and mechanics clinic.

Section 2. MEMBER IN GOOD STANDING REQUIREMENTS

A CSOA-LA member shall be a member in good standing if s/he meets all of the requirements of (1) ASA umpire certification or attend both CSOA-LA on-field clinic, (2) meeting attendance, (3) payment of dues; and (4) conduct.

A. Umpire Certification

1. Rookie umpires shall complete his/her on-field clinic and achieve a score of at least 80% on the Study Guide and Certification Exam. Rookie umpires are also highly encouraged to receive ASA officials training by attending an ASA Rules and Mechanic clinic.

2. Veteran umpires shall complete his/her on-field clinic and achieve a score of at least 80% on the Study Guide and Certification Exam.

3. Veteran and rookie umpires will be given an opportunity to correct their answers on the rules exam if a passing grade is not achieved by researching the question in the rule book and noting the applicable rule and page number(s) on a separate page.

ARTICLE III: TRAINING AND EVALUATION

The Training and Evaluation Committee (T&E) is responsible for the training and evaluation of all rookie and veteran CSOA-LA umpires. A “rookie” is defined as an umpire who has less than two years of experience; a “veteran” is defined as an umpire who has two or more years of experience.

A. The Instructional Chair shall chair the T&E Committee. General responsibilities will include:

(1) scheduling and conducting annual training clinics;

(2) keeping a current log of the membership’s training attendance (i.e. National Schools, State Schools, local clinics, etc.);

(3) maintaining the membership’s current written test scores;

(4) recommending a member’s advancement in the unit;

(5) representing the T&E Committee at all CSOA-LA Board meetings; and

(6) performing other duties as required.

B. The T&E Committee

Any member may express an interest in joining the T&E Committee. Interested individuals should contact the CSOA-LA Instructional Chair or a Board member.

C. Committee Membership Requirements

1. Interested members must:

(a) be a member in good standing for three (3) or more years;

(b) score an excellent rating on umpire evaluations for the past year;

(d) attend at least one required training session per year (ASA Rules Clinic, ASA Mechanics Clinic).

D. Responsibilities

(1) Conduct training of returning CSOA-LA members at least once per season;

(2) Conduct training of new CSOA-LA members at least twice per season;

(3) Volunteer time to mentor new officials during games;

(4) Participate in bi-annual evaluations of all officials; and

(5) Perform other duties as assigned

E. Payment Provisions

1. No payment will be given to T&E members during training or mentoring.

F. Training

1. Registration, lodging, and gas will not be paid to T&E members attending approved training provided by either Southern California ASA or ASA National Office.

2. Meals will not be paid to T&E members attending approved training.

G. Field and Rules Clinics

1. Clinics for returning and new umpires will be scheduled, before the start of each season.

2. ASA rules clinic and or mechanics clinic credit will be given to all umpires who attend an ASA Clinic at the beginning of the calendar year. These clinics are not mandatory but are highly recommended.

3. Officials will not be allowed to umpire until s/he has attended a field clinic.

ARTICLE IV: MEETINGS

Attendance at all CSOA-LA meetings is recommended. Any member failing to attend any required meeting or sufficiently fulfilling the required number of meeting hours, training clinic and/or test shall be subject to any disciplinary action as may be deemed necessary by the Board of Directors.

A. Meeting Attendance

1. Veteran Members must attend at least 18 hours of the scheduled CSOA-LA general membership meetings.

2. Rookie Members must attend at least 22 hours of the scheduled CSOA-LA general membership meetings.

3. A member may miss one (1) meeting without having that absence count against the 18 hours, attendance or in the case of a rookie member 22 hours total requirements.

4. Members may request that an absence be excused from being counted against the 18 hours attendance requirement or in the case of a rookie member 22 hours; absences found to be acceptable by the Board shall not be counted as an absence for meeting attendance purposes.

5. An individual who is not an Association member may represent an Association member by proxy during a general membership meeting. The CSOA-LA member who seeks to be represented by proxy must be a member in good standing before representation will be allowed. Such representation will not count against a member’s attendance record and is limited to one (1) time per season. Exceptions to this limit could be approved by the Board on a case-by-case basis.

