2125 - SCHOOL ADVISORY COUNCILS FOR SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT AND ACCOUNTABILITY
Florida Statutes provide that each advisory council shall be composed of the principal and an appropriately balanced number of teachers, education support employees, students, parents, and other business and community citizens who are representative of the ethnic, racial, and economic community served by the school, provided that vocational-technical center and high school advisory councils shall include students, and middle and junior high school advisory councils may include students. A majority of members of each council must be persons not employed by the school. A simple majority is defined as fifty-one percent (51%) of the membership or one-half (1/2) of the number of members plus one (1). The number of parent representatives shall at least be equal to the number of teacher representatives.
The Board shall review the membership composition of each advisory council. School Advisory Councils for School Improvement and Accountability will comply with procedures set forth in Florida Statutes and Florida State Board of Education Administrative Rules.
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Membership
Council members representing teachers, education support employees, students, and parents shall be elected by their respective peer groups at the school in a fair and equitable manner.
Business and other community members shall be selected by the school according to the written procedures for the School Advisory Councils for School Improvement and Accountability.
Election of Members
Written procedures for advisory councils shall include the following procedures for elections: Advance notice of election with a specific election date and an opportunity for write-in nominations and ballots for those unable to be present at the election.
A. Ample advance notice will be given for nominations of all interested persons in the following categories before elections are held;
B. Teachers shall be elected by teachers;
C. Education support employees shall be elected by education support employees;
D. Students shall be elected by students; and
E. Parents shall be elected by parents.
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Participation of Members
Written procedures for advisory councils shall include criteria for active participation by members of the council, and procedures for replacement of council members who fail to meet these requirements.
School Improvement Plans
A. School Improvement Plans Approval Process – Florida’s System of School Improvement and Accountability
1. School improvement plans are submitted to the Board for approval. Any District review or revision of the school improvement plan in preparation for presentation to the Board must be done with the collaboration and approval of the school advisory council
2. The Board approves or declines to approve each plan. If all plans are approved, the Superintendent and Board chairperson certify to the commissioner of education that the plans have been approved for the coming year together with any necessary report that a school has not made adequate progress. The plans themselves are not submitted to the commissioner.
3. If a Board declines to approve a plan, in returning the plan to the school advisory council for revision it must state (a) the elements within the plan it found to be problematic, and (b) recommendations for change which would enable the plan to be approved. The school advisory council is to then take the comments of the Board and consider revising and resubmitting the plan based upon the Board feedback. The Board then approves or disapproves any revision.
4. If the school advisory council determines that the Board’s suggested changes are not consistent with their goals and/or does not desire to modify the plan, then the council and Board are asked to mutually agree to use a dispute resolution process. The Board is strongly encouraged to involve representatives of all the stakeholders in developing such a dispute resolution rule, and to offer the broadest range of options.
5. The dispute resolution process is implemented in an effort to resolve the conflict. If the conflict is not resolved, then formal notice is given by the Board to the Department of Education that additional assistance will be required. The school advisory council may also notify the Department of Education.
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B. Conflict/Dispute Resolution Process
Should the Board decide not to approve a plan, in returning the plan to the school advisory council, the Board shall state the elements within the plan found to be problematic and recommend changes. The school advisory council shall consider revising and resubmitting the plan based upon the Board’s feedback. The Board shall approve or disapprove the school improvement plan. A plan that still does not receive Board approval shall be reviewed by a mediation committee.
1. The mediation committee shall be composed of the school principal, the advisory council chairperson or designated school advisory council member, Board chairperson or designated Board member, the Superintendent or designee, and a facilitator to be mutually agreed upon by the committee members.
2. The mediation committee shall work with the school advisory council to reach resolution.
3. Upon resolution the school advisory council shall submit the revised school improvement plan to the Board for approval in accordance with State mandated deadlines.
4. Should the Board not approve the school improvement plan after exhausting this process, the Department of Education shall be notified of the need for assistance. The school advisory council may also notify the Department of Education.
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F.S. 1001.452, 1001.41, 1001.42 |
