School Site Council

The school site council plays an important role in decision-making at many schools. Find out what the council does and how you can get involved.

What the School Site Council Does

The school site council is a group of teachers, parents, classified employees, and students that works with the school administration to develop, review and evaluate school improvement programs and school budgets. The members of the site council can be elected by their peers, invited by the principal to serve or volunteers are aways accepted.

The exact duties of school site councils vary from state to state and even between districts in the same state, but site councils generally either make decisions or advise the principal on the school budget and the academic or school improvement plan. In addition to academic planning, many site councils are also responsible for making decisions about parent engagement, safety and discipline.

Over the course of a year, a typical council might consider the goals of the school or district and then work with the principal to evaluate the school’s progress toward those goals. In this evaluation, the council might consider school test scores, attendance and discipline records, parent surveys and input from students.

After looking at the big picture of the school’s progress, the council and the principal create a plan for improvement. This plan might involve a new academic program, staff member or parent outreach strategy.

Learn more about the School Site Council, including its function, role and positions