The representative:

(a) must introduce him/herself to a Board member before the general meeting and state who s/he is representing;(b) must be 18 years of age or over;

(c) must be capable of taking notes and providing the necessary information from the meeting to the Association member before the member’s next scheduled set of games, and

(d) will not be permitted to vote on Association matters in the member’s absence.

6. New member attendance records shall begin on the first scheduled membership meeting after the member completes a CSOA-LA membership application.

7. Returning member attendance records shall begin on the first scheduled general membership meeting of the new calendar year.

Section 1. TYPE OF MEETINGS

The following types of meetings of CSOA-LA shall be held:

A. Registration and Training, in December, January, February, and March as set by the Instructional Chair, President, or Board of Directors.

B. Special Meetings of the Association or Board of Directors' meetings may be called by the President, a majority of the Board of Directors, or one third (1/3) of the membership.

1. General Membership Meetings:

These meetings shall be held for the following purposes:

a. Nominate and elect officers in accordance with the Constitution and By-Laws.

b. Conduct business provided it can be completed without adversely affecting the training program.

c. Special Meetings shall be held for any purpose other than those specified for General Meetings.

d. Board of Directors' Meetings shall be held as deemed necessary by the President, but at least one (1), Shall be held prior to the start of the season to establish meeting schedule, meeting site, field clinic site, etc.

2. Qualification Appeal Meeting shall:

a. Consist of outgoing and incoming Boards of Directors.

b. By a majority vote of Board members present, accept or reject appeals reconsideration of non-qualified status.

3. Executive Council Meetings:

At times and dates specified by Executive Council, three (3) members of the Board of Directors shall attend meetings of the Executive Council.

a. The officers attending are:

1. President, or substitute (Vice President).

2. Secretary-Treasurer, or substitute (a Board of Directors Member).

3. Instructional Chairman, or substitute (a Board of Directors Member).

b. Unless otherwise specified, these meetings are held in:

1. May and December

ARTICLE V: FEES AND DUES

Section 1. Association Dues

A. Full payment of annual dues is due upon registration unless payment arrangements have been made with the CSOA-LA Treasurer.

B. Members who do not satisfy the arrangements of the payment agreement with the Treasurer shall not be a member in good standing until the dues are paid in full.

C. Each member of CSOA-LA shall pay:

1. CSOA-LA membership dues as formulated by the Board of Directors to cover operating expenses.

2. A $5.00 assignor fee for each game assigned.

3. A late fee for registration at or after the cut-off date.

D. All fees and dues shall be paid in full by the date as designated by the Board of Directors.

E. In the event of voluntary termination, suspension, or expulsion of a member, no refund of fees or dues shall be made.

F. Any member who accepts an assignment and then later cancels that assignment will be assessed a penalty equal to the assignor’s fee for that assignment.

Section 2. UMPIRE PAY RATES

A. Junior Varsity Umpires will be compensated at a base rate of pay of $72.00 per game for regular-season games.

B. Varsity Umpires will be compensated at a base rate of pay of $68.00 per game for the bases and $70.00 for the plate for the regular-season games.

C. Checks, in most cases, will be distributed at the game site by the host (or home) school unless extenuating circumstances prevail

ARTICLE VI: POLICIES AND PROCEDURES

Section 1. ACCEPTING GAMES

Under no circumstances will any member accept games directly from schools, A.D.s. or Coaches. Any member who does so shall have their schedule pulled. This will officially remove that member from playoff consideration. That member could be subjected to additional disciplinary action as determined by the Board of Directors.

A. Accepting softball assignments from outside of the association.

1. Members shall, with due diligence, consider the needs of the CSOA-LA when considering accepting softball games from outside the Association.

2. The Association should recognize the needs or goals of its members who officiate in softball games outside the purview of the CSOA-LA. Accordingly, the Association shall, in good faith, allow as much scheduling flexibility as is possible to its members who umpire softball games for other organizations.

