S CHOOL A DVISORY C OUNCIL Q And A

Agenda What are SACs? Duties of the SAC School Improvement Plans & Funds Bylaws Meetings Membership Roles SAC Minutes Questions

SAC BASICS The School Advisory Council is a diverse group of the stakeholders of a school, established through Florida law, with the shared goal of increasing student achievement in a safe learning environment. (referred to as the “SAC”)

SAC BASICS Who makes up the SAC?  SAC Members are elected from their peer groups, teachers elect teachers, staff elect staff, parents elect parents and students elect students.  SACs must consist of the principal and an appropriately balanced number of teachers, staff, parents, community members & students.  High school advisory councils may include students.  SACs must represent “the ethnic, racial and economic makeup of the community served by the school.” To achieve this, members may be appointed.  In addition the majority of SAC members (over 51%) must not be employed by the school on whose SAC they serve. ss

Additional SAC participants  A SAC may have many participants (i.e. assistant principals, sub-committee members, elementary students) but they should not be listed as official voting members.  Electing alternates from each peer group at time of member election may be helpful. oAllows for timely replacement of members oEncourages increased public participation oNot to be used for quorum or voting

What are the duties of the SAC? No Child Left Behind SAC BASICS School Improvement School Recognition Budget

FLORIDA’S EDUCATION GOALS Our Okeechobee School Advisory Councils will assist us in achieving excellence as we strive to meet Florida’s Eight Education Goals. 1.Readiness to Start School 2. Graduation Rate and Readiness for Postsecondary Education and Employment 3. Student Performance 4. Learning Environment 5. School Safety and Environment 6. Teachers and Staff 7. Adult Literacy 8. Parental, Family and Community Involvement

KNOW YOUR SCHOOL 1.Attendance, Grade and Behavioral Data 2.Budget 3.Demographics 4.Faculty Demographics 5.Discipline Referrals 6.Instructional Materials 7.Instructional Programs 8.Physical Plant 9.Recognition/Awards 10.Student and Faculty Handbook (Policies & Practices) 11. Test Scores 12. Traditions and Taboos 13. Community and District Data 14. Stakeholder Survey Results 15. Focus Group Results 16. Interview Results 17. Suggestion Box Comments CATEGORIES FOR ANALYSIS

SAC Duties – defined by state statutes  Assists in the preparation and evaluation of the School Improvement Plan. (SIP)  Decides how school improvement funds are spent  Decides jointly with school faculty how A+ recognition funds are spent  Assists the principal with the school budget  Perform functions as prescribed by regulations of the school board

A+ Recognition Funds Plan for distribution of school recognition funds is jointly decided by faculty and SAC members. (bonuses, materials & supplies, temporary personnel, etc.) If a decision is not reached by Nov. 1 st the funds are dispersed as bonuses to only the classroom teachers currently teaching this school year. (ss State Lotteries & General Appropriations Act)  classroom teacher as defined by (2)(a) (not staff, administration, libraries, guidance counselors, paraprofessionals…)

Assists in preparation of the School Improvement Plan SAC BASICS

School Improvement Plans What: A SIP is made up of goals and objectives established for the school. These goals are based upon an individual school’s needs. Purpose: To enhance student performance through a school based management process that includes input from the school’s administration, support staff, teachers, parents, and business & community members. Funds: School Improvement funds have been made available to each school, allocated to SAC for their use in implementing their SIP.

School Improvement Plans Determine the needs of a school through: Surveys ( Climate surveys, Needs Assessments ) Discussions with the SAC Assessing prior year’s SIP Using reports/data to measure progress (No Child Left Behind Adequate Yearly Progress, School Environmental Safety Incident Report) Using testing scores ( FCAT)

School Improvement Plans Must include: Measurable goals; Budget, training, instructional materials, technology, staffing, student support services, and other matters of resource allocation; Student health and fitness, including physical fitness, parental information on student health and fitness, and indoor environmental air quality; Strategies to address the state rigorous reading requirement; and School safety and discipline strategies.

School Improvement Funds (Lottery Funds) Determined annually by the General Appropriations Act - $0 per FTE student These moneys may be expended only on programs or projects selected by SAC Council funds are not subject to override by the principal or school district staff Not used for capital improvements or projects over one year-however SAC may determine to approve for subsequent year

School Improvement Funds ss District and School Advisory Council Duties …”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.” The intent is to have a direct positive impact on student learning.

