1. School Community Council Roles and Responsibilities
Hawaii Department of Education
Presenters:

2. Session Objectives Clarify SCC roles and responsibilities
“Spirit” and Intent of ACT 51
Trustee of the School’s Vision/Mission
Vision of the Public School Graduate
Identify ways to align the Academic and Financial Plan to the school’s vision/mission
Reflective questions
May consider changing Session Objectives to Outcomes.

3. ACT 51: “Spirit” and Intent
Strengthen the ties between school and community
Provide a voice for all major stakeholder groups
Create opportunities for collaboration and partnership in the educational system
Focus on a shared goal of improving student achievement and system’s accountability

4. Trustee of the School’s Vision and Mission
Acts as caretaker of the school
Functions in an advisory role
Practices good stewardship
Approaches issues from a unified perspective
Focuses decisions based upon what is best
for ALL students
Contributes to the shared goal of improving
student achievement
Established in Session Laws of Hawaii (SLH) 2004, the Legislature passed Act 51 as amended by Act This law established School Community Councils (SCCs) for Hawaii’s schools. [Introduction and Background, p. 2]
Caretaker of the school to ensure that the school’s Vision and Mission are supported by the SCC’s actions.
Practice good stewardship – acts as a whole for the benefit for all children rather than as individuals
representing a role group and specific agendas.
Use the AFP as a road map
Use the school data and evidence to provide the basis for all decisions
Are open to new ideas, different points of view and feedback from others.
Are sensitive to multiple/diverse/opposing points of view, setting aside personal agendas
Focused on increasing student achievement for ALL students.
Make decisions based on the best interest of ALL students
Decisions are within Federal law and State statutes; meet the Board of Education/DOE Policies, Rules, Regulations and Procedures and are within the negotiated union contracts.
Understand that the SCC acts in an advisory capacity. The principal holds the responsibility and authority for all administrative decisions.

5. Strategic Plan and the Academic and Financial Plan (AFP)
Focus is on school improvement
Goals of the DOE Strategic Plan and the school’s AFP:
Improving student achievement through
standards-based education
Providing comprehensive support for all students
Continuously improving performance and quality
The purpose is to connect the Department’s initiatives. Reference is the Hawaii State Department of Education Strategic Plan.
Briefly review the three goals
The Academic Plan needs to address the three goals.

6. Roles and Responsibilities
Review the school’s Academic and Financial Plan
Review school data and previous AFP.
Facilitate School Community Meeting #1 to identify
priorities for school improvement and submit to
Principal as input for the Academic Plan.
Communicate and gather support for the plan.
Review draft Financial Plan for alignment to the Academic Plan.
Advocate for the school to the larger community.
Reference:
SCC Handbook, p. 9
Hawaii State Department of Education Implementation of Act 51 Roles and Responsibilities pages
Reviewing and evaluating the school’s academic and financial plans is to ensure that the AFP is aligned with the educational accountability system. The community meetings are designed to inform and gather input from the larger school community. The purpose is for the SCC to ensure that the spirit of Act 51 is met. See pages for the approval and decision making process.

7. Roles and Responsibilities (cont’d)
Facilitate School Community Meeting #2 to share
draft of AFP.
Recommend any revision of the plan to the principal
or recommend plan for approval by CAS
Review any recommendations from the CAS
Review evidence of school progress of the AFP
on a quarterly basis
Review the AFP with focus on areas of need for students
and the alignment of curricular, instructional and
professional development support for teaching staff.
Reference:
SCC Handbook, Hawaii State Department of Education Implementation of Act 51 Roles and Responsibilities, pp
Reviewing and evaluating the school’s academic and financial plans ensures that the AFP is aligned with the educational accountability system. The community meetings are designed to inform and gather input from the larger school community. The SCC purpose is to ensure that the spirit of Act 51 is met. See pp for the approval and decision making process. 7

8. Roles and Responsibilities (cont’d)
Provide for collaborative opportunities
Communicate school issues to school community.
Advocate for the school to the larger community
Reference:
SCC Handbook, p. 9
Hawaii State Department of Education Implementation of Act 51 Roles and Responsibilities, pp
Provide for collaborative opportunities for input from the school community and communicate school issues to the community.
Understand that the SCC does not replace the principal’s authority. The SCC
is not a governing board.
does not hire and fire the Principal.
does not control school finances.
is not a forum for promoting personal agendas.
is not a body whose members “represent” constituencies.