Section 2. GAME ASSIGNMENTS

A. Availability

1. Umpires will be asked for his/her availability prior to the start of the season. Umpires who fail to complete the availability sheet may be excluded from the schedule.

2. Factors that may determine a member’s number of games scheduled include, but are not limited to, (1) overall availability, (2) performance and scores on evaluations, and (3) available umpires for a particular day.

B. Posted Schedules

1. Schedules shall be posted on the Arbiter at an appropriate time. The schedule will initially generally cover the vast majority of the season.

2. Each umpire may accept the games he/she is scheduled, opt to decline games or give up any of the games assigned.

3. The assignor shall be notified by the umpires accepting, declining, or giving up games.

C. Schedule Changes After the Game Assignments

1. An umpire who cannot fill an assignment after the game(s) have been assigned is responsible for notifying the assignor.

2. The Assignor must be notified of any proposed changes in any game by the umpire(s).

Section 3. GAME RESPONSIBILITY

A. Reporting Time

1. Umpires must report to their assigned fields NO LATER than 15 minutes prior to the start of an assigned game.

2. Umpires who anticipate they may be late to an assignment must contact his or her partner and the assignor.

3. Penalties for Tardiness or Missed Assignments

a. An umpire who misses an assignment without appropriately contacting a member, or who otherwise misses an assignment without good reason as determined by the Board, will be considered to be a “no show” and fined. The amount of the fine shall equal the amount of game(s) missed.

b. An umpire who arrives late to a game will be fined as follows:

1. First offense, the late official will receive a warning.

2. Second offense, the late official will be fined one fourth (1/4) the amount of one game fee.

3. Third offense, the late official will be fined the amount of one game fee and will be subjected to additional disciplinary action as determined by the Board of Directors.

B. “Late” is defined as arriving at a game after the game’s scheduled start time. Members shall make every effort to arrive to their game assignment location at least 20 minutes prior to the start of non-varsity games and 30 minutes prior to the start of varsity games. Officials are required to be on the field at least 15 minutes before game time.

1. First offense, 1/2 of the game fee.

2. Second offense, full game fee, and that official shall be removed from playoff consideration.

3. Third offense, remaining schedule pulled permanently for remainder of the season and not eligible for any assignments until the next calendar year. No refund of dues or assigning fees will be issued.

C. An umpire who arrives at his/her assignment late will be sent home and fined as a “no show” as described above if a replacement was found prior to the member’s late arrival.

D. Rainout or Inclement Weather.

1. If any assignments are lost if games are canceled due to weather or other reasons; the umpires who was initially assigned the game will be considered for the make-up games based on availability.

2. Umpires should not assume that games have been canceled or postponed due to bad weather or other reasons and should check with the school to verify the status of the game during potential inclement weather:

E. No Show.

1. First “No-Show”: A fine equal to the game fee will be imposed. That member will have their schedule on a weekly basis until the “no-show” fine is paid. Additional sanctions may include but are not limited to removal from playoff consideration.

2. Second “No-Show”: Remaining schedule shall be pulled for remainder of the season and that member shall not be eligible for assignments until the next calendar year. Additionally, a fine equal to the game fee must be paid. No refund of dues or assigning fees will be issued. Additional sanctions may as deemed appropriate by the Board of Directors.

Section 4. GIVING OR TRADING ASSIGNMENTS

Members may not “trade” or “give” away any assignment(s) without contacting the Assignor, Instructional Chair, or President. An official who “gives” away or “trades” any assignment(s) may have all remaining assignments pulled from their schedule and will forfeit their membership dues.

Section 5. TURNING BACK ASSIGNMENTS

If a member turns back a game to the assignor the following stipulations apply: If the game is one that the member accepted there is a $5.00 fee due to the assignor. This fee is due and payable to the assignor within seven (7) days. Failure to pay the assignor this fee will result in the removal of weekly schedule until the fee is paid in full. You may be removed from playoff consideration. The assignor reserves the right to cancel the fee upon their choosing.

ARTICLE VII: UNIFORMS

A. All members shall at all times wear a complete uniform which is in accord with the Association's official uniform; however, the Board of Directors may subscribe a special type uniform such a type of trousers, shirt, socks, cap, and/or, etc. that all umpires shall wear for a specific game, league or tournament.