SAC BASICS What are the SAC Bylaws?  Bylaws are a set of required (ss ) operating rules that govern the SAC.  Bylaws adopted by the SAC must include: o Name of Council o Purposes, Basic Policies, Governance o Duties & Obligations o Membership composition o General procedures and election methods o Meetings and decision-making policies o Officers o Bylaw amendment or revision procedures o Fiscal year and Parliamentary authority

 Duties and Obligations  School Improvement Funds  A+ Funds  SIP  Procedure for “assisting” with school budget preparation  Membership  51% non school employed membership  Membership composition (teachers, staff, parents, community, business, students & principal)  Diversity  Include the means of insuring wide notice of vacancies for business & community members

 Procedure for electing council members  Procedure for appointing council members for a “balance membership”  Procedure for removal of SAC members for just cause  Procedures for replacing those members that were removed  General Procedures and Elections  Meetings and Decision-making  Advance Notice of Meetings  Advance Notice of Vote. “At least 3 days” advance notice in writing to all members of the advisory council of any matter that is scheduled to come before the council for a vote”  Quorum (minimum 51%)  Sunshine Laws  Special or Ad Hoc Committees

 Officers – Executive Board  Procedures for electing officers  Positions & term of office  Duties, meetings & quorum of executive board  Emergency decision procedures  Amendments or Revisions of Bylaws  Fiscal Year, Parliamentary Authority

SAC Meetings? Florida Statutes ( ss ) require each SAC shall adopt bylaws establishing procedures for: at least 3-days advanced notice in writing to all SAC members of any matter that is scheduled for a vote; Requiring a quorum of at least 51% to be present before a vote may be taken by the SAC; Scheduling meetings when parents, students, teachers, business persons, and members of the community can attend; Replacing any member who has two unexcused consecutive absences from a SAC meeting that has been announced following the bylaws; and Recording minutes of meetings. SAC BASICS

SAC “ in the Sunshine” School Advisory Council meetings are public meetings and subject to the Government in the Sunshine Law, SS (1) F.S.  Reasonable notice of all meetings must be provided, ss (1)  All meetings at which discussions and deliberations, as well as formal actions, take place must be open to the public, ss.( (1)  All meetings must be held in a facility or location accessible to the public, ss (6)  Formal actions are considered binding only when made at meetings held in accordance with the Sunshine Law, ss (1)

more “Sunshine” Minutes of the meetings must be recorded and open to public inspections, ss (2) SAC members who knowingly attend a meeting not held in accordance with the provisions of the Sunshine Law are guilty of a misdemeanor, ss (3)(b) In plain English… Public advertising of meeting Public meeting place. Accessible, Welcome, and Audible to the public. Public may videotape or record meetings. Public allowed to participate in the meetings Minutes taken, votes recorded & available to public (public records) Even 2 members discussing SAC must be “in the Sunshine” (i.e. including agenda prep)

SAC Decisions – the vote Quorum required for each decision Everyone votes (including chairperson & principal) Public votes – no silent/private votes No abstentions, unless personal gain Chairperson restates motion then calls for vote/consensus Consensus encouraged but sometimes you just need to vote! Vote/decision recorded

What is the role of a SAC member? Attends meetings & training Uses state & district goals as guiding principles Determine & prioritize the needs of the school Assesses school data, surveys Develop strategies for improvement Decides how to measure results Assists in the preparation, development, implementation & evaluation of the SIP Assists in preparing the school’s annual budget SAC BASICS

 Duties of the SAC Chair / Co-Chairs Knowledgeable about the SAC duties responsibilities & school improvement process Establishes an agenda. Prepared for meeting: notifies members of meetings & training opportunities Facilitates the meetings Keeps to task, maintains order, involves members Signs SIP

 Duties of the Principal Responsible for school administration Should know/follow state SAC guidelines/laws Assesses school data, surveys Facilitates SAC recommendations in development & implementation of SIP. “shall provide leadership in the development or revision and implementation of a school improvement plan” ss Keeps SAC informed on activities & policies of the school Encourages participation & problem solving & teamwork Part of the SAC team

 Duties of the SAC Secretary Determination of a quorum for meetings Accurate recording of SAC business Maintains up-to-date records of minutes Keeps records of attendance Duties at the meeting: -Reading or providing minutes -Taking accurate minutes Duties after meeting: -Noting status of previous minutes -Notification of elections or appointments -Writing the minutes promptly & dispatching the minutes for agenda prep

SAC BASICS SAC Minutes? Requirement: Fl. Sunshine Law and Statues Verification of proper procedures Attendance-quorum records School improvement fund expenditure decisions Documentation of decision & business required by law for the public (public records) Accelerate business Succeeding officers, & members

 The Minutes Include: Kind of meeting & name of council Date, time & place Agenda-acceptance or revisions Attendance-Quorum & Member Replacement Call to order-Name of presiding officer & recorder Vote on minutes of previous meeting Any correspondence Motions & Votes –Who made the motion, (seconded) any amendments to motion & record vote outcome Elections, Recommendations Reports, Presentations, Programs - (attach to minutes or be brief) Report of what is done (action taken) Hour of adjournment Next meeting date, time and place Signature, typed name, position

 Minutes Do Not Include: Discussion (not what is said) Personal comments or opinions Flowery phrases Motions not stated by the chair Entire reports “Respectfully submitted”

Sources of Information: Florida State Law DOE-Department of Education FIRN-Fl. Information Resource Network District Policy & Administration School’s SAC ByLaws Roberts Rules of Order-Newly Revised Florida Association of School Advisory Councils (FL- SAC) DOE- or A DOE recommended SAC resource site family.net/sac/ family.net/sac/

THANKS! ….to you for contributing to our path toward “Achieving Excellence” in our schools!