2125 - SCHOOL ADVISORY COUNCILS FOR SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT AND ACCOUNTABILITY

A school advisory council shall be established at each school in the District and include in its name the words "school advisory council". Each school advisory council shall be the sole body responsible for final decision-making at the school relating to the implementation of applicable provisions of F.S. 1001.42 and 1008.345.

Each advisory council shall perform functions prescribed by the Board; however, no advisory council shall have any of the powers and duties now reserved by law to the Board. Each school advisory council shall assist in the preparation and evaluation of the school improvement plan and, with technical assistance from the Florida Department of Education (FLDOE), shall assist in the preparation of the school's annual budget and plan.

Council members may attend meetings in person or through the use of telecommunication networks such as telephonic and video conferencing.

Composition and Membership

The composition and membership of each school advisory council shall meet the following requirements:

1. 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;
2. career center and high school advisory councils shall include students, and middle and junior high school advisory councils may include students;
3. school advisory councils of career centers and adult education centers are not required to include parents as members;
4. a majority of members of each council must not be employed by the District;
5. 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;
6. 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.  Such procedures must include means of ensuring wide notice of vacancies and of taking input on possible members from local business, chambers of commerce, community and civic organizations and groups, and the public at large.

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 State Board of Education rules.

Election of Members

Advisory councils shall include the following procedures for elections:

1. 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;

2. Ample advance notice will be given for nominations of all interested persons in the following categories before elections are held;

3. Teachers shall be elected by teachers;

4. Education support employees shall be elected by education support employees;

5. Students shall be elected by students; and

6. Parents shall be elected by parents.

Bylaws

Each school advisory council shall adopt bylaws establishing procedures for:

1. requiring a quorum to be present before a vote may be taken by the school advisory council;
   
   A majority of the membership of the council constitutes a quorum.
2. requiring at least three (3) days' advance notice in writing to all members of the advisory council of any matter that is schedule to come before the council for a vote;
3. scheduling meetings when parents, students, teachers, business persons, and members of the community can attend;
4. replacing any member who has two (2) unexcused consecutive absences from a school advisory council meeting that is noticed according to the procedures in the bylaws; and,
5. recording minutes of meetings.

The Board may review all proposed bylaws of a school advisory council and shall maintain a record of minutes of council meetings.

School Improvement Plans

1. School Improvement Plans Approval Process
    
   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 Chairman 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 is 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.
2. 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 Chairman 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 FLDOE.
3. Annual Budget
   
   With technical assistance from the Department of Education, each school advisory council shall assist in the preparation of the school's annual budget and plan. A portion of funds provided in the annual General Appropriations Act for use by school advisory councils must be used for implementing the school improvement plan.
4. School Recognition Funds
   
   Should the school qualify for school recognition funds, the school advisory council shall participate in the determination of how these funds will be distributed in accordance with F.S. 1008.36. School recognition funds "must be used for purposes listed in F.S. 1008.36 as determined jointly by the school staff and school advisory council".

Florida's Sunshine Law

Pursuant to F.S. Chapter 286, advisory council meetings shall be publicly noticed and conducted in public as required under Bylaw 0165 - School Board Meetings.

Revised 4/28/09
Revised 7/22/14
Revised 3/12/24
Revised 4/22/25
T.C. 5/12/26

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