School Site Council

• Develop and approve the SPSA, including the proposed expenditures of funds. The SPSA must align with the needs identified through the school’s comprehensive needs assessment and the goals identified by the SSC and must adhere to all applicable state and federal laws and regulations. The SPSA must include funds based on projected allocations from federal funds, and may also include other state or local funds allocated to the school to support student achievement. Proposed expenditures include planned spending and costs needed to implement the strategies/services in the SPSA.
• Recommend the SPSA, including proposed expenditures of funds, to the LEA’s local governing board or body for approval.
• Provide ongoing review throughout the school year of the implementation of the strategies/services in the SPSA to ensure the plan is being carried out to address the needs of the school and its students.
• Make modifications to the SPSA, if a need arises. The SSC will submit the modified SPSA to the local governing board/body for approval whenever a material change (as defined in local governing board policy) is made to planned activities or related expenditures.
• Annually evaluate the progress made toward the school’s goals to increase the academic achievement of all students. This includes reviewing and analyzing established metrics, baseline data, and desired outcomes in the SPSA to ensure continuous improvement of students in the schoolwide program.
• Perform all other duties assigned to the SSC by the local governing board or body of the LEA and by state law. As each school has their own unique needs and student populations, the SSC must ensure this is considered within their duties and responsibilities.

The members of the SSC represent the composition of school’s student population and notwithstanding the size of the school. The composition of the SSC must have an equal number of members between the school staff members and parent/community/student members with a minimum of 10 members; five school members and five parent/community/student members. Additionally, for the school staff members, the classroom teachers must be in the majority. (EC Section 65000[a]).

The SSC in an elementary school must be composed of the both of the following two groups; school staff and parent and/or community members (EC Section 65000[c][1]):

School Group Members (Elementary Schools):

• The principal of the school or their designee;
• School personnel employed at the school who are not teachers, selected by school personnel employed at the school who are not teachers; and
• Classroom teachers employed at the school, selected by classroom teachers employed at the school; The classroom teachers selected shall constitute a majority of the school members selected (EC Section 65000[c][1][A]); and

Parent and/or Community Group Members (Elementary Schools):

• Parents of students attending the school, or other members of the school community, selected by parents of students attending the school. The number of parent and/or community members selected must equal the number of the school staff members selected (EC Section 65000[c][1][B]).

In other words, the minimum number of SSC members at an elementary school is a total of 10 (e.g. one principal or their designee, one other school personnel, three classroom teachers, and five parent/community members).

The SSC in a secondary school shall be composed of the following two groups (EC Section 65000[c][2]):

School Group Members (Secondary Schools):

• The principal of the school or their designee;
• School personnel employed at the school who are not teachers, selected by school personnel employed at the school who are not teachers; and
• Classroom teachers employed at the school, selected by classroom teachers employed at the school. The classroom teachers selected must make up a majority of the school members selected (EC Section 65000[c][2][A]); and

Parent and/or Community and Pupil Group Members (Secondary Schools):

• Parents of students attending the school, or other members of the school community, selected by parents of students attending the school; and students attending the school, selected by students who are attending the school. The number of parent and/or community members and student members selected shall equal the number of school members selected (EC Section 65000[c][2][B]).

In other words, the minimum number of SSC members at a secondary school is a total of 10 (e.g. one principal or his or her designee, one other school personnel, three classroom teachers, and five parent/community and student members).

If a parent or guardian is employed at another school other than the one their student attends, they are not disqualified by this employment from serving as a parent representative on the SSC (EC Section 65000[d]). Therefore, the parent or guardian is allowed to serve as a parent representative on the SSC for the school that their student attends, if selected.

A school with a population of fewer than 300 pupils may operate a SSC that has the representation of all of the following:

• One principal
• One teacher, selected by the teachers
• One school staff member representing the other school personnel, selected by the other school personnel
• If the school is an elementary school, three parents or community members selected by parents, or if the school is a secondary school, two parents or community members selected by parents and one student selected by the students (EC Section 65001[d][1])

The minimum number of SSC members for schools with fewer than 300 pupils is a total of six (e.g. one principal, one teacher, one school staff, three parents/community members or students). To operate an SSC with a reduced-member composition, the local governing board or body of the LEA must receive approval from its local bargaining unit, as applicable (EC Section 65001[d][2]).

Any meeting held by the SSC must follow the Greene Act requirements that includes:

• Posting the notice of meeting at the schoolsite, or other appropriate place accessible to the public, at least 72 hours before the time set for the meeting. The notice must specify the date, time, and location of the meeting and contain an agenda describing each item of business to be discussed or acted upon (EC Section 35147[c][1]).
• Being open to the public and allow for any member of the public to address the SSC during the meeting on any item within the subject matter jurisdiction of the SSC. The SSC may not take any action on any item of business unless that item appeared on the posted agenda or unless the SSC members present, by unanimous vote, find that there is a need to take immediate action and that the need for action came to the attention of the SSC subsequent to the posting of the agenda (EC Section 35147[c][1]).
• Allowing for questions or brief statements made at a meeting by members of the SSC or public that do not have a significant effect on students or employees in the school or school district, or that can be resolved solely by the provision of information, need not be described on an agenda as items of business. If the SSC violates the procedural meeting requirements of this section, upon demand of any person, the SSC must reconsider the item at its next meeting, after allowing for public input on the item (EC Section 35147[c][2]).
• Providing upon request any meeting materials to any member of the public pursuant to the California Public Records Act (EC Section 35147[d]).