9. Roles and Responsibilities (cont’d)
Public Notice of Meetings
Post and make available all SCC Meeting Agendas and Minutes on the School Documents Online (SDO) website and in the school’s administrative office or school website.
Reference:
SCC Handbook, pp
Act 51/221 Matrix of Requirements, p. 89
Post and make available all SCC Meeting Agendas and Minutes School Documents Online (SDO) website:
Communication link to school community – Act 51 requires posting of the SCC Agenda 6 calendar days prior to the scheduled meeting. The SCC Minutes should be posted in a timely manner after review and approval.

10. Roles and Responsibilities (cont’d)
Create SCC Bylaws to govern the Council’s operations.
Review Bylaws annually and amend as necessary.
Submit Council Bylaws to the CAS for
review and approval.
Reference:
SCC Handbook , pp
Council Bylaws are to guide the Council.
Bylaws should be reviewed at the beginning of each year due to new members. The Council may choose to amend the Bylaws if needed.

11. Roles and Responsibilities (cont’d)
Participate in principal selection.
Participate in principal evaluation by providing
input to the CAS through the SCC Principal
Survey.
Reference:
SCC Handbook, p. 9
Hawaii State Department of Education Implementation of Act 51 Roles and Responsibilities, pp
Participating in principal selection. One SCC member to sit on the interview committee.
Participation in the evaluation of the principal by providing input to the Complex Area Superintendent through the SCC Principal Survey. See pp The final evaluation will be conducted by the CAS.

12. Roles and Responsibilities (cont’d)
Submit requests for waivers to policies, rules,
regulations and procedures and exceptions to
collective bargaining agreements for approval.
Provide recommendations for the revision or creation
of new school level policies and procedures.
Reference:
SCC Handbook, p. 9
Hawaii State Department of Education Implementation of Act 51 Roles and Responsibilities, pp
Requesting waivers from BOE policies and DOE rules, regulations and procedures, and exceptions to collective bargaining agreements for approval. Section 5 Procedures and Forms, pp
Be aware of collective bargaining agreements
Provide recommendations for the revision or creation of new school level policies and procedures
Consider SCC ad hoc committees to research and gather information to support waiver/exception requests and school improvement initiatives
Provide collaborative opportunities for input from the school community
Communicate school issues to the community
Uphold the confidentiality of information related to school matters

13. Roles and Responsibilities(cont’d)
Review the principal’s determination of the school’s
repair and maintenance needs and recommend to
the principal any changes before the list is sent to
the CAS.
Create partnerships, improve community relationships
and resource development to support school
operations.
Reference:
SCC Handbook, p. 9
Hawaii State Department of Education Implementation of Act 51 Roles and Responsibilities, p. 100
Repair and maintenance needs – Review the principal’s determination of the school’s repair and maintenance needs and recommend to the principal any changes before the list is sent to the CAS.
Create partnerships, improve community relationships and resource development to support school operations.

14. Something for SCCs to think about…
Reflective Questions
What are we doing to ensure success for all students?
How do we know if what we are doing is working and
making a difference?
What should we be doing differently in order to meet
the needs of all students?
These questions are to guide the discussion at every SCC meeting.

15. SCC Resources from the……. DOE Website
Department of Education Website:
SCC
DOE Strategic Plan

16. Resources from the… SCC Website
Information about School Community Councils
List of Council Members by School
Forms and Downloads
SCC Handbook II
Forms & Templates
Training Modules
Links
SCC Self Assessment Survey
Survey Reports

17. Resources from the … SCC Website
School Documents Online (SDO) go to:
School Community Council (SCC) go to:
Department of Education (DOE) homepage go to:
Board of Education (BOE) homepage go to:
SCC Handbook II (revised)
SCC Self-Assessment
ACT 51/221 Matrix of Requirements
Roles and Responsibilities

18. In summary…
The SCC, as “trustee” of the school’s vision and mission, plays a vital role in ensuring success for all student
Thank you for your commitment.