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School Site Council (SSC) » Introduction

Introduction

SCHOOL SITE COUNCIL
 
Education Code Section 52852 (formerly 52012) specifies that a school improvement plan shall be developed by a school site council (SSC). The law says, “The SSC shall be composed of the principal; representatives of teachers selected by teachers at the school; other school personnel selected by peers at the school; parents of pupils attending the school selected by such parents; and, in secondary schools, pupils selected by pupils attending the school.”
 
At the secondary level the council shall be constituted to ensure parity between the principal, classroom teachers and other school personnel; (b) equal numbers of parents or other community members selected by parents, and pupils.
 
At both the elementary and secondary levels, classroom teachers shall comprise the majority of persons represented under category (a). (Education Code Section 52852). Furthermore, Education Code Section 52852 states that parents or community members on the SSC may not be employed by the school district.
 
School Improvement is a program for elementary, intermediate, and secondary schools to improve instruction, services, school environment, and organization at school sites according to plans developed by School Site Councils.
 
The California Education Code requires the school site councils to:
  1. Measure effectiveness of improvement strategies at the school.
  2. Seek input from school advisory committees.
  3. Reaffirm or revise school goals.
  4. Revise improvement strategies and expenditures.
  5. Recommend the approved single plan for student achievement (SPSA) to the governing board.
  6. Monitor implementation of the SPSA.1
The SSC is the decision-making council for Consolidated Application programs operated at the school to improve student achievement. The SSC shall develop and approve the Single Plan for Student Achievement (SPSA) in consultation with all stakeholders (with the review, certification and advice of any applicable school advisory committee, including the Compensatory Education Advisory Committee (CEAC), the English Learner Advisory Committee (ELAC) and the Gifted & Talented Education Program Advisory Committee.
 
Roles/Responsibilities of the SSC are to:
  1. Develop a comprehensive Single Plan for Student Achievement and ensure that the school is continually engaged in identifying and implementing curriculum and instructional practices.
  2. The SSC must meet at least six (6) times per year.