CHAPTER 2.00 - SCHOOL BOARD GOVERNANCE AND ORGANIZATION

2.04 School Advisory Councils

The School Board authorizes the establishment of a school advisory council (e.g. school  improvement team) in each District school to assist in the enhancement of school site  decision-making, to serve in an advisory capacity to the principal and to assist in the  development of the educational program and in the preparation and evaluation of the  school improvement plan required pursuant to Florida Statutes. The Superintendent  shall develop guidelines pursuant to Florida Statutes to assist school advisory councils  in order to ensure their active role in school site decision-making. School advisory  councils shall not assume any of the powers or duties now reserved by law for the  School Board or its professional staff. Nothing contained in the district and/or local  school accountability process shall be constructed to lessen or otherwise alter the  authority of the school principal as provided for in law, rules or regulations. 

(1) Composition and Selection of Councils - Council members shall include  the school principal and an appropriately balanced number of teachers,  educational staff professionals, students, parents, and business and  community representatives. 

(a) Members shall be representative of the ethnic, racial, and economic  community served by the council. 

(b) Student representation shall be required for school advisory  councils established at vocational-technical centers and high  schools and may be included for school advisory councils serving  middle and junior high schools. Student representation shall not be  required for school advisory councils serving elementary schools. 

(c) The term educational staff professionals as used herein shall refer  to any person who is employed by a school for twenty (20) or more  hours during a normal working week and who does not meet the  definition of instructional or administrative personnel pursuant to  Florida Statutes.

(d) The term “teacher” as used herein shall include classroom  teachers, certified student services personnel, and media  specialists. 

(e) A majority of members must be persons who are not employed at  the school. 

(f) Appropriately balanced as used herein shall mean a proportionate  number of council members considering each peer group being  represented on the council, excluding the school principal. The  size of the school advisory council and the ratio of representatives  among the peer groups, excluding the school principal, shall be set  forth in the operational guidelines adopted by each school advisory  council. 

(2) Selection of Council Members - New council members shall be elected by  their respective peer group, except for business and community  representatives and the school principal. 

(a) The following council members shall be elected in a fair and  equitable manner as determined by their respective peer group and  as set forth in the operational guidelines of the school advisory  council. 

1. A teacher(s) shall be elected by teachers; 

2. An educational staff professional(s) shall be elected by  education support employees; 

3. A student(s), when appropriate, shall be elected by students. 

4. A parent(s) shall be elected by parents, as defined by Florida  Statues. 

(b) The school advisory council shall select a business and community  member(s) to serve on the school advisory council after reviewing  the list of nominees prepared by the school principal.

1. Business and community representatives shall be selected  initially through a nomination and selection process  facilitated by the school principal of each school advisory  council. 

a. The school principal shall seek candidates who are  interested in making a commitment to participate on  the school advisory council by representing businesses and the community. 

b. Letters, newsletters, or other media releases shall be  used by the school principal to seek candidates. 

c. The school principal shall prepare a list of individuals  seeking nomination to the school advisory council and shall present the list to the school advisory council for selecting the business and community representative(s). 

2. Subsequent to the initial selection as described in subsection  (2)(b)1 herein, the operational guidelines of the school  advisory council shall set forth procedures for nominating  business and community representatives to serve on the  school advisory council. 

(c) The principal shall submit the list of council members to the  Superintendent for review of each school to determine compliance  with subsection (1) herein. The membership list shall contain the  name of each council member and the peer group which is being  represented by each member and a description of how the council  represents the ethnic, racial, and economic community served by  the school. 

(3) Confirmation of the School Advisory Council - The Superintendent shall  submit to the School Board for review and approval the membership list  for each school advisory council in the District. The School Board shall determine if a school advisory council meets criteria specified in  subsection (1) herein; additional members shall be appointed by the  School Board when it is required to achieve the proper representation on  the school advisory council.

(4) Responsibilities of Councils - Each school advisory council shall: 

(a) Review the results of any needs assessments conducted by the  school administration. 

(b) Assist in the development of the school improvement plan and  provide recommendations on specific components of the plan, such  as the goals of the school, indicators of school and student  progress, and strategies and evaluation procedures to measure  student performance. 

(c) Define adequate progress for each school goal; obtain public input  when defining adequate progress for school goals; negotiate the  definition of adequate progress with the School Board; and notify  and request assistance from the School Board when the school  fails to make adequate progress in any single goal area. 

(d) Monitor students’ and the school’s progress in attaining goals and  evaluate the appropriateness of the indicators of student progress  and strategies and evaluation procedures which are selected to  measure student performance. 

(e) Prepare and distribute information to the public to report the status  of implementing the school improvement plan, the performance of  students and educational programs, and progress in accomplishing  the school goals. 

(f) Make recommendations on the accumulation and reporting of data  that is beneficial to parents. 

(g) Serve as a resource for the principal and advise the principal in  matters pertaining to the school program. 

(h) Provide input on the school’s annual budget and the use of school  improvement funds. 

(i) Inquire about school matters, identify problems, propose solutions  to problems, suggest changes, and inform the community about the  school.

(j) Act as a liaison between the school and the community. 

(k) Assist in the preparation of the feedback report to the Florida  Commission on Education Reform and Accountability as required  by and pursuant to Florida Statutes. 

(l) Identify other duties and functions of the school advisory council.

(5) Operation of Council - Operational guidelines shall be established and  mutually agreed upon by members of the school advisory council. 

(a) The guidelines shall: 

1. State the duties and functions of the council. 

2. Indicate the procedure for electing council members and the  nomination process for selecting business and community  representatives. 

3. Identify the procedure for electing officers, including a  chairperson, vice-chairperson, and recording secretary, and  determine the term of office for each position. 

4. Establish the membership term for each peer group. 

5. Specify the proportionate number of council members for  each peer group for the purpose of achieving an  appropriately balanced council. 

(b) Regular meetings shall be held. The council shall determine the  date, time, and place of the meetings. Members of the advisory  council may attend meetings in person or through the use of  telecommunications networks such as telephonic and video  conferencing. 

(c) The agenda shall be advertised to the school community at least  seven (7) days in advance of the scheduled meeting. 

(d) All meetings shall be open, public, and subject to Chapter 286,  Florida Statutes.

(e) Members of the advisory council shall be notified three (3) days in  advance in writing of any matter that is scheduled to come before  the council for a vote. 

(f) The school advisory council shall be subject to maintaining records  pursuant to Article 1, Section 24, and Article XII, Section 20, of the  Florida Constitution. 

(g) School improvement plans which require waivers of the terms or  conditions in negotiated agreement(s) shall be subject to the  approval of the Board and Bargaining Agent. 

STATUTORY AUTHORITY: 1001.41; 1001.42, F.S. 

LAWS IMPLEMENTED: 1000.21; 1001.43; 1001.452; 1008.385; 1012.01, F.S. 

History: Adopted: January 14, 1999 

Revision Date(s): October 14, 1999; October 9, 2001; October 7, 2003; August 14. 2007; November 16, 2021 

Formerly: