School
Advisory Council Frequently Asked Questions
What is a School Advisory Council (SAC)?
The School Advisory Council is a school-based group intended to represent
the school, the community and those persons closest to the students. The
group shares responsibility for guiding the school toward continuous improvement.
The district school board is responsible, by Florida law, for establishing
an advisory council for each school in the district and shall develop
procedures for the election and appointment of advisory council members.
Each School Advisory Council shall include in its name the words "school advisory council."
What is the role of the School Advisory Council?
The School Advisory Council is responsible for final decision making at
the school relating to the implementation of the provisions of the
annual School Improvement Plan. Each School Advisory Council assists
in the annual preparation and evaluation of the School Improvement
Plan (SIP) and in the preparation of the school's annual budget.
Who serves on the School Advisory Council?
Beginning July 1, 2008, a majority of the members of each School Advisory Council
had to be persons who were not employed by the school district. Each advisory
council should 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. Certain members are elected
by their peers, while business and community members are appointed, and the
principal automatically serves. Only students in secondary schools serve
on a SAC.
How are business and community members selected?
The district school board is responsible for establishing procedures,
for use by schools in selecting business and community members,
that include a means of ensuring wide notice of vacancies
and seeking input on possible members from local businesses,
chambers of commerce, community and civic organizations, and the public at large.
How are elections conducted?
Each chairperson is responsible for overseeing the elections. Each
SAC must represent teachers, education support employees,
parents, and students who are elected by their respective
peer groups at the school in a fair and equitable manner as follows:
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Teachers shall be elected by teachers.
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Education support employees shall be elected by education
support
employees.
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Parents shall be elected by parents.
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Students shall be elected by students.
Voting can occur at meetings or by mail, using written ballots
or show of hands. Ballots are counted, recorded, and retained.
Ballots and voting records should be kept by a SAC officer, and the results are reflected in the official
SAC minutes.
Do elections have to be recorded?
Elections can be by written, signed or computerized ballots as long
as the ballots are recorded officially for auditing
purposes. Elections must be open and fair.
Does
the law require the composition of School Advisory Councils to
reflect the racial balance of the student population
attending the school?
No. An opinion (AGO 2008-16) from the Florida Attorney General’s
Office issued on April 8, 2008, indicates that the
composition of the SAC must reflect the ethnic,
racial and economic community in the geographic area served by
the school (rather than the district at large or
the actual student population attending the school). For further information, please see:
http://myfloridalegal.com/ago.nsf/Opinions/5634E57A908E25D8852574250071E799
Who serves as Chair of the School Advisory Council?
Any member can be elected to serve as Chair. We recommend that
neither a principal (in order to invite greater
shareholder involvement) nor a student (due to lack
of experience and maturity) fills this role. Some schools elect
co-chairs so that a parent/community member and a school-based member can
lead jointly.
Are persons serving as a School Advisory Council
member required to be screened?
No. If the SAC member is a parent or business volunteer,
no screening is required. However, districts
are required to check volunteers’ names
with the sexual offender/predator database.
For further information, please see Section 943.04351, Florida Statutes
http://www.flsenate.gov/statutes/index.cfm?mode=View%20Statutes&SubMenu=1&App
_mode=Display_Statute&Search_String=943.04351&URL=CH0943/Sec04351.HTM
What is a quorum?
A majority of the membership of the council (more than half)
constitutes a quorum. (Section 1001.453(1)(d)1, Florida Statutes)
Who develops the bylaws?
Each School Advisory Council adopts its own bylaws. The district
may require procedures, policies, sample by-laws
or a uniform template for all School Advisory Councils in their district. (Section 1001.453(1)(d),
Florida Statutes)
How much money is allotted to each SAC?
For the last several years, each SAC has received $10.00
per student. On July 1, 2008, the SAC allocation
dropped to $5.00 per unweighted FTE student. The amount
for 2009 is up to $5.00 per unweighted student and could
be prorated depending on availability of funds.
A portion of the funds provided in the annual General
Appropriations Act for use by School Advisory Councils
must be used for implementing the School Improvement
Plan. The money is sent by DOE to each district,
which forwards allocations to each local school SAC. Expenditures are
reported to the State and are subject to annual audit.
(For further information, please see Section 1001.42(18)(f), F.S. and Section 24.121(5)(c),
F.S.)
How much notice is given to School Advisory Council
members for agenda items?
