Transcript School Site Council Role and Responsibilities

A
Parent Academy
Presentation
Working with Schoolsite Councils
A Guide for Parents in Understanding the Responsibilities
of a Schoolsite Council Member
Division of Parent and Community Services
Los Angeles County Office of Education
1
The Changing Role of Parent Involvement
“RESPONSIBILITY”
2
The Schoolsite Council
In 2001 the California Legislature passed a law
requiring each school receiving categorical funds to:
• form a Schoolsite Council that would be
responsible for developing a Single Plan for
Student Achievement (SPSA)
• include the plans of all participating school
programs funded through the Consolidated
Application
• include other school programs
if the school chooses
EC 64001(a)
3
The Single Plan for Student
Achievement (SPSA)
The purpose of the SPSA is to:
• CONSOLIDATE all school plans into one plan
• FOCUS on increasing student achievement
• DEVELOP goals based on student
test results on the STAR Program
and California High School
Exit Exam
4
The Schoolsite Council
The Schoolsite Council is made up of teachers, school
staff, parents, community members, and where
applicable, students
The SSC is required to:
• Develop the plan with advice from school
advisory committees
• Address the goals to increase achievement
• Decide allocation of funds to meet the goals
• Recommend the plan to governing board
• Monitor implementation of the plan
• Update the plan and budget annually
5
II. Organizing the Schoolsite Council
6
Composition of Elementary
Schoolsite Council
Principal
Teachers
Parents
Other Staff
7
Composition of Secondary
Schoolsite Council
Principal
Teachers
Students
Parents
Other Staff
8
Selection/Election of SSC Members
The law states members must be chosen by their peer
group and the process documented in the minutes.
Board policy or Council bylaws should specify:
• How the notice of elections for
each peer group is carried out
• Process to choose the
members in each groups
• Terms of members
• How the balloting is recorded
and the ballots to be kept on file.
9
Bylaws Guide the Council
While not required in the statute, bylaws can guide the
work of the Council by describing:
• Selection/election procedures for council members,
length of terms, and minimum attendance required
• Election and duties of officers
• Regular meeting dates and times
• Number of parents, teachers,
and students if applicable,
required for a quorum
• Other items if needed
10
III. Organizing an Advisory Committee
11
Makeup of the English Learner
Advisory Committee (ELAC)
Step 1: Determine the percentage of English learners at
the school. ELAC must have at least that
percentage of parents of English learners. The
bylaws can specify a larger percentage, i.e. a
majority, two-thirds.
Example
Number of English
Learners Enrolled
125
Total School Enrollment
700
Percentage of
Enrollment
18%
Step 2: Determine the advisory committee size.
Step 3: Notify the parent community of the ELAC
elections
12
Selection/Election of ELAC Members
The law states members must be chosen by their peer
group and the process documented.
Board policy or ELAC bylaws should specify:
• Notice of election to all parents
• Meeting held to explain responsibilities and time
commitment as a member of ELAC
• That ONLY parents of English Learners vote but
they can vote for parents of EL students and
parents of “other” students on the same ballot
• Terms of members and officers
• A policy of non-discrimination
13
ELAC Responsibilities
ELAC is required by law to:
• Stress the IMPORTANCE of
parents being involved in their
children’s education!!
• Advise the SSC on needs of
applicable student groups
• Review the Single Plan for
Student Achievement
• Certify involvement in
developing and reviewing plan
14
Options for Responsibilities
The members must first meet as a committee and go
through a training to better understand their
responsibilities.
The members can then meet to discuss and decide
how they choose to carry out their responsibilities.
Their options are:
1. Operate as a full-fledged ELAC
2. Become a sub-committee of the SSC
3. Vote to delegate their responsibilities to the SSC
for a period of 2-years
15
IV. Schoolsite Council Meetings
16
Public Meeting Rules - the Green Act
The SSC must observe the GREENE ACT:
1) Meetings must be open to the public
2) Meeting notice must be posted 72 hours in advance
3) Notice must specify date, time and place
4) Council business action limited to posted agenda
5) Violations require the item to be reconsidered at the
next meeting after public input
6) Questions or information need not be on the agenda
7) Public must be allowed to address the council on
items within its jurisdiction
17
SSC Officers and Duties
Officers for the SSC include:
1) Chairperson to conduct meetings
2) Vice-Chairperson to
backup chairperson
3) Secretary to record all
events and actions
4) Parliamentarian for procedural questions
5) Other officers or committee chairs as needed to carry
18
out SSC business
School Principal
1) Must be a member of the council
2) Provides information and leadership
3) Administers the approved plan
4) Participates in the business
of the SSC but CANNOT
VETO council decisions or
change the approved plan.
