BUSINESS ADVISORY COUNCIL

BUSINESS ADVISORY COUNCIL

ag9141Adopted July 19, 2018

9141 - BUSINESS ADVISORY

Businesses are important partners who can help shape the educational experiences of all students in Ohio schools. Businesses can partner with schools to share news about job trends and opportunities, as well as economic changes that will affect jobs. They can play a role in District curriculum development and help create new opportunities for students, such as work-based learning experiences.

Purpose of a Business Advisory Council

Business advisory councils foster cooperation among schools, businesses and the communities they serve. This work ensures that the work of educators aligns with the needs of businesses. This cooperation can make a local education system more aware of the local labor market; promote work-based experiences within businesses; and help students prepare for successful learning and employment opportunities.

Business advisory councils include regional business leaders who are familiar with business and industry needs. Members partner with District leaders to plan and carry out the council’s work.

Roles of a Business Advisor Council

  1. advise the District on changes in the economy and job market and the area in which future jobs are most likely to be available;
  2. advocate for the employment skills most critical to business and industry and the development of curriculum to teach these skills;
  3. aid and support the District by offering suggestions for developing a working relationship among businesses, labor organizations and educators;
  4. identify new and emerging careers;
  5. offer recommendations on needed knowledge, skills and competencies;
  6. offer recommendations on needed knowledge, skills and competencies;
  7. offer work-based learning opportunities;
  8. and make recommendations on the facilities and equipment needed to teach work-based skills.

The Board of Education has entered into an agreement with the Trumbull County Educational Service Center so that the ESC’s business advisory council will represent the businesses of the District.  Regular updates from the council shall be reviewed by the Board.

Business advisory council membership should be representative of the District, be available to attend meetings and participate in council activities, and have a sincere interest in making a positive contribution to ESC/District/council ventures.

Members may be selected from:

  1. local or regional businesses and industries;
  2. workforce development or economic development groups or organizations;
  3. local chambers of commerce;
  4. local business or industry associations;
  5. other organizations with unique knowledge of the local economy or business environment, such as higher education institutions;
  6. the appointing Board of Education or ESC Governing Board (at least one member); and
  7. School District leadership teams.

The business advisory council will document its practices in a written description of how the council will work.  The description should include:

  1. mission statement;
  2. member appointment and terms of service;
  3. appointment of officers and responsibilities of each office;
  4. council’s meeting schedule;
  5. process the council will use to provide public notice of all meetings;
  6. process for taking and recording minutes of each council meeting;
  7. procedures for appointment of council subcommittees, if applicable;
  8. procedures for appointment of council subcommittees, if applicable;
  9. process for reporting to the Board on a quarterly basis;
  10. schedule for review and revision of description of operations of the council.

This description outlines the council’s purpose and guides its management by defining the council’s responsibilities and limitations as well as expectations for its members.

Conflicts of Interest

The maintenance of unusually high standards of honesty, integrity, impartiality, and professional conduct by members of the Business Advisory Council (in accordance with Policy 3133, Policy 4113, and Policy 1130) is essential to ensure the proper performance of school business as well as to earn and keep public confidence in the School District.

Council Activity

The District contact, working with the members of the business advisory council, shall decide the manner in which meetings are conducted, the way decisions are recorded, the process for developing the required plan and joint statement, and other activities of the business advisory council.

Frequency of Meetings

Ohio law requires each business advisory council to meet at least once per quarter.

Business Advisory Council Plan

The council in conjunction with the ESC Governing Board shall develop a written plan. The plan should be revised and updated annually. At minimum, the plan must address how the business advisory council will make recommendations on these items:

  1. delineating employment skills and developing curriculum to instill these skills;
  2. changes in the economy and job market, and the types of employment in which future jobs are most likely to be available;
  3. developing a working relationship among business, labor and education personnel.

The business advisory councils may consider incorporating these elements into their plans:

  1. the schedule of required joint meetings of the Board and the business advisory council for the year; (State law requires meetings between the council and the board at least quarterly.)
  2. a schedule, as determined appropriate, of additional meetings of the business advisory council or of council subcommittees;
  3. data analysis or other information that describes changes in the economy and job market and the types of employment in which future jobs are most likely to be available;

    Data may also focus on student skills or deficiencies and other information that informs the plan.
  4. a needs assessment, based on data analysis, that identifies business community needs as well as students’ educational needs;

    The latter includes the academic, nonacademic, and employment skills and knowledge students must have to succeed in higher education and careers. Needs might include such things as improving awareness of job opportunities, and improving certain skills among students.
  5. a schedule and description of events, activities or programs conducted by the business advisory council to address the identified business or student needs.

