An Administrator's Guide to California Private School Law Compendium

C HAPTER 2 – G OVERNANCE D OCUMENT 2.A

C HECKLIST O F B ASIC S TEPS T O F ORMING A N EW P RIVATE S CHOOL  Determine what corporate form the school will take: Public Benefit or Religious Nonprofit Corporation.  Prepare Articles of Incorporation:  Select a name for the corporation.  Broadly state the purpose of the corporation (for Public Benefit Corporations only).  Specify the type of nonprofit corporation (Nonprofit Public Benefit or Nonprofit Religious Corporation).  Identify the initial agent for service of process. If the initial agent is a natural person, identify the agent’s California business or residence address.  Include mandatory statement that assets of the corporation are irrevocably dedicated to religious, charitable or educational purposes.  OPTIONAL (may instead be included in Bylaws): Identify the name and addresses of the corporation’s initial directors.  OPTIONAL (may instead be included in Bylaws): Specify the classes of members, if any, or specify that the corporation’s trustees/directors will be deemed to have all the rights and privileges normally given to members.  OPTIONAL (may instead be included in Bylaws): Specify any restrictions on amending the Articles of Incorporation or Bylaws.  File Articles of Incorporation with the California Secretary of State.  Prepare Bylaws:  Specify the number of directors of the corporation, unless already stated in the Articles. This may be stated as a range with a minimum and maximum number of directors.  Specify the time, place and manner of calling, conducting and giving notice of meetings for members, directors and committees.  Specify the qualifications, duties, powers and compensation (if any) of the directors.  Specify the method, time for election and term length for directors.  Specify the classes of members, if any (if not already included in the Articles).

An Administrator’s Guide to California Private School Law - Compendium ©2019 Liebert Cassidy Whitmore 9