School Governance: A Course for Parents

1
School GovernanceA Course for Parents

• Site Council Fundamentals
• Helping parents become partners in improving
  student achievement through their School Site
  Councils.

2
SSC Facts Every Member Should Know

• Every District public school has a School Site
  Council (SSC).
• The SSC plays a legally-mandated role in school
  governance.
• The SSC includes parent representatives
• Any parent can run for the SSC.
• All parents will get to vote for the parent
  representatives on the SSC.

3
Who Serves on SSC?
4
SSC Elections

• All members are elected, except the Principal.
• Peers elect peers
• Teachers elect teachers.
• Non-teaching staff elect at least one
  representative.
• Parents elect parent and community
  representatives.
• Students elect students (in secondary schools
  only).

5
What Does the SSC Do?
SSC required for all schools Develop and monitor
school Budget (all funds) Develop and monitor
the Academic Plan
Broader role, per SFUSD Policy
SSC required for schools receivingstate and
federal categorical funds (e.g., Title
I) Develop and monitor a plan for
spendingcategorical funds
Limited role, per California Ed Code
6
What Should the SSC Not Do?

• DONT
• Micromanage the Principal and staff
• Try to hire and fire individual staff members
• Review lesson plans or try to manage instruction
• Pursue personal agendas

• DO
• Oversee implementation of the Academic Plan
• Allocate funds to positions, according to the
  priorities identified in the Academic Plan
• Look to the Principal as the schools
  instructional leader
• Remember that the SSC is responsible for the
  whole school, and the achievement of all students

7
What is the Academic Plan?

• Outlines the schools programs and strategies for
  improving student achievement.
• Delineates the responsibilities for every person
  involved in that process.
• Forms the basis through which schools are held
  accountable for improving student achievement.
• Provides a framework for continuous improvement.

8
The Goals of the Academic Plan

• The Academic Plan guides the school site to
  improve
• Academic performance
• Instructional quality
• Educational equity
• School climate
• Parent involvement

9
SFUSDs Philosophy of School Governance

• Site-based decision-making
• Moves some decisions to the school site from the
  central District office.
• Is the best way to meet the needs of all
  students.
• Shared decision-making
• Incorporates the voices of the principal,
  teachers, staff, parents, students, and other
  members of the school community.

10
SSC Responsibilities

• Develop the schools Academic Plan.
• Monitor the schools academic performance against
  the Academic Plan.
• Develop a Budget that supports the Academic Plan.
• Monitor the schools spending against the Budget.
• Influence curriculum, instruction, professional
  development, and staffing decisions.
• Ask questions!

11
SSC Member Commitment

• SSC membership is a big responsibility. Members
  must commit to
• Attend meetings regularly
• Ask questions!
• Become familiar with
• Academic standards
• The schools academic performance against the
  standards
• The schools Academic Plan and site budget
• Engage the entire school community and gather
  input
• Help identify the schools priorities
• Make tough trade-offs and difficult decisions
• Help create the schools Academic Plan and site
  budget
• Anyone who runs for SSC should be willing to make
  this commitment.

12
SSC Timeline
Final budget allocations released
Preliminary budget allocations released
Deadline Draft Academic Plan
SSC Summit
Deadline Final Academic Plan
CST and STAR results released
Deadline SSC Elections
Community Meeting 1
Community Meeting 2
Monitor and Adjust Plan
Set Priorities
Develop and Implement
Plan
Aug
Sept
Oct
Nov
Dec
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
June
13
Thank You

• For more information, please contact
• Parents for Public Schools San Francisco
• The Womens Building
• 3543 18th St. 1
• San Francisco, CA 94110
• 415-861-7077
• www.ppssf.org