    While the law does not prescribe specific events, activities or programs may include:
     
    1. Job Fairs or Conferences: A gathering of business representatives and employees in a location that allows students and families to learn about business activities and job opportunities in the School District or region.
    2. Job Shadowing: Organized opportunities through which students can shadow employees of businesses to understand the nature of the business and job.
    3. Internships, cooperative training, work-based learning opportunities or employment for students: Organized opportunities through which students perform work over an extended time in a business setting to fully understand the nature of a job and how to do it. This can include unpaid as well as paid work; including full-time, part-time or summer employment.
    4. Mentoring and tutoring programs for students: Programs through which employers provide opportunities for employees to serve as mentors and tutors to students, helping improve academic skills as well as social, emotional, and workplace and employability skills.
    5. Career Counseling and Exploration: This can include helping students learn to use the OhioMeansJobs suite of tools and services. It could also include other career exploration activities or training for District employees on career counseling strategies.
    6. Promoting student commitment to being drug free. This could include activities that raise awareness for students not only about the dangers of drug and alcohol use, but also how the use of drugs and alcohol negatively impacts workplace safety and productivity. Focus on how the commitment to remain drug free is a win-win situation for both employers and employees. If possible, provide examples to illustrate the point.
    7. Promoting the use of the OhioMeansJobs Readiness Seal. This could include activities that raise awareness by employers and students of the seal and help students gain and demonstrate competencies included as part of the seal. It could also include training for employers on how to rate students on the various competencies required for the seal.
    8. Informing curriculum design and development: This could include any of the following:
       
      1. reviewing curriculum materials for technical content accuracy
      2. reviewing curriculum materials for technical content accuracy
      3. helping the District obtain instructional materials
      4. identifying employability skills
      5. donating or otherwise helping the District acquire equipment or facilities for specialized training needs
      6. encouraging and promoting secondary and postsecondary connections
      7. recommending technical resource personnel
      8. using OhioMeansJobs K-12 to show desired employability skills for in-demand jobs
      9. supporting a school’s application for STEM designation
      10. offering recommendations to implement career pathways
    9. Engaging educators: This could include activities that provide teachers and other District personnel with information and experiences relative to the businesses in the community. It could include activities like teacher externships and other learning opportunities for educators.
  6. Publicizing and communicating local economy and job information: This would include activities designed to inform students, educators and the community about changes to the local economy and which jobs will be most in demand. Activities could include:
     
    1. developing and implementing a local marketing plan for in-demand careers;
    2. arranging for meetings between chambers of commerce or business roundtables to discuss economic development in the area;
    3. preparing and sharing reports and information on employment trends from the U.S. and Ohio Bureau of Labor Statistics;
    4. inviting representatives from postsecondary and the workforce development community to meetings to discuss the future of jobs in the area;
    5. using OhioMeansJobs K-12 to show in-demand jobs both throughout Ohio and in the local community.
  7. Fostering collaboration, beyond the Council, among business, labor and education personnel. Activities could include:
     
    1. broadly engaging local businesses to support the community’s education system and participate in activities specified in the plan;
    2. soliciting input from businesses on the work of the business advisory council.

Plans shall be filed annually with the Ohio Department of Education. The Department will coordinate the submission of annual plans through its Security Application for Enterprise (SAFE) web portal.

Submitting a Joint Statement

The council and its ESC Governing Board shall issue a joint statement by March 1st each year. This statement should report progress on work they outlined in the council’s plan for that year, summarize actions taken and actions pending, and specify how the council and board have fulfilled their respective responsibilities under the law.

  1. meetings conducted by the council;
  2. the council’s plan and implementation progress;
  3. brief summaries of specific activities the council conducted;
  4. the nature of the council’s advice and recommendations, if any, on needed employment skills and curriculum development to instill those skills;
  5. The nature of the council’s advice and recommendations, if any, on economic and job market changes and the types of employment in which future jobs are most likely to be available; and
  6. the nature of the council’s advice and suggestions, if any, for developing working relationships among businesses, labor organizations and educational personnel.

Business Advisory Councils in Ohio Schools, Developed by the Ohio Department of Education and the Governor’s Office of Workforce Transformation, 2017

© Neola 2018