19
Agendas Guide the Meeting
• Call to order
• Roll call of members
• Adoption of the agenda
• Approval of the minutes
• Comments by members
•
•
•
•
Reports of standing committees
Public comment period
Unfinished business
New business
• Discussion / Announcements
• Adjournment
20
Parliamentary Procedures Smooth the Way
Steps in Making a Motion
1. Obtain the floor
2. Make your motion
3. Wait for a second to your motion
4. Chair then states your motion
5. Explain motion as first speaker
6. The chair “puts” the question for discussion by the
assembly
7. After discussion---the chair calls for the vote
21
Minutes are the Record
The council must maintain records of:
1) Agendas of meetings
2) Minutes of meetings, attendance, discussions
recommendations, and actions
3) Elections of members and officers
4) Official correspondence
5) Evidence of advisory
group input and review
6) Copies of prior year school plans
22
SSC Committees
The council may appoint committees to:
1) Gather and analyze information
2) Research and propose strategies
for improving instruction
3) Examine materials,
staffing, or funding
4) Draft portions of the plan for consideration
23
V. The Single Plan for Student
Achievement
24
Focus of the SSC
The goal of the SSC is to develop a plan that will
raise the academic performance of ALL sub-groups
of students in achieving proficiency on the state
academic standards.
To do this, the plan may
address improvement in
instruction, staff development,
and new courses as a way to
achieve the academic goals.
25
Revise
Improvement
Strategies and
Expenditures
Reaffirm or
Revise Goals
Seek
Advisory
Committees
Input
Reach
Performance
Goals
Approve and
Recommend
SPSA to Local
Board
Monitor
Implementation
Measure
Effectiveness
of
Improvement
Strategies
26
Essential Information
The council needs to work with information
from many sources.
1) Input from advisory groups
2) School allocations shown on
the Consolidated Application
3) Local board policies
4) State and federal requirements
5) Information about programs
6) Student performance data
7) School’s current program of instruction
27
Step 1: Effectiveness of Current Practices
Analyze Instructional Program:
• Alignment of instruction and staff
development to academic standards
• Current use of regular and categorical
programs
Analyze Student Performance:
• Significance of data on low performing students
• Limitations of current program to enable students
to achieve the academic standards
• School and community resources and barriers
28
Step 2: Input from Advisory Committees
The SSC should document their actions when:
• Requesting advice from advisory committee(s)
• Considering the advice at SSC meetings
• Sharing the draft plan with advisory committee(s)
• Considering any additional input to the plan
• Sharing the final draft with advisory committee(s)
Note:
If an advisory committee refuses to certify
input, the local governing board then must
decide whether to approve or send plan back
to SSC for revision.
29
Step 3: Reaffirm or Revise School Goals
Goals should meet four tests; they should be:
• Derived from student sub-group performance data
and analysis of educational practices
• Attainable in the period
specified in the plan
• Specific to the needs of
each student sub-group
• Measurable in time specified
30
Step 4: Revise Strategies & Funds
1. Funds allocated thru Consolidated Application
to the school directly which may include:
• State Funds
• Federal Funds
2. Consolidated Application funds the district
chooses to reallocate to its schools:
• State Funds
• Federal Funds
3. Other funded school programs
the council chooses to include
31
Select Specific Improvements
1. Develop specific activities to
reach each school goal selected for
improving student achievement.
2. Determine how funds will be used to implement
specified activities in the time allocated to reach
stated goals.
Note: Refer to the Template for the Single Plan
for Student Achievement provided by the
California Department of Education.
32
Consider Centralized Services
Centralized services are instructional or support
activities by district staff from funds allocated to the
schools and are often “cost efficient” because:
• Staff development is held for several schools
• Costs are shared by several schools
• Language proficiency at a central location
Centralized Services requires
the approval of the SSC, and
must support the goals of the
school plan.
33
Step 5: Recommend Plan to Board
The SSC, at a publicly posted meeting, must formally
vote to recommend the plan to the governing board
for approval, assuring the board that the council:
• was properly constituted
• reviewed its responsibilities
• sought input from all advisory
committees
• reviewed program content requirements
• based plan on analysis of current practices
and student academic performance
34
Step 6: Monitor Implementation
District and school administrators must implement the
plan in a timely and effective manner.
SSC monitors effectiveness of
the planned activities to verify
achievement of objectives:
• Assignment and training of qualified staff
• Identification of student participants
• Implementation of services
• Provision of materials/equipment to students
• Progress made toward SPSA goals
35
Evaluate Effectiveness of Plan
• At least annually the council must evaluate the
effectiveness of planned activities by using multiple
measures to determine progress toward school goals.
• Success of the plan is measured by improvement of
identified student subgroups on the AMO’s and API.
• Evaluation of results is part of
the analysis of student data
for the following year’s plan.
36
Modify the Plan
The SPSA may be modified at any time with approval
of the governing board and must be reviewed and
updated at least annually.
Need to modify may be indicated because:
• A major service or activity proves ineffective
• A program allocation is changed
• Essential staff, equipment/materials
cannot be procured
• An activity is non-compliant with
state or federal law
37
CDE Information Web Sites
Single Plan for Student Achievement:
http://www.cde.ca.gov/nclb/sr/le/singeplan.asp
Academic Performance Index (API):
http://www.cde.ca.gov/ta/ac/ap/
State Testing and Reporting data:
http://www.cde.ca.gov/ta/
Consolidated Programs:
http://www.cde.ca.gov/fg/fo/ca/
38