B. Any member failing to wear a clean prescribed uniform in its entirety, the correct way, shall be subject to disciplinary action as may be deemed necessary by the Board of Directors.

1. All umpires must report to their assigned fields in the proper uniform. A uniform shall be clean, pressed/ironed where needed, free from excessive wear, and consistent with uniform items approved by the Board.

2. Umpires must refrain from presenting an unprofessional appearance in public before, during, or immediately after an assignment. Examples of an unacceptable appearance are but are not limited to, not tucking in a shirt, turning an umpire’s cap to the side or backward, and leaving sunglasses on an umpire’s cap for an unreasonable period of time once the sun has set.

3. Uniforms may be ordered through the CSOA-LA Treasurer (or other designated member) or may be ordered online from several vendors.

a. Hat. Must be fitted and have no logo on the hat unless it has the “CIF” logo. Partner must match.

b. Shirt. Must be powder blue without any logo other than the CSOA patch on the left sleeve. It can have the “CIF” Finals patch and it does not have to match your partner's shirt regarding the ‘CIF” Finals patch.

c. Pants. Must be heather grey. Must be worn in a professional manner (i.e. not worn low, may not be baggy, etc.). May not be made of a material that will noticeably fade (i.e. Dockers).

d. T-Shirt. Is not mandatory, but is recommended. Must be white undershirt or it can be navy if worn under a jacket. Lettering or logos must not be visible and may not otherwise show through the primary shirt.

e. Belt. Must be black with a preferably a silver buckle.

f. Socks. Must be black or navy blue.

g. Shoes. The style must be black athletic type. Lettering, insignias, logos, etc. must be black; visible logos and designs must be blackened out with black shoe polish, ink, etc.

h. Jacket. Must be navy blue with the appropriate shoulder piping. Must allow the member to be distinguished as an official on the field. Must not have any visible insignias.

i. Gloves – must be navy blue or black.

C. Penalties for Non-Compliance of Uniform Standards

1. An umpire who is observed arriving to or working at an assignment out of proper uniform by a Board Member is subject to appropriate action taken against him or her as determined by the Board. Such action may include, but is not limited to, being sent home by an authorized Association member, incurring a fine, or receiving a verbal warning.

2. Umpires who violate uniform standards are expected to correct the noted deficiencies (purchase the necessary uniform item, refrain from wearing unapproved shirts or jacket, etc.) by their next assignment date. Special circumstances and exceptions, when appropriate, may be considered by the Board.

3. Repeated offenses may result in suspension or other action deemed appropriate by the Board.

4. COA-LA will have a list of applicable fines for officials being out of uniform. Fines will be expected to be paid prior to the officials next game assignment and the fine will not be appealable.

ARTICLE VIII: RATING OF MEMBERS

A. The Instructional Staff and the Instructional Chair shall be responsible for rating all members based on attendance at training clinics, tests, field mechanics, dress, and any other criteria formulated by the Board of Directors.

B. These ratings shall be used for assignment of members to officiate school, tournament and playoff games.

C. Evaluations

1. A beginning umpire will be evaluated at least twice during each of his/her first two seasons.

2. Umpires with more than one year of experience will be evaluated at least once every calendar year.

3. Any member shall have the right to appeal his/her rating to the Board of Directors for review.

Article IX – REGULAR SEASON RANKINGS

The Evaluation and Training Committees have set up the following process for the advancement of officials within the association, which includes field competency.

Classification Procedure

In order to be active in one of the five classifications, members shall: a. Meet the instruction program requirements. b. The Board shall consider as many sources as possible when determining an umpire's classification. c. The Board shall be responsible for establishing a system of evaluating all umpires.

A. Junior Varsity Level (JV):

1. All newly registered officials to CSOA-LA without a current CSOA-LA Varsity score will start at the Junior Varsity level regardless of prior experience. There are occasions when officials are moved immediately after Varsity test score(s) have been reported and they are known and confirmed to have qualities which are beyond this level.

