Reinventing Education Actof 2004

School Community Councils

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School Community CouncilPurpose

• Support the school’s efforts to increase student achievement.

• Help engage the community in understanding and supporting the school.

• Support the principal, teachers, and other school staff.

School Community CouncilComposition

Equal numbers of:

• school personnel (administrators, teachers, other staff) and

• “primary stakeholders” (students, parents, community members)

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School Community CouncilSelection of members

• Principal

• Teachers elected by teachers

• Noncertificated personnel elected by noncertificated personnel

• Parents elected by parents

• Community representatives elected by parents

• Students selected by the student council

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School Community CouncilNumber of members

• There must be at least one teacher, one noncertificated staff member, one parent, one community representative, and one student, plus the principal.

• The total number of school personnel must equal the total number of “primary stakeholders”

• Therefore there will be a even number of SCC members

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School Community CouncilAct 51 mandates

• Review and evaluate the Academic & Financial Plan: recommend revisions to the principal or approval by the complex area superintendent. {Section 25}

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School Community CouncilAct 51 mandates

• Ensure the Academic and Financial Plan is aligned with the educational accountability system. {Section 25}– Includes student, school, individual (teachers, principals, other employees)

accountability, and public accounting to parents, community members, businesses, higher education, media, political leadership.

– Links authority and resources to responsibility.

– Defines clear roles and responsibilities; involves collaboration.

– Assesses, tracks, and reports trend data on measures of academic achievement, safety and well-being, and civic responsibility of individual students and schools.

– Invokes consequences: rewards, assistance, sanctions.

– Requires continuous professional development for teachers and administrators that is linked to professional evaluation.

– Requires school, complex, and system fiscal report cards.

– Includes an evaluation of complex area superintendents and principals.

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School Community CouncilAct 51 mandates

• Participate in the selection and evaluation of the principal [in the manner set forth by the complex area superintendent]; transmit evaluations to the complex area superintendent. {Section 25}

• Provide collaborative opportunities for input and consultation. {Section 25}

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School Community CouncilAct 51 mandates

• Review the principal’s determination of the school’s repair and maintenance needs and recommend to the principal any changes before the principal’s determination is sent to the complex area superintendent. {Section 30}

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School Community CouncilAct 51 mandates

• Request appropriate waivers of policies, rules, procedures, and provisions of collective bargaining units [when such waivers would lead to increased student achievement and are recommended by the principal]. {Section 21}

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School Community CouncilAct 51 mandates

• Review A&F Plan.

• Ensure A&F Plan is aligned with accountability system.

• Participate in selection and evaluation of principal.

• Provide opportunities for input.

• Review repair & maintenance needs.

• Request waivers.

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School Community CouncilIS NOT

• A governing board.

– Does not hire and fire the principal.

– Does not control school finances.

– Does not evaluate teachers or other staff.

• A forum for promoting personal agendas.

• A body whose members “represent” constituencies.

Questions?