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2.17 - School Advisory Councils (CH.2 - p.2-21) PDF pg is 24 |
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(1)
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Each school shall establish and sustain a school advisory council (SAC). |
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(2) |
Role of SAC: Each school advisory council shall assist in the
preparation and evaluation of the school improvement plan required
pursuant to Section 230.23(16), Florida Statutes. Each council assists
in the preparation of the school’s annual budget and plan For the
purpose of this policy the word "assist" is defined as giving help and
advice. The school advisory council is identified as the sole body at
the school responsible for decision making with regard to school
improvement and
accountability statutes. The role of the school advisory council is not
intended to override the authority of the principal/director. |
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(a) |
Working jointly with the principal/director and staff and after
monitoring relevant data, the SAC determines the goals in the school
improvement plan. Work groups, often called school improvement teams (SITs),
are responsible for developing and implementing strategies and action
plans to accomplish the goals. |
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(b) |
School advisory councils shall not assume any of the powers or duties
now reserved by Florida Statutes for the School Board or its staff. |
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(c) |
The school principal/director shall provide leadership in the
development or revision and implementation of the school improvement
plan as provided in 231.085, Florida Statutes. |
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(3)
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Composition of Councils: Council members include the school
principal/director and an appropriately balanced number of teachers,
education support employees, students, parents, and business and
community representatives. A majority of the members of each school
advisory council must be persons who are not employed by the school. |
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(a) |
Members shall be representative of the ethnic, racial, and economic
community served by the council. SACs shall maximize their efforts to
have their membership be representative of the ethnic, racial and
economic community served by the council. |
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(b) |
Student representation shall be required for school advisory councils
established at career technical centers and high schools and
may be included for school
advisory councils serving elementary and middle schools. |
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(c) |
The term "education support employee" as used herein refers to any
person who is employed by a school for twenty (20) hours or more during
a normal work week and who does not meet the definition of instructional
or administrative personnel pursuant to Section 228.041, Florida
Statutes. |
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(d) |
The term "teacher" as used herein includes classroom teachers, certified
student services personnel, and library information specialists. |
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(4)
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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/director. |
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(a) |
The following council members shall be elected by their respective
peer group in a fair and equitable manner as set forth in the bylaws of
the school advisory council; |
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1. Teacher(s) shall be elected by teachers;
2. Education support employee(s) shall be elected by education support
employees;
3. Student(s), when appropriate, shall be elected by students; and,
4. Parent(s) shall be elected by parents. |
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(b) |
The school advisory council shall select business and community member(s) to serve on the school advisory council as set forth in the
bylaws of the school advisory council. The procedures in the bylaws
include the means of insuring wide notice of vacancies through methods
such as school marquee, school newsletter, and the school district
television station “Chalkboard” and for taking input on possible members
from local business, chambers of commerce, community and civic
organizations and groups and the public at large. |
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(c) |
The bylaws of the school advisory council must set forth a process
for appointment of additional SAC members if the election process does
not produce representative membership as specified in paragraph (3)(a)
herein. |
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(5)
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Confirmation of the School Advisory Council: The Superintendent submits
the membership roster for each school advisory council in the district
to the School Board for review and approval. The School Board determines
if a school advisory council meets criteria specified in paragraph
(3)(a) herein and shall refer specific concerns on membership back to
the school advisory council for compliance. If the council fails to act,
the School Board shall appoint additional members to achieve
ethnic, racial, and economic representation on the advisory council. As
required by sections 24.121 and 229.592, Florida Statutes, the Florida
Department of Education shall not release Educational Enhancement Trust