2. Those officials at the Junior Varsity level that are considered to be on the verge of moving to the Varsity level will periodically work Varsity game(s) supervised by a designated Evaluator. In the event there are shortages of officials for Varsity game(s), a Junior Varsity official may be assigned to low level /non-Play-off Varsity game(s).

B. VARSITY:

1. There are five (5) levels that an official can be ranked:

a. 100 being the highest level.

b. 125

c. 150

d. 200

e. 250 being the lowest level.

Once an official is placed at the Varsity level they will remain a Varsity official. They are never considered a Junior Varsity official; however, Varsity officials are expected to work Junior Varsity games if needed. On occasion, Varsity officials will be encouraged to work Junior Varsity games to aid in the development of Junior Varsity officials.

Article X – POST SEASON ASSIGNMENTS

The Executive Board will appoint a chairperson and a Recommendation Committee of three (3) to five (5). This committee will report their recommendations for two (2) and three (3) umpire playoff crews for playoff assignment to be voted on no later than the last day of the regular season. The Recommendation Committee(s) will include the appointment of crew chief for each playoff crew. The crew chief may not necessarily be assigned to the plate for each game. The minimum requirements for playoff games include, but are not limited to the following criteria:

A. A minimum of three (3) years of completed service in the CSOA-LA Umpires Association.

B. A minimum of ten (10) varsity level games worked in the CSOA-LA Umpires Association by the conclusion of the regular season.

C. A ranking of one hundred (100), one hundred twenty-five (125), one hundred fifty (150) is required.

D. Officials must achieve a favorable three (3) umpire evaluation after participating at a CSOA-LA Unit three (3) umpire field clinic.

E. Mandatory attendance at the playoff mechanics and assignment meeting. Note: Meeting is suggested for the first Thursday after the conclusion of the regular season.

F. Have attended prescribed meetings and field clinics.

G. Have passed the Study Guide and Classification Test (80%) or equivalent.

H. Have maintained perfect attendance to assigned games.

I. All requirements set forth by the CSOA-LA must be met. Officials not meeting one (1) or more of the above criteria, who wish to be assigned to playoff competition, will apply in writing to the Executive Board for a hardship exemption to waive the selected criteria. Such a letter must be submitted to the Executive Board before May 10th including specifics to be considered for an exemption.

ARTICLE XI: CONDUCT OF MEMBERS

The conduct of an official while in uniform shall be above reproach. He/she shall maintain high respect for the profession by refraining from abusive language, consumption of alcoholic beverages, using tobacco on the field, and any other action of which would tend to discredit CSOA-LA and/or the Officiating Profession.

A. All members shall conduct themselves in a professional manner while performing their assigned duties.

B. A high standard of ethics shall be maintained by refraining from criticizing, censuring, etc. of fellow umpires in public.

C. No member shall falsify any information required for or by his/her membership, either when applying or after being accepted in CSOA-LA.

D. Any member under suspension by the Board of Directors or who owes money to CSOA-LA shall not be allowed to vote, be appointed or be elected to office, or in any way participate in the activities of CSOA-LA until the suspension is removed or the debt is paid.

E. Any official who has a family member(s) who play(s), coach(es), or is associated with a school that is under assignment agreement with CSOA-LA shall notify CSOA-LA 's Coordinator of said "conflict of interest."

F. A member, after accepting an assignment from the Coordinator, shall be contractually responsible to arrive at the park by a reasonable time in advance of game time, in proper uniform, and be on the field at game time to umpire said game as prescribed in Article IV, Section 3 of these by-laws, unless given a release by the Coordinator.

G. No member shall officiate, solicit, sponsor, participate, or be engaged in any way with any game, or tournament facilitated by any of CSOA-LA member schools other than by assignment from the Assignor except by written approval from the assignor and/or the Board of Directors. In all cases of conflict, a member's first responsibility shall be to CSOA-LA.

