Part 38SCHOOLSITE COUNCILS

Section § 65000

Explanation

This law states that schools in California need to have a schoolsite council to help develop a School Plan for Student Achievement.

For elementary schools, the council should include the principal, teachers, and other school staff, with teachers being the majority, alongside an equal number of parents.

For secondary schools, the council also includes students, in addition to principals, teachers, other school staff, and parents, with equal representation for teachers, parents, and students.

It ensures that the council's composition reflects the school's student demographics and specifies that school employees who are parents can serve on the council at their children's schools.

(a)CA Education Code § 65000(a) It is the intent of the Legislature that, to the extent possible, the members of the schoolsite council represent the composition of the school’s pupil population. It is also the intent of the Legislature that, notwithstanding the size of the school, the composition of the schoolsite council ensure parity between the groups referenced in paragraphs (1) and (2) of subdivision (c).
(b)CA Education Code § 65000(b) A school that operates a program that requires a School Plan for Student Achievement, pursuant to Section 64001, shall establish a schoolsite council.
(c)Copy CA Education Code § 65000(c)
(1)Copy CA Education Code § 65000(c)(1) At an elementary school, the schoolsite council shall consist of both of the following groups:
(A)CA Education Code § 65000(c)(1)(A) The principal of the school or his or her designee; classroom teachers employed at the school, selected by classroom teachers employed at the school; and school personnel employed at the school who are not teachers, selected by school personnel employed at the school who are not teachers. The classroom teachers selected pursuant to this subparagraph shall constitute a majority of the persons selected pursuant to this subparagraph.
(B)CA Education Code § 65000(c)(1)(B) Parents of pupils attending the school, or other members of the school community, selected by parents of pupils attending the school. The number of persons selected pursuant to this subparagraph shall equal the number of persons selected pursuant to subparagraph (A).
(2)CA Education Code § 65000(c)(2) At a secondary school, the schoolsite council shall consist of both of the following groups:
(A)CA Education Code § 65000(c)(2)(A) The principal of the school or his or her designee; classroom teachers employed at the school, selected by classroom teachers employed at the school; and school personnel employed at the school who are not teachers, selected by school personnel employed at the school who are not teachers. The classroom teachers selected pursuant to this subparagraph shall constitute a majority of the persons selected pursuant to this subparagraph.
(B)CA Education Code § 65000(c)(2)(B) Parents of pupils attending the school, or other members of the school community, selected by parents of pupils attending the school; and pupils attending the school, selected by pupils who are attending the school. The number of persons selected pursuant to this subparagraph shall equal the number of persons selected pursuant to subparagraph (A).
(d)CA Education Code § 65000(d) An employee of a school who is also a parent or guardian of a pupil who attends a school other than the school of the parent’s or guardian’s employment is not disqualified by this employment from serving as a parent representative on the schoolsite council established for the school that his or her child or ward attends.
schoolsite council School Plan for Student Achievement elementary school council composition secondary school council composition teacher representation parent involvement student participation school demographics pupil population representation parent-teacher parity non-teaching staff representation council member selection California school governance parent representative eligibility school community involvement
(Added by Stats. 2018, Ch. 471, Sec. 7. (AB 716) Effective January 1, 2019.)

Section § 65001

Explanation

This law allows schools in California with fewer than 300 students to share a schoolsite council for decision-making if they have a common site administration. Up to three schools can combine councils if, together, they have less than 1,000 students and share a campus or are geographically close with similar student populations. Each shared council must include certain representatives such as a principal, teachers, and community members. Approval from the local bargaining unit is needed if applicable. The state board can grant waivers and set rules to help implement these provisions.

(a)CA Education Code § 65001(a) Schools with a common site administration may operate a shared schoolsite council if the schoolsite has a pupil population of less than 300.
(b)CA Education Code § 65001(b) Up to three schools with a combined pupil population of less than 1,000 may operate a shared schoolsite council if the schools have at least one of the following characteristics:
(1)CA Education Code § 65001(b)(1) A shared campus.
(2)CA Education Code § 65001(b)(2) Geographic proximity to one another with similar pupil populations.
(c)CA Education Code § 65001(c) In the case of a shared schoolsite council, each council shall be composed of members in a manner consistent with subdivision (c) of Section 65000.
(d)Copy CA Education Code § 65001(d)
(1)Copy CA Education Code § 65001(d)(1) If the requirement in paragraph (2) is met, a school with a population of fewer than 300 pupils may operate a schoolsite council that has the representation of all of the following:
(A)CA Education Code § 65001(d)(1)(A) One principal.
(B)CA Education Code § 65001(d)(1)(B) One teacher, selected by the teachers.
(C)CA Education Code § 65001(d)(1)(C) One school staff member representing the other school personnel, selected by the other school personnel.
(D)CA Education Code § 65001(d)(1)(D) 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 pupil selected by the pupils.
(2)CA Education Code § 65001(d)(2) The local governing board or body of the local educational agency shall obtain approval from its local bargaining unit, if applicable.
(e)CA Education Code § 65001(e) The state board may grant a waiver of any provision of this part to a school district or county office of education. A school district governing board or county board of education, on behalf of a schoolsite council, may request that the state board grant a waiver of any provision of this part.
(f)CA Education Code § 65001(f) The state board may adopt rules and regulations as necessary to implement the provisions of this part.
shared schoolsite council common site administration pupil population shared campus geographic proximity schoolsite council composition representation requirements local bargaining unit approval state board waivers school district waiver request council member selection rules and regulations implementation
(Amended by Stats. 2019, Ch. 51, Sec. 57. (SB 75) Effective July 1, 2019.)