Fund (lottery) allocations to the school district who has a school that
does not comply with SAC membership composition requirement. As required
in 229.58, Florida Statutes, the Commissioner of Education shall serve
as a review body to determine if schools have maximized their efforts to
have their membership be representative of the ethnic, racial and
economic community served by the council. |
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(6)
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Operation of Council: Bylaws shall be established and adopted by members
of the school advisory council. (p.2-23) |
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(a) |
The bylaws shall: |
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1. |
State the functions and governance of the council. |
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2. |
Indicate the procedure for electing and appointing council members
as specified in paragraph (4) herein. |
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3. |
Provide procedures for the removal of SAC members for just cause
including replacing any member who has two unexcused consecutive
absences from properly noticed SAC meetings. A SAC member’s absence is
considered unexcused if the member does not notify the school that they
must be absent and, when contacted by the school, no reason is given for
their absence. The final
determination of an unexcused absence rests with the school’s SAC. |
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4. |
State that when a vote is taken a quorum must be present. A majority of
the SAC membership constitutes a quorum. |
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5. |
Require three (3) days advance notice in writing to all members of
the advisory council of any matter scheduled to come before the council
for a vote. |
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6. |
Define the scope of and procedures for SAC involvement in assisting with
budget preparation as specified in paragraph (2) and paragraph (7) (b) 6
herein. |
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7. |
Establish procedures for recording minutes of SAC meetings. A record of
these minutes shall be maintained at each school. |
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(b) |
All meetings of the school advisory council shall be open, public, and
advertised to the school
community. Meetings shall be scheduled when all stakeholders can attend. |
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(c) |
The School Board may review all SAC bylaws. |
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(7)
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School Improvement Planning Processes: |
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(a) |
The school improvement planning processes shall be defined through the
application of the school improvement timeline, process flowcharts and
other pertinent documents and materials. The office of the Associate
Superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction is responsible for the
updating and distribution of all school improvement planning documents. |
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(b) |
School Improvement Plan |
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1. |
School Improvement Plan: Annually the school improvement plan of each
school shall be submitted to the School Board for approval using the
processes identified in paragraph (7)(a) herein. Schools implement the
approved school improvement plan and are expected to make continual
improvements in the implementation of the plan, resulting in improved
student achievement. In the interim between annual approval of the plan,
editorial corrections and Plan, Do, Study, Act (PDSA) cycle improvements
in all areas of the plan, except the goals, can be made without School
Board
approval. Changes in a school’s goals must be submitted to the office of
the Associate Superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction for
submission to the School Board. Each school improvement plan shall
address issues relative to budget, training, instructional materials,
technology, staffing, student support services, specific school
safety and discipline strategies, and resource allocation, all aligned
to the goals in the plan. |
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2. |
Student Achievement Goal: Each school improvement plan shall contain at
least one student achievement goal. The focus of school improvement
planning shall be the achievement of the strategic directions and goals
identified in the District Comprehensive Plan, specifically success for
each student in a safe learning environment. Plans contain specific
strategies that address
underachieving student populations. |
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3. |
School Role and Responsibility: The school involves the administration,
faculty and staff, parents, students, and the community in the
development and the implementation of the school improvement plan
according to the Florida K-20 Education Code and School Board policy.
The school is responsible for the development and implementation of a
plan that results in highest achievement for each student. |
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4. |
District Role and Responsibility: The district facilitates, supports,
advises, and assists schools by interpreting legislative directives,
establishing workable school improvement processes and timelines, and
supporting schools with their initiatives through facilitating
appropriate changes in district procedures when such changes are deemed
productive in accomplishing the district strategic directions and goals.