H. Members who are found to be in violation of this section are subject to suspension, fines, and/or other action deemed appropriate by the Board. Examples of unacceptable conduct are, but are not limited to,

(1) displaying unprofessional on or off-field behavior toward a team or other individual while in the performance or context of his/her CSOA-LA duties;

(2) acting in an insubordinate manner toward a CSOA-LA member who is performing duties within his/her scope of authority;

(3) using a cell phone or other hand-held communication device during a game (or in between innings) for reasons other than emergencies; and

(4) demonstrating other behavior deemed unprofessional or unacceptable by the Board.

I. Association members who also coach softball will be expected to maintain a high level of professional conduct while they participate in their games. An “off-duty” member coaching softball who exhibits unprofessional conduct or displays contemptuous behavior toward an “on-duty” fellow CSOA-LA member will be subject to severe disciplinary actions deemed appropriate by the Board.

ARTICLE XII: DISCIPLINE OF MEMBERS

A. Any member charged with a violation of any infraction of CSOA-LA 's Policies, Constitution and By-Laws shall have the right to be heard in person or to offer a written statement made in his/her own defense.

B. Any member failing or refusing to answer charges against them to the Board of Directors shall be considered guilty as charged.

C. Any member found guilty by the Board of Directors of any infraction of CSOA-LA 's Policies, Constitution and By-Laws or of conduct that would discredit CSOA-LA shall be subject to a reprimand, assessment, suspension, expulsion or any combination thereof, as may be deemed necessary by the Board of Directors after a scheduled fact-finding process.

ARTICLE XIII: APPEALS

A. Any member shall have the right to appeal punitive action taken against him or her. Appeals shall be in writing (email, note, etc.) to the President within seven calendar days of his/her receipt of the notice of the punitive action from the Board.

B. The President shall, upon written notice of an appeal allowed under the Constitution, promptly notify the Vice President of the appeal and provide the Vice President with all applicable files, documents, and statements pertaining to the original grievance.

C. The Vice President, upon notification of an appeal from the CSOA-LA President, shall promptly form an appeal panel. The appeal panel shall consist of the CSOA-LA Board of Directors.

D. The panel shall investigate the circumstances of the complaint and appeal, will choose to uphold or modify the Board’s decision, and will promptly notify the President of its findings.

E. The appeal panel’s decision must be made within fifteen (15) calendar days of the President’s written receipt of the appeal referenced in 7.2. The appeal panel’s decision shall be final.

ARTICLE XIV: ELECTIVE OFFICE QUALIFICATION

A. Any member of CSOA-LA who desires to be placed on the ballot for an elective office may submit his/her name and office desired to the Nominating Committee not later than October 1st of each year.

B. Only members in good standing shall be allowed to serve in an appointed position or elective office in CSOA-LA.

C. Qualified candidates for elected offices shall be placed on the ballot to be voted upon at the election meeting.

D. Candidates for office may also be nominated from the floor provided the nominee and nominator are members in good standing.

ARTICLE XV: ELECTION VOTING PROCEDURES

A. The President shall appoint at least four (4) tellers (CSOA-LA members in good standing who are not on the ballet) to distribute ballots on which the members shall cast their vote.

B. After the ballots are collected, two (2) of the tellers shall count the ballots and give the results to the President, whereupon the two (2) remaining tellers shall then re-count the ballots and give that results to the President.

C. When the counts agree, the President shall announce the vote results to the assembly.

D. If any office is not filled by a majority of the voting members present on the ballot voted upon, another ballot shall be taken until the office is filled by a majority of the voting members present. Candidates receiving twenty-five percent (25%) or less of the votes shall be dropped from the ballot.

ARTICLE XVI: INSURANCE

It is required by CSOA-LA that each member be covered by an insurance plan for liability as approved by the Board of Directors.

ARTICLE XVII: APPOINTMENTS TO THE BOARD

There are two positions of the Board that are appointed, Instructional Chairman and Assignor. If you are interested in one of the two positions, you must apply in writing to the Unit’s Secretary or President no later than July 1 of each year.

ARTICLE XVIII: CONFLICT OF INTEREST

Our unit conflict of interest safeguard policy is not to assign any umpires to any school where children or grandchildren may attend one both participating schools.