Section 15.1-16-11 - Representative organization - Selection1.a. If an organization is interested in representing a group of teachers or a group of administrators, the organization may file with the board of a school district a petition asserting that the organization represents a majority of the teachers or the administrators included within a negotiating unit.b. The petition must be accompanied by evidence substantiating the assertion contained in it.c. The petition must be filed with the board of a school district no later than March first of the current school year.d. Within ten days after receiving the petition, the board of the school district shall post notice of its intent to consider the petition in each school wherein the members of the negotiating unit are employed.e. No sooner than ten nor later than twenty days after posting the notice of intent to consider the petition, the board shall investigate the petition, determine the question of representation, and post notice of its determination in each school wherein the members of the negotiating unit are employed.f. If the petition is not contested, the board shall recognize the petitioner as the representative organization of the negotiating unit, unless the board rejects the petition for recognition of the negotiating unit under section 15.1-16-10 or the board finds in good faith that there is a reasonable doubt the representation exists.2. If any organization has an interest in representing a group of teachers or a group of administrators and wishes to contest the claim of representation made in the petition under subsection 1, the contesting organization must file with the board of the school district a petition containing a written statement of contest together with substantiating evidence, within ten days from the date on which the board posted the notice of intent to consider the original petition.3. If the board of a school district fails to make and post notice of its determination or if the board's determination has been contested, the board shall call an election to determine the question of representation not sooner than twenty nor later than thirty days after the posting of the notice of intent to consider the original petition.4. If the board of a school district receives a petition that is signed by at least twenty-five percent of the members of the negotiating unit and which calls for an election to determine the question of representation, the board shall call the election.5. The election must be conducted in the manner agreed to by the interested parties. If the interested parties cannot reach an agreement, the election must be conducted in the manner determined by the education factfinding commission under its rules.6. Once a representative organization has been selected, its authority to represent the negotiating unit continues for at least one year from the date of the selection.Amended by S.L. 2021 , ch. 151( SB 2215 ), § 3, eff. 8/1/2021.