It is district staff's responsibility to monitor and make
recommendations to the
Superintendent regarding the district-wide impact of individual school
improvement initiatives. |
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5. |
Impact on Other Schools: Schools considering a school improvement
initiative that may impact another school(s) should, in a timely manner,
contact the appropriate district staff. District staff, working jointly
with the affected school(s), assists in collection and analysis of data,
analysis of issues, and recommendations on the viability of the
initiative based on factors such as alignment to the District
Comprehensive Plan and the district-wide impact of the initiative. Any
initiative planned as part of the school improvement plan of an
individual school that has an impact on another school(s) requires
approval of the School Board. |
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6. |
Funding School Improvement Initiatives: Each school uses school-based
funds such as school improvement and discretionary budget to implement
the school improvement plan initiatives. The expenditure of school
improvement funds allocated by legislative mandate shall be made by the
SAC in accordance with legislative direction to support the school
improvement plan. School improvement fund expenditures that support
student achievement and are not directly tied to the
school improvement plan district funds shall not be allocated to schools
for the purpose of implementing a school improvement initiative unless
approved by the School Board. |
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7. |
Adequate Progress: Annually the Florida Department of Education requires
the identification of adequate progress through locally determined
definitions of adequate progress in individual school plans. Each school
determines their measure(s) of adequate progress as a part of the school
improvement plan. Schools report on the status of adequate progress in
the annual School Improvement Plan Evaluation that is distributed to
parents as a part of the School Public Accountability Report. The
state of Florida in 6A-1.09981, FAC, requires that districts report to
the state Department of Education schools not making adequate progress
on their school improvement
plan. Schools shall be reported if both of the following occur: |
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a. |
The school reports not making adequate progress on more than 50% of its
goals; and |
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b. |
The school has earned a "D" grade for the most recent school year as
reported in the Department of Education’s “School Accountability
Report”. |
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Additionally, as required in 1008.33 and 1002.38, Florida Statutes,
schools that receive a performance grade category designation of "F"
based on school performance data, should be considered as having failed
to make adequate progress for one year. |
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(8)
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Assistance and Support: As required in 229.57, Florida Statutes, the
district shall develop a 2-year plan of increasing individualized
assistance and support for each school in danger of not meeting state
standards or making adequate progress toward meeting the goals and
standards of its approved school improvement plan. A school that is
identified as being in performance grade "D" is in danger of failing and
must be provided assistance and support. The district's assistance and
support plan shall be developed and updated by the Operations
Team/Curriculum & Instruction partnership. The plan will also be
utilized with schools earning an "F" performance grade. |
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(9) |
The district shall notify the Commissioner of Education and the State
Board of Education in the event any school does not make adequate
progress toward meeting the goals and standards of a school improvement
plan by the end of two years of failing to make adequate progress and
proceed according to guidelines developed pursuant to statute and State
Board of Education rule. |
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(10) |
Release of State Lottery Funds: As required by sections 24.121 and
229.592, Florida Statute, the Florida Department of Education shall not
release Educational Enhancement Trust Fund (lottery) allocations to a
school district which has a school that does not have an approved school
improvement plan. Funds shall also be withheld as specified in paragraph
(5) herein. |
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Statutory Authority: 1001.32(2), 1001.41, 1001.42, 1001.43 F.S.
Laws Implemented: 1001.42 (20), 1003.02 (4), 1013.43 F.S.
History: New 11/17/93; Amended 9/10/96, 9/9/97, 7/27/99, 1/14,2003
Note: Former 6Gx52-1.045 (changed 9/10/96) |
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PINELLAS COUNTY School Advisory Council Operations Manual
Financial Resources - [pages 37-39]
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Schools in Pinellas County now have increased flexibility in the use of their funds under the recently implemented school-based budgeting system. In addition, local schools receive school improvement allocations of $
amount determined by General Appropriations per full-time student to use in the development, implementation and evaluation of school improvement objectives. A great deal of flexibility is being given to schools in the use of that money. The SAC should ensure that the use of SIP funds is aligned to the highest priorities of the school as listed in the School Improvement Plan. Funds earmarked for school improvement in school budget allocations are shown on the school-based budget report F2B31 under Special Project
#192300. School improvement fund expenditures may include pending SAC approval. [BACK] |
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• Conducting needs assessments for school improvement plans.
• Developing school improvement plans.
• Training activities related to school improvement plans.
• Parental involvement activities related to school improvement
plans.
• Implementing school improvement plans.
• Released time/substitutes for school staff members to participate in school improvement plan-related activities. |
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As with other district money, Florida Statutes, State Board of Education rules, school board policies and other district guidelines govern the use of school improvement funds. Any unused school improvement funds for the current fiscal year can be carried over to the school improvement budget for use in the following
yea (s). Capital improvements are not an allowable expenditure of school improvement money. |
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Money also has been allocated by the state for educational technology and related training. This is used for school technology incentive awards to enhance the use of technology in classroom instruction and further the aims of Florida s System of School Improvement and Accountability. To be eligible for a technology incentive award, the principal and SAC of a school must jointly submit a proposal describing how award funds will be used to increase the use of technology in instruction in a manner that is consistent with the approved School Improvement Plan.
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