Working with your School Governance Council · 9/9/2015  · PTA presentation during curriculum...

PTA School of Information: Working with your School Governance Council

Korynn SchooleyDepartment of Governance & FlexibilitySeptember 9, 2015

Our

schools

have

diverse

challenges

Programs

customized

to unique

needs of

FCS

students

Decisions

made as

close to

students

as

possible

Given our unique context, the District believes empowering

local school communities will best serve FCS students.

Increased school decision-making will

provide a stable, long-term framework

for improving student achievement.

Local school

autonomy

Theory of Action

SGCs work with school leadership and the community to:

– determine the long-term direction of the school,

– design innovative solutions to increase student achievement, and

– serve as school ambassadors to the local community

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School Governance Councils: governing bodies charged with setting the long-term vision for school

SGCs comprised of stakeholder representatives

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1 Principal (non-voting)

3 Parents/Guardians (elected)

2 Teachers (elected)

2 School Employees (appointed)

2 Community Members (nominated)

+ 2 Students (HS only; non-voting)

What do SGCs do?

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School Strategic Plans

School Strategic Plans provide long-term direction & vision for schools

• Long-term objectives, short-term goals, & strategic initiatives for a 3-year period

• Collaborative, community documents

• School budgets, RFFs, Seed Fund requests aligned to strategic plans

• Principal responsible for implementing plan; SGC responsible for monitoring plan

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Why Engage in Strategic Planning?

Strategic planning is your school’s springboard.

Better Use of Limited Resources

Transparent Decision-making

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Improved Student Outcomes

Prioritize Efforts (Be Strategic!)

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What about Requests for Flexibility and the Seed

Fund?

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Requests for Flexibility (RFF)

• Proposals to waive district and/or state laws/policies to implement a school-based strategy

• Aligned with strategic plan

• Implications (personnel, budget, operations, schedule, etc.)

• 30-days Public Comment

• 2/3 School Governance Council approval

• Superintendent’s approval

Your schools’ strategic plan may lead SGC to propose a Request for Flexibility

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• Common RFFs include:

– Professional dev’t release days

– Class size waivers

– Instructional minute waivers

– Personal fitness waivers

– TAG model waiver

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RFFs to Date

• 58 RFFs approved (FY14 & FY15)

Seed Fund Grants

Your school’s strategic plan may lead SGC to request a Seed Fund grant

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The Seed Fund’s mission is to empower Fulton County schools to create unique solutions, tailored to the needs

of their communities, which result in improved outcomes for students

• Funding appropriated by state legislature

• Managed by Fulton Education Foundation

• 1-year grants awarded based on rubric

• Minimum $2m/Learning Community over FY14-FY16

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Seed Fund to Date

South $2.81m

Northeast $2.02m

Northwest $1.64m

Central $2.23m

• 82 Seed Fund grants awarded over first two years

• Seed Fund distributed $8.7m thus far

What does this mean for PTAs?

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Panelists:

Tara SpolanCrabapple Crossing Elementary

SGC Chair

Katha StuartRoswell High School

SGC Chair

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Create an “SGC Corner” in your PTA

newsletter

Use your parent contacts to gather

feedback on strategic plan or RFF

Ask SGC to provide updates at PTA mtgs

or designate an SGC liaison

Serve on an SGC Committee

Conduct joint SGC-PTA presentation during curriculum

night

Ask SGC what Strategic Plan

initiatives need monetary support

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SGCs need PTAs!

Thank You!

Korynn Schooleyschooleyk@fultonschools.org

470-254-3604

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