The law states that each school is required to give at
least three business days advance notice in
writing to all members of the SAC of any matter that is scheduled
to come before the council for a vote. (Section 1001.453(1)(d)2, Florida
Statutes) Meeting dates can be posted on school Web sites,
marquees or bulletin boards, published in
newsletters, announcements or local newspapers, or broadcast on TV.
When are SAC meetings scheduled?
SAC meetings are to be scheduled when parents, students,
teachers, businesspersons, and members of
the community are able to attend. Location and time
of day are important considerations for promoting attendance
and participation. (Section 1001.453(1)(d)3, Florida Statutes)
Can members who have been absent be replaced?
Yes. When replacing any member who has two or more consecutive
unexcused absences from school advisory
council meetings, the SAC follows procedures in its bylaws or in district policies. (Section 1001.453(1)(d)4,
Florida Statutes)
Are meeting minutes required?
Yes. Minutes should be written or tape recorded and
kept for one to three years. (For further
information, please see Section 1001.453(1)(d)5,
Florida Statutes, and Florida’s current records retention schedule
for local government)
When is the best time to start the school improvement
planning process?
Even though the school improvement planning process
is ongoing, it is useful to start
the evaluation and needs assessment processes in
the spring. Districts select planning cycles that accommodate local needs.
Is a charter school required to have a School Advisory
Council?
Yes. However, charter schools are sometimes are
able to have their governing body
serve as their SAC. Refer to agreements in the
charter contract on a schoolby-
school basis.
Does a charter school need to have a School Improvement
Plan (SIP)?
Yes. It is a public school; therefore it must
have a school improvement plan approved
by the district or, if stated in the terms of
its contract agreement, it may substitute its charter contract and annual report
as the annual SIP.
Are DJJ programs required to have a School Improvement
Plan?
Yes. According to HB 991 passed in the 2009
Legislative Session, each DJJ program
must have a School Improvement Plan.
Are schools required to include their dropout
prevention and academic intervention
programs in their School Improvement Plan?
Yes, according to Section 1003.53(2)(b), Florida
Statutes, schools must “reflect” those
programs in their SIPs. Response to Intervention
(RtI) is among the academic interventions
which should be reflected in the SIP. For further information, please see:
http://leg.state.fl.us/Statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&Search_String=&U
RL=Ch1003/SEC53.HTM&Title=->2008->Ch1003->Section%2053#1003.53
Do SAC meetings fall under the Sunshine Law?
Yes. According to Chapter 286, Florida Statutes,
all meetings of any board or commission
of any state agency or authority or of any
agency or authority of any county,
municipal corporation, or political subdivision,
except as otherwise provided in
the Constitution, at which official acts are
to be taken are declared to be
public meetings open to the public at all times.
No resolution, rule, or formal action
shall be considered binding except as taken
or made at such meetings. The board
or commission must provide reasonable notice
of all such meetings. For further information, please see:
http://myfloridalegal.com/ago.nsf/Opinions/69EDFFAEB2FE3C8C85256B27005F4371
Are SACs allowed to sponsor fundraisers?
It is generally preferable to have the PTA,
PTSO, Education Foundation, or another
group conduct school fundraisers in order
to keep SAC allocations separate. Consult with your local district
office about school board policy.
If SAC funds are left over at the end of
the school year, can they be carried over
to the following year?
The intent of the Legislature is to have
funds used during the school year in which they
are awarded. A school board might allow
funds to be carried forward, but always
check with your District Finance Director
first, and consult with your local district office about school board policy.
Can funds be used to pay stipends for members?
No. The Florida Attorney General has written
an opinion that funds may not be used
to pay a stipend to any member since
a School Advisory Council is not a “project” or “program.” For
further information, please see:
http://www.fldoe.org/ogc/opinions/2000/00-03.asp
Who provides training for new SAC members?
The district office is responsible for
training. Some education consortia also
provide training. (Section 1001.42(19), Florida
Statutes)
What topics are typically covered in
SAC training?
-
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School Climate Surveys (optional)
How can a school obtain a Five Star rating?
The Five Star School Award was created by the Florida Department
of Education, Commissioner’s
Community Involvement Council and
is presented
annually
to those schools that
have shown evidence of exemplary
community involvement. In
order to earn Five Star school
recognition, a school must show
documentation that it has achieved 100% of the established
criteria in the categories of:
Obtain guidelines, application forms and information from
your District Volunteer Coordinator. Application forms are located at: http://www.fldoe.org/family/